An Ode to the Greatest Coffee Drink Ever

I write about coffee a good amount on this site. I’m a fan. What can I say? I like to try a bunch of different coffee too. I’m no traditionalist when it comes to coffee. I like flavored coffee, coffee with cream, coffee with cream and artificial sweetener. I’ll drink pretty much any coffee drink except Frappuccinos. Those are too sweet for me. Today I had the best coffee drink in my 10 plus years of drinking this wonderful beverage. Let’s discuss.

I took my folks out to lunch after running with my buddy. We went to a local bakery that also does sandwiches, soups, salads and drinks. All three of us got a coffee soda to drink. The menu listed three ingredients, cold brew, citric simple and an orange peel. Pretty straightforward. This was my second time trying the drink. My dad and I had it awhile back. My mom had it for the first time. When they brought the drinks to the table it looked like any other iced coffee. Then we all tasted it.

This drink is incredible people. You have to get the whole idea of cold brew out of your head. I know the traditionalists won’t like the sound of that, but that’s what you have to do. Yes, you can taste the coffee, but what makes this drink so amazing is the citrus. I could not get enough of the citrus. It adds a very good taste that I would never have thought would work with cold brew. People my age will remember Citrus Cooler Gatorade. That is the greatest flavor of Gatorade ever. Full stop. This coffee soda reminds me of that. I am a big citrus freak, so this is right up my alley. This shouldn’t work, but it just does. Each sip gets better. The citrus flavor comes through fully and it is a quenching drink, but also caffeinated. I was extremely happy when my mom had a few sips left and let me finish.

This is the GOAT coffee drink right now. I love how refreshing and citrusy it tastes. I cannot recommend it enough. If you have the ingredients, make it. If you know of a place that sells a drink similar, go buy it. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Appreciation for MLB Superstar Mookie Betts

I have been playing MLB The Show on and off for a month now. The game is fun. I like to make the difficulty as low as it can go and see how many homers I can pitch. I also like seeing if I can throw a no hitter, or even better, a perfect game. I've only done the perfect game twice. But I have smacked a ton of homers, especially when I am one of the old time teams with stars that I watched play as a kid.

When I do play as modern teams I am either the Cardinals or the Blue Jays. I live in Saint Louis and Vlad Guerrero Jr is the son of one of my all time favorite players. I have also been the NL All Stars and I have found that I really like Mookie Betts. I do not know much about him, but the way he plays the game intrigues me. He also wears cool stuff. His cleats are rad. I read that he wears different chains at games because he once was gifted a chain by a fan and that started a thing for him. He also has a very fluid swing in the game, which I am sure is modeled after his real swing, and I like that. He can smack liners in one bat and then turn on one and hit it 400 plus feet with relative ease. He has a rocket for an arm. He is fast and can track down almost any fly ball.

Playing this game has turned me into a Mookie Betts fan. It is wild. My son got home from football practice the other night and he turned on MLB Network. I usually pay no attention when he watches, especially since the Cardinals are very bad this season. But the Dodgers were playing the other night and Mookie Betts happened to be having a very good game. So I sat and watched him play. My fandom grew even more while watching. He plays the game with glee. I like that. He understands that he is a pro and he is making big bucks playing, but he looks like he is having the time of his life on the field. He plays with a joy not many other players do right now. He makes this boring game fun, and fun to watch for a "fan" like me. All of these current players who try to play by the "unwritten rules" or the old rules, they are boring and lame. Betts plays the game fun. He is incredibly good at this game, and rewarded as such, but he is never taking it overly serious. He doesn't lose his mind if he gets hit by a pitch. Sure, he will flip his bat during a big homerun, but it is never an attempt to show up the pitcher or opponent. When he makes a good play in the outfield he smiles and acts like he was supposed to do it. I adore that in a modern baseball player.

We need more baseball players like Mookie Betts. If we had more players like him maybe the MLB would get more viewers. I like watching players like Betts, Elly De LaCruz, Vlad Guerrero. They make baseball fun again. They seem to realize they are getting paid to play a game. I want more of these players and less players like Justin Turner. He takes this way too seriously. I would much rather watch Mookie Betts anytime.

Mr Betts, you have gained a new lifelong fan. Keep doing your thing and I wish you nothing but the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's All Calm Down with the Giannis Leaving Milwaukee Speculation

Zach Lowe is back from vacation and he is recording at a very fast pace. I love it because he is my favorite basketball writer and podcaster. But one thing he keeps bringing up, and a lot of other basketball writers seem to be bringing up is the Giannis statement that he made during an interview.

Giannis said that he would not stay in Milwaukee unless they showed that they can compete for titles year after year. I think that is a pretty normal statement from a superstar who has won a title fairly recently. That seems to be the deal with any upper echelon player that wins. They get a taste of it and they want more and more and more. But listening to Zach Lowe and his colleagues, you'd think that Giannis asked to be traded now. They treat that statement as a proclamation that he wants out, and of course, he wants to go to a big market.

That is what makes me go nuts about all of this. Whenever a superstar player hints at being unhappy, or says they will only stay if the team is competitive, or they just talk to someone with a microphone, to these sports writers for ESPN or Bleacher Report or The Ringer, that means they want out and they must want to go to a big market. All of the teams that get mentioned, the Lakers, Knicks or Celtics, it is all the same. I get that these sports writers spend a good amount of their time in these cities, and it would make their lives easier, but why is it always a big market? Why does it have to be the Lakers or Celitcs? Why do they need to be where the most production and tv cameras are located? Why do these sports writers make it seem like these players will only ever be remembered as great if they are in the biggest market? Do these guys really need to wear purple and gold or green and white to be considered for the hall of fame? No way.

I very much disagree with this statement from Lowe and his buddies. Giannis won a title with Milwaukee. He won with Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. Those guys are very good, but they may not be hall of fame talents. Michael Jordan was in a very big market, Chicago, but the Bulls never got mentioned. I don't get that. I think, if some of these stars were to leave, Chicago would be a great spot for them to land. Chicago is the third biggest market in the US. But the sports writers would rather they end up in LA or Boston. I get that LeBron did that, leaving Cleveland for LA, but that was more of a life after basketball move. Yes, he did win a title, but the Lakers haven't been as dominant as his teams in Cleveland. All of these sports writers' current darling, Nikola Jokic, plays in Denver. Up until last season the Nuggets games would sometimes get blacked out in Denver because of low ticket sales. But none of the Zach Lowes of the world want Jokic playing in LA or Boston. Anthony Edwards seems to like playing in Minnesota right now. He has gotten better every year and it feels like he wants to build something there. I would not like it at all if he left to be second fiddle for the Lakers or third fiddle for the Celtics. LaMelo Ball is a walking highlight reel and he reupped in Charlotte for a long while. Why would he leave that team now? He gets to do what he wants when he wants. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is on the precipice of becoming a perenial MVP candidate and he was traded from LA to Oklahoma City. He seems much happier on the Thunder right now. Jaren Jackson Jr and Ja Morant are building something nice in Memphis. They have issues they have to clean up, but on the floor in Memphis, they look solid and happy. There are more teams out there than just the LA, New York and Boston teams. And the only one of those big market teams that could put together a good enough trade package for Giannis is the Knicks, and the media barely mentions them now. The Lakers can't do it. The Clippers can't even trade for James Harden right now. And why would the Celtics let Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum go ? They are big stars already.

Sports writers need to chill on the constant talk of big named players instantly heading to the Celtics or Lakers. It is hackey and cliche. Come up with better stuff and stop succumbing to the big name teams. The NBA is fine. The Lakers and Knicks and Celtics don't always have to have the best players. Spread the talent out and give this league parity. That is what makes pro sports so much fun. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The Little Mermaid"

My daughter is home sick from school today, she is fine, just a mild cold with a cough, and when the kids stay home they get to pick the tv show or movie we watch after the doctor appointment. My daughter wanted to watch "The Little Mermaid". I thought, cool, I haven't seen that movie in a long, long time. So I went to turn on the cartoon, the one I know of, and that was when she stopped me and told me she wanted the live action "Little Mermaid". I had totally forgotten that they made a live action version. She reminded me that she and my wife saw it in the theaters with my mother in law. That was when it clicked with me that they did make it, and it was easily findable on Disney +.

I turned it on not expecting much or to even be fully paying attention. These live action remakes have been pretty subpar up to this point. But I was fully in right after they did the "Under the Sea" song. This was a visual feast. I loved every choice that they made while doing this musical number in this movie. It was pretty tremendous and the movie never lost my attention from that point on. This is a very good live action remake. I think it is the best one to date. Halle Bailey is simply amazing as Ariel. She has a powerhouse of a voice. When she sings you cannot help but listen. She takes these famous songs and makes them her own. She also happens to be a solid actor. She embodied the cartoon character. She had the red hair. The way they made her mermaid tale was very cool, and looked very real. When she comes on land and cannot talk, which should be very hard to do, she totally nailed it. I bought it from the jump. She is a star. Melissa McCarthy was pretty superb as Ursula. She looked like she was having a great time doing this, never really taking her foot off the pedal. She chewed the scenery in the best possible way. She also looked like the cartoon character, but more palatable. My hat is off to the makeup and animation team for achieving that masterfully. Prince Eric, I don't remember the actor's name, was fine. This movie isn't about him though. Awkwafina as Scuttle, a new character, was funny and my favorite in the whole movie. She even got to rap and she crushed it. Daveed Diggs was pretty good as Sebastian. You have to get over the fact that he is doing a very cliche Jamaican accent. But once you do it is easy to buy into his performance. He is a great performer and singer and that dude gives every project he is in his full go. He doesn't let up for one second. I really loved the back and forth between him and Scuttle. I kind of want a Sebastian and Scuttle side movie where they fall in love. But make no mistake, this is Halle Bailey's starring role and her introduction to the entire world. And she hit an absolute homerun. She is incredibly talented and is going to be around for a long, long time.

I definitely recommend this movie for parents with young kids and for people who grew up as a child of the 90's just like me. You will appreciate how well they interpret this movie and even the added stuff feels classic. The live action "Little Mermaid" is a pretty decent movie. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches Marc Maron Live

This past Saturday I went to see Marc Maron do some live standup. My buddy asked if I wanted to go, I did, so we went. I have seen Maron a few times prior to this. He is a very good standup and any chance to see him, I'm going to check it out. Maron was in Saint Louis for three nights and we went on the third night, his second to last show. I felt like this was one of the best chances to go because he had to really have his show down to a T at this point and we would get one of the best versions of Marc Maron that we could want. My buddy has also never seen him live before, so I was hoping for a good show.

We were fortunate enough to see a great show. I had a wonderful time seeing Maron. He played Helium here in STL, and that is a small venue. I like that because it feels a bit more intimate. The club was full, but it still felt small. That is my ideal way of seeing standup. Big theater shows are fine, and I've seen my fair share that way, but smaller clubs are the way to go. The real draw, of course, was Maron. He is such a pro. That was my biggest takeaway from the show. He has been doing this a long time now and it shows. He commands the stage. He makes it look so easy even though it is not easy at all. He commanded the crowd all night long. There was one lady who kept talking and he rolled with the punches. He was never mean to her, but he called her out on her BS. I like that. He would effortlessly move from joke to joke. He would go on his usual rants and they were as funny as ever.

Maron touched on all kinds of topics in his 70 minute set. He talked about his father's dementia. He let us know about him passing out on a hoke while listening to Taylor Swift. We got good bits about his status in the world and in Hollywood. He used the state of Missouri's backwoods politics to perfection. I agreed with all that he had to say on that topic. He let us in on his current relationship. He also talked about past relationships. He even did some bits about exercising which I found hilarious. He was on point all night long and it showed. My cheeks hurt from laughing. I had an absolute blast all show. We even stuck around afterward so my buddy could get a poster. We got to meet him and have a very quick chat. He seems like a very cool dude. Too cool for me, but I am very happy to continue to listen to his standup and his podcast.

Marc Maron has carved out a very good spot for him. It feels like he is at the perfect fame level. I think he would agree with that statement. Seeing him do live stand up for the first time since COVID was quite the treat. I loved every second of it. From the opener to Maron to meeting him afterward, it was such a wonderful time. I definitely recommend seeing him when/if he comes to your town. He is the consummate pro and one of the best touring standups in the world. See him and you will have as good a time as me. This was a great, great show. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to the Excellence of Matthew Berry

Today is an appreciation post for Matthew Berry and his role as Laszlo on "What We Do in the Shadows".

I'm a big fan of this show. I also love the movie. I was on board the moment they decided to do a tv series based on the movie. The good news about the tv series for me was that I had barely heard of the cast. The whole cast is great, I have become a fan of all of them, but I only knew of Mark Prosch, he plays Colin Robinson, and Matthew Berry. Colin Robinson was on "The Office" near the end of its run, and Berry had some big succes in the UK and doing quirky comedy stuff that some of my friends had sent me or told me about. So I knew they would be just fine on this series.

What I didn’t realize how much I would grow to adore Berry as Laszlo. Every move he makes works for me. He is over the top, but also has moments of sweetness. He speaks crazier than anyone else on the show. Laszlo has grown more than any other person on the show. He started out as a charlatan who acted smart. He is now fiercely loyal to Nadja, his wife, he has tendencies of a father and he is the smartest person among his roommates. Two seasons ago Laszlo was the father figure to baby Colin Robinson. There were hilarious moments, as always, but there was some very good and wholesome stuff. Laszlo grew to really cherish baby Colin Robinson. It was the first time that I watched this show and realized that they didn't have to do broad comedy all the time. They could do some serious stuff and, as long as the actors commit, it would work. This past season he helped Guillermo through his transition and it added to his growth and maturity. Sure, Laszlo still loves to have fun and be intimate with multiple people at once, but he does have a softer side and it has been a joy to watch. The way Berry has chosen to speak as Laszlo is wonderful. He will say some wild stuff, then elongate words that don't need to be any longer, and it is so hilarious. The way he has started to say New York City is magical. It is the only way that I will say NYC now. He also goes on crazy hilarious rants about nothing and they always make me laugh. When he argued with the Sklar Brothers, who were playing construction worker guys, was riotous. I don't remember laughing that hard at a tv show in a long, long time. His outfit in that episode was dynamite as well. The way he dresses is another feather in his cap. He wears some flagrant stuff and it all works. When he showed up to Nadja's friends' diner this past season, and had a t-shirt, wild jeans and a bucket hat on, chef's kiss. It was dope. I also love how smart he acts, but also is. This past season, when he was being silent towards everyone, and everyone was worried about him, the way they showed what was going on in his head, that was perfectly portrayed by Berry. When he finally reveals that he was trying to decide how to organize his bookcase, and all the roommates were relieved that he was okay, that was excellent.

Berry is the standout in this wonderfully talented cast. He makes me laugh harder than anyone else and I cannot wait to see where they take his character from here. I know it will be great because Berry will make it great. He is a star. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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USA Basketball is Going to Be OK

The men's USA basketball team got fourth in FIBA. I know some people are up in arms about this. I'm not.

We played about as well as I thought with this collection of players. We had some very talented players, namely Anthnoy Edwards. But this was not the best of the best. These were not the guys that were going to represent the USA in the 2024 Olympics. I think most knowledgeable basketball fans understand this. And I do agree with people who say other countries are better than they have ever been and that they are closing the gap on the US. Germany has studs. Lithuania is very good. France, who also played poorly at FIBA, is still very good. Spain can win a ton. These countries have gotten better with every passing year and they will be a thorn in the US's side in Paris.

When I look at the FIBA roster for Team USA, Edwards is the only dude that I think has a real shot to play in the Olympics. Jalen Brunson is a fine player, but I'd much rather go with players like Steph Curry, Bradley Beal or De'Aaron Fox at point guard. Tyrese Haliburton did play well as a bench guard, and he should get a long look, but I think the three guys I mentioned are better. The two guard will be more interesting. Again, I think Edwards will be on the team, but make him a bench guy. When it comes to the best two guards in the US, give me guys like Devin Booker or Khris Middleton. I'd even give Desmond Bane and Trae Young a look. Young is too hoggy, so he wouldn't work. But you give that starting spot to Booker and let it ride with him. Then you can bring Edwards and Middleton off the bench. They offer so much more in that role. Forward is where the US truly shines. FIBA had great players like Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram and Paolo Banchero. None of those guys would get picked over Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler or Anthony Davis, just to name a few. You replace Bridges and Ingram with LeBron and Durant and you are unguardable at that spot. Then you have Jimmy Butler and AD off the bench. Those dudes would eat the competition alive on defense. And Durant should have carte blanche to go wild on offense. Center is the toughest because of minor complications. Jaren Jackson Jr, who I am a big fan of by the way, was not good at FIBA. He fouls too much and didn't shoot the ball at all. Walker Kessler is too young and green for the competition. Where this gets dicey is Joel Embiid. If he can be convinced to play for the US, he is a dual citizen with France, then that problem is instantly solved. Putting Embiid in the starting five with Curry, Booker, KD and LeBron, that is lights out. They would crush any opponent. But if Embiid plays for France, or doesn't play at all, then the US has to search a bit. They could go to Brook Lopez, but he is old and creaky. Evan Mobley is young and talented, but he may not be ready for the Olympics just yet. Kevon Looney may be the best rebounder in the league, but he is a zero as a scorer. And Mitchell Robinson brings too much baggage. If Embiid decides not to go, I'd go with Bam Adebayo and platoon him with AD. Adebayo is small for a center, but he is an elite defender, he is strong, he is smart and he plays incredibly hard. Putting him on this team with all these upper tier stars would bring out the best in him. So if you sit me down and ask me my dream starting five for men's basketball in the 2024 Olympics, give me Steph at point guard, Booker at the 2, KD at 3, LeBron at the 4 and Adebayo at the 5. Then I'd get a bunch filled with superstars like Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, De'Aaron Fox and Khris Middleton. That is a much better representation of Team USA basketball than the FIBA starting five, which was Brunson at the 1, Edwards at the 2, Hart at the 3, Bridges at the 4 and JJJ at the 5. No disrespect to those guys either, but my starting five is wayyyyyy better. Curry can't be guarded, Booker is the best mid range scorer in the world, KD is 6'10 and shoots and handles like a guard, LeBron is the second greatest basketball player ever and Adebayo is one of the best modern defenders I've ever seen. That team would be clutch.

While others are hand wringing over a fourth place finish at FIBA, I have very little worries about Team USA men's basketball at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. They will be challenged, but should be the favorites for the gold. Let's get LeBron another gold medal. He deserves it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Panda Express is the Greatest Food Court Restaurant of All Time

Is there a more reliable food court restaurant than Panda Express? Let’s discuss.

My wife had to go to the mall today to get some stuff. She said that if she had time she would bring home some Panda Express. I thought that would be dope if she did, but she probably wouldn't have the time. She did find the time though and brought it home, she worked from home today. She got the old reliable too. We had orange chicken, chicken and veggies and Beijing beef. Our starch was fried rice and chow mein. The only thing that didn't hit me today was the rice, but I am not a rice person. When I went low carb, rice was the easiest thing for me to drop. And, as a kid when I would go there I always opted for the chow mein. I prefer noodles. So, the chow mein was a hit, as always. The chicken and veggies was a nice palate cleanser, as always. The Beijing beef had a very good spice today, which was nice. And the orange chicken, which I saved for last, was as good as I remembered it. Whoever the chef was today put the right amount of sauce on the orange chicken. It was sweet, but not overbearing. The spice was there too. And the fry was really solid. It was still a little crunchy even with a 15 minute car ride home. But I do not know what else I was expecting. I had Panda Express during summer break when I took my kids to the mall and it was just as good back then.

When I was a teenager and we would hang out at the mall, nine times out of ten I spent my money at Panda Express. My folks used to take us there because it was a cheap way to get us to eat veggies. Panda Express has always been as reliable as McDonald's for me. I am never super stoked to eat there, but after I'm done with my meal, I'm always satisfied and raving about how delicious it all tasted.

I need to get over this feeling of not wanting it. When I end up deciding on Panda Express it always feels like it is my last option, but it is so much better than other food court choices. I'll take Panda Express over Sbarro any day. Sbarro's pizza is not good anyway. We have a few of these hot sandwich shops at our local mall and Panda Express blows their food out of the water. There are other Chinese food options, but none of them taste as good, or are at an equal price point to Panda Express. I refuse to eat at Chick Fil A because they are not inclusive, so Panda Express is always a better choice. And I am a Qdoba guy when it comes to fast Mexican, and all we have in our mall's food court is Chipotle. Panda Express is a much better choice than any of the places I mentioned. They have been making quality food for such a long time now that it isn't even really a question anymore.

Panda Express is the greatest food court restaurant that has ever existed. No doubt about it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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It is Time to End the Writers and Actors Strike

I was watching tv the other night and I did not record the show, so commercials were a must. When I would watch commercials in the past there were plenty of ads for upcoming tv shows and previews for movies. That was not really present last night. Every commercial was either a local ad or something akin to an infomercial. I was kind of taken aback and was frustrated.

It then hit me that the strike was what caused the commercials to be different. There are no new shows coming out. The movies that are coming to theaters were finished months ago. There is nothing new. There is nothing different. There is nothing too fun coming out. It is a bummer.

This all makes sense and is necessary. The writers and actors strike is a needed thing right now. Actors and writers are being taken advantage of by the studios and they are not asking for too much in return to end all of this and bring back better content. I cannot take many more reality shows, game shows or reruns. I can only go back and watch so much of the older tv shows that I used to watch. I have been watching "Workaholics" today, and I love that show, but I've seen it a thousand times. I want newer stuff. I want to see the movie they were planning on making. Maybe that can come back if this strike ends. My wife and I watch "Brooklyn 99" before bed every night. Again, we love the show, but we have seen it so much that we fall asleep to it. That is the sign of watching one show more than enough. I recently finished the first season of "Twisted Metal" on Peacock and I loved it. They also ended the first season on a major cliffhanger. I'd love to see where they take the show from here. And I simply cannot do all the reality stuff that they are doing on streaming services now. I don't want to see another dating show. I'm so fed up with "Love is Blind" and "Sexy Beasts". They all end up the same and it is dull and boring. I can only watch people getting hammered and saying nonsense when they think they are acting smart. It is maddening. I'm also over all the game shows. There are too many of them and they are all melding together. I don't want to see people competing for scraps just to be on tv. I want the original content back. I want more "Twisted Metal", "What We Do in the Shadows", "Only Murders in the Building", "The Simpsons", all the good stuff. I want to see all of this stuff come back. I also want way more movies. I want to see cool, new stuff. I don't want any remakes or superhero stuff either. I want stuff like "Everything Everywhere All at Once". I want to see more mind blowing stuff like "Barbie". Give me cool, interesting material.

To get that material we need the writers and actors back. They need to get their fair share. They deserve to be properly compensated. They have earned the right to get a raise and to not be replaced by AI and Chatgpt. I have used both, but they don't carry the same weight as real people doing real work. I want to turn on my tv in a month or so and see commercials for new tv shows and movies. I want to see content made by real people for real people. That should be the case and should be the case sooner rather than later.

Time to end this studio execs and big wigs. Time to stop being so stubborn and stupid. Time to give the writers and actors what they have earned. It is time to end this strike. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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We All Underestimated the Colorado Buffaloes

During our podcast when we talked about the upcoming football season RD asked me about expectations for Deion Sanders and Colorado. I made sure to say that I thought they would be good, but it was going to take some time. I figured being in the Pac 12, the final year of the conference, all the transfers and just the jump from division 1-AA to division 1 was going to force some hard adjustments.

Colorado came out in week one and put it on TCU. The game was close throughout, but Colorado looked faster. Colorado looked more prepared. Shaduer Sanders looked ready for the big stage. Travis Hunter proved time and time again why he was such a coveted recruit. And Colorado won. They were 21 point underdogs, the game was played at TCU, TCU is coming off a title game appearance, and Colorado beat them. All of the talk was about how cool this was. I was happy for Deion and the players who stuck it out with him. I thought it was cool that they went into a hostile environment and got a big time win.

The Buffaloes had their home opener this past Saturday. Nebraska is not what they used to be, but they are no slouch. This is a Big 10 team. They got a new coach who some people like. They were hoping for a similar turnaround that Colorado is having right now. And the game was pretty close into the third quarter. I was nervous for a Colorado letdown. I figured that would give all the jackasses not giving them credit even more ammo. And then the floodgates opened. The score was 10-7 when I left my son's football game. When I got home it was 36-14. Colorado ran past Nebraska. Travis Hunter had another highlight play. Shadeur Sanders played another excellent game. They talked and backed it up. I loved the post game stuff with Shadeur Sanders. They are now the hottest team and hottest ticket in all of college football.

Colorado was very bad a season ago. They went 1-11. They had so much roster turnover. I loved the hire of Sanders, but again, I thought he needed some time. I was wrong. My expectations were way too low. Colorado is a legit college football team. They have the guys to have a special season. This could be one of those exceptional turnarounds in sports we see and love. They should be a bowl team. Shadeur Sanders is backing up the talk. Deion is backing up the talk. Travis Hunter could be invited to New York at the end of the year. He could be a first round pick already. When I look at their schedule I think they could finish as good as 9-3 or 10-2, and as low as 7-5. That is a massive shift from where they were a season ago. They have some tough upcoming games, that is for sure. They have to go to Oregon and play the Ducks, who's defense has been much better than I thought. They get USC at home. but Caleb Williams looks every bit the part of a guy who can win the Heisman again. They have to travel to UCLA, which is a winnable game, but a tough place to play. They do have to play Oregon State. And they finish the year with a trip to Utah. The schedule is not easy, but I think they like that. They want to prove people wrong. College football is also a fickle game. Crazy things happen all the time. Colorado could pull some upsets and end up being in the CFP talk late into the season.

I am a Michigan fan through and through, but I have bought into the Colorado hype. I love Deion and I like this team. They have been the best story of the young college season so far, and I think they will continue to be one of the top stories, especially if they pull off some massive upsets. This is fun and Deion Sanders is so perfect for the college game. My hat is off to Colorado and I am so very sorry for underating them going into the season. Colorado is legit. They are a very good team. Watch out for them the rest of the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Take a Closer Look at the Lyrics of "Old Town Road"

My son has been a fan of Lil Nas X for a bit now. I find his music kind of blah, but I do appreciate his lifestyle and how open he is with everything. He leaves it all out on the table and he is very confident in his own skin. That is a feat and an accomplishment. I like that.

So, with my son and his friends enjoying his music, that means I listen to it a lot in my car. Again, the music is blah, but the message is dope. The way I consume music is the lyrics, like a lot of others. I really want to hear what the artist has to say. I try to figure out what they are trying to get across. Trying to memorize lyrics is very fun for me. I love it when I do figure them out as well.

With Lil Nas X and his biggest hit "Old Town Road", the realization of some of the lyrics is hilarious to me. The song is incredibly catchy and very easy to hum along to. I find myself singing the words while walking around my house. My wife does the same. And during one of these personal singalongs, I had to stop myself because I couldn't believe some of the words I was saying. There is some hilarious stuff in this song. In the first verse Lil Nas has two lines that crack me up. He says, "hat is black matte/got the boots that black to match". This is as simple a rhyming pattern as one can have. He even finds a way to rhyme black with black. It is kind of impressive. I also love the whole idea of mentioning multiple times that he has a black hat and he managed to get black boots so it all matches. Also, letting us know his hat is matte is simply wonderful. He also lets the listener know that we can all whip our Porsche's. It is hilarious to me that he thinks all his listeners have a Porsche. Cracks me up every time. I don't care to go into Billy Ray Cyrus' verse on the song because he is clearly doing a coattails thing. Lil Nas X is much more talented and Billy Ray is trying to stay relevant. He almost messes the song up in my opinion.

Lil Nas' second verse though, this is where the hilarity hits an entire new level. He has one lyric in particular that I constantly think about. It is definitely the reason why I wanted to write this blog. I'll touch on that near the end though. I first want to talk about a few other parts in verse two. Lil Nas says that, "my whole life is a movie/bull riding and boobies". First off, boobies, that is nuts. That is what my 11 year old calls them. My seven year old uses the word boobies as well. Also, I believe Lil Nas X is sexually fluid, I am almost positive he is gay. So why boobies? If he is talking about heftier dudes, okay. But he never clarifies that. Again, it is the rhyming scheme, and I get that, but it is still hilarious. Also, in Lil Nas X's mind, a life lived like the movies includes bull riding and boobies. That is iconic. I love that that is where his mind went when he wrote those lyrics. That rules.

He also says that his "cowboy hat from Gucci/Wrangler on my booty". So he will schill out the big bucks for a cowboy hat, but he has to save on jeans. That is almost relatable. Maybe he loves hats so he is willing to spend big bucks on them. But when it comes to pants he is thrifty. I get it. I spend big dollars on running shoes, but I have had the same set of t-shirts forever, with no intention of buying new ones anytime soon.

The creme de la creme of lyrics in this song are as follows, "riding on a tractor/lean all in my bladder". The riding on the tractor point is all fine and well. He is a cowboy on an old town road. The tractor makes enough sense. But the lean in his bladder. That is a chef's kiss if you ask me. Lean, to the uninitiated, is purple drank or sizzurp. Lean is a mixed drink consisting of codeine cough syrup, soda and hard candy. It is a dangerous opioid and highly addictive. I've never had it, but I do know people who have and they have let me know it is disgusting. So for Lil Nas X to say that he is on a tractor and his bladder is full of lean. I mean that is lightning in a bottle. It feels like a comedian wrote this lyric. It is too funny to not be a joke. When I figured out what he was singing I thought I misheard him. Nope, he was saying that he had so much lean and it is now just in his bladder until Lil Nas X goes to use the restroom. That is so wild and so weird and so genius. I cannot get enough of this lyric in this song. I have not stopped thinking about it since I figured out the actual words.

This song is wildly memorable and for people to just glide past that lyric, that makes it even more perfect. I will never not think of these lyrics, especially the lean lyric, everytime I hear this song from now on. I bet you will notice it now too. Keep doing your thing Lil Nas X. You are a true music wonder. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The 90's Were the Golden Age of Kid's Sports Movies

I've been on a kick lately watching kids sports movies from the 90's that I loved as a kid. With my downtime I like to watch shows and movies, and for the past couple weeks I have been craving older sports movies. It all started one afternoon when I heard some people on a podcast mention the movie "Rookie if the Year". I adored that movie as a kid. It had everything I wanted in life. Kid breaks his arm, it heals weird, he can throw super fast and he ends up on the Cubs. It was an absolute dream. From there I would endlessly watch movies like "The Sandlot", "Little Big League", "Little Giants" and "The Mighty Ducks" among many, many others. I watched them all. Even some movies that were not, by definition sports movies, like "3 Ninjas", I watched because they had a few sports scenes. I couldn't get enough.

As I got older though I kind of left those movies behind. I have become a bit snobbish when it comes to movies. RD calls some of my early reviews "Cloves and Fedoras", and he is not wrong. I prefer indie movies. I love a good documentary. I want to watch movies that make you think. But I have been craving movies that I used to enjoy. I have had these feelings of wanting to go back and see if these movies still hold any weight for me.

I am very happy to say that I still get the same feelings when watching these movies. I understand that they are fantastical and you have to remove any kind of sense when watching. That makes it more fun for me now as a father, husband and a 40 year old. I have enjoyed watching these movies with my wife and I think she has had fun too. She has said she is at the very least. But my love for these movies is not the basis of this blog today. I could go on and on and on about my love. But today I want to take the time to tell you all about the straight line each of these movies have. They all have similar plots and villains and endings. They have the old hand, the young star and the family. They are all fun and satisfying because they are all the same. You can watch any of these movies and know how it will finish. It is comforting.

Let's look at "Rookie of the Year" real quick. Kid breaks his arm, conflict. It heals weird, but he can throw hard all of the sudden, fantastical. Goes to the Cubs and learns under the veteran, Rocket, played by Gary Busey, yikes. The villain is the Mets and their slugger. Henry Rowengartner strikes him out with an underhand toss and the Cubs win. It is stupid and phony and wild and I love it. They were even able to get a love story with the mom. This is how a 90's kids sports movie goes.

Take "The Sandlot" next. Star player plays with his buddies, they beat the bullies, the nerdy kid gets the girl, the star player and the new kid are best friends into adulthood, the villain is a dog who turns out to be nice and each kid has their own happy ending. It is my favorite sports movie.

"The Mighty Ducks" have the grisled former hockey star in town deemed with coaching the rag tag misfits. He turns them into a respectable squad. He gets a team from the rival team to come play for his team. The villain is the coach's former coach. He is still a jerk. They beat them in the finals. The kid closest to the coach on the team essentially sets his coach up with his mom. It is almost too perfect.

"Little Big League" brings us a genius kid who isn't good at playing baseball, but knows the game incredibly well, he ends up coaching the Minnesota Twins. He is tasked with the job from his grandpa. He helps turn the Twins around after some skepticism from some vets. The main vet helps him out though, takes his side and that is when things turn. The villains on the team come around but this movie finds a way to make Ken Griffey Jr a villain. I couldn't believe it. The only way this movie differs, and why I still love it to this day, is that the Twins don't win in the end. But they all have fun.

"Air Bud" is the wildest of them all. This movie is about a dog who plays receiver for a local kids team and is the star. This is the most fantastical of them all and it is endlessly watchable for me.

"Little Giants" is great because it features brothers versus brothers. Ed O'Neill is the "villain", but he is actually a good dude in the end. This movie is so great because it gives the little guy the limelight. The "nerds" find a way to beat the jocks and it is a fun football movie. It is also one of Rick Moranis' last roles and he crushes it here. The movie also introduced all of us to Becky, The Icebox, O'Shea. She is a kids sports movie legend.

"Space Jam" is wildly odd and weird and not very good. But I can watch that movie time and again and be very happy.

I could list more and more movies here, but they all have the same, safe and watchable premise. These movies are by no means good, but damn are they fun. I cannot wait to watch more of these because the rewatch of the first couple has been so well remembered. I suggest you do the same if you grew up similar to me. These 90's sports kids movies still rule. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "BS High"

I watched the documentary "BS High" last week and I have some things to say.

The documentary focuses on a "school" and its coaches. Now, the school is not really a school. Bishop Sycamore High may have a website and an online presence somewhat, but it is not a real school. This documentary takes us through its beginning to where it stands today. What they focus most on is Roy Johnson, the founder and coach of the football team, and their appearance on ESPN facing IMG Academy in 2022.

This is a football movie, but it is also a character study of a con man. Roy Johnson is a smart man who knows how to take advantage of people. He is evil. He has a scary smile that is permanently on his face. He has no remorse. He only cares about himself. He thinks others are out to get him. And he knows how to game the system. Johnson had tried to start a school a few years back that gained a little traction. They had a football team, but no one ever really went to class or learned anything. When that fell apart that did not stop him. He decided to double down and go even further with his new school, Bishop Sycamore. He hatched his chickens too soon. He went ahead with this "school" with no funding or space for an actual building. He had mockups made, but nothing came of those. He hired a coaching staff and audio visual people. He reached out to athletes who may be on their last chance and gave them a shot. He wined everyone he met, but he never really dined them. This movie does not have the allure of a show like "Last Chance U". That show has real people in a real school and they do get one last shot. Bishop Sycamore was a total scam. These kids signed away their lives while Roy Johnson took advantage of their info. He would rent out hotels in their names and never pay. He would get apartments for three months in their names and wait until they were evicted, thus ruining that kids credit. He would hire players' parents to be the "hospital staff" for games when kids would get hurt. He would make them play multiple games within the span of a few days.

That was where this all really came to a head with Johnson and Bishop Sycamore. Somehow, some way, Bishop Sycamore was able to schedule a game against IMG, the most powerful high school football program in the country. This game was aired on ESPN. IMG easily disposed of Bishop Sycamore. I believe they won 59-0. But what was more glaring was the lack of competition. Bishop Sycamore had no right to be on the same field with IMG. These were boys playing men. But the biggest problem, Bishop Sycamore had kids on their team that were in their 20's. Some of their starters had already graduated high school. Yet they were somehow deemed eligible and still not good enough to compete with the teenagers on IMG. The Bishop Sycamore kids also got hurt, and hurt bad. That could be due to IMG, but they also played a game two days before the IMG game and were hurt during that game as well. You should never play two high level football games in three days. That is abhorrent.

When this was all done, and Bishop Sycamore was found to be a fraud and the rest of their scheduled teams pulled them off their schedules and when these kids were left out in the cold, did Roy Johnson learn anything? Nope. He was still smiling. He was still blaming the former players. He was still going off on the parents. He was still cackling and saying that Bishop Sycamore was going nowhere, and he was right. That is the scariest thing of this whole movie. Johnson has gamed the system and the state of Ohio has yet to put rules in place stopping this from going on. Of course ESPN and the powers that be in Ohio declined to be interviewed for this movie. But Johnson didn't. He put his story out there and he is an awful, awful man. He has to be reprimanded for his atrocious actions, but he is still coaching high school football. And that should terrify everyone.

I highly recommend this movie. It is endlessly watchable and very eye opening. It is a solid watch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Swamp Kings" is a Disappointing Waste of Time

I recently just finished the Netflix miniseries "Swamp Kings". For those that do not know, "Swamp Kings" is about the five year run of the Florida Gators football team under Urban Meyer. Everyone knows my feelings on Meyer. He is a scumbag, a cheater and a punk. I have never liked him and I never will. The only upside to my household not getting Fox anymore is that I don't have to listen to him call Big 10 games. So when I decided to tune into this four part docuseries, I thought it would be an eye opening affair. I thought they would point out the good and the bad of this Gators run. Unfortunately they did not do that.

This show was, for all intents and purposes, a mastubatory fascination for Meyer, Tim Tebow and the Florida football team from 2006-2010. This was all about how great of a coach Meyer was for the team. How he molded these young boys into men. How his methods were exactly what this talented but undisciplined team needed. How he made a name for himself and changed the game of college football. Pretty much all the good and none of the bad. They barely mentioned the amount of arrests that happened under his eye. They didn't talk about the recruiting tactics he used. They only mentioned Aaron Hernandez's name once, calling him a "top recruit". They portrayed his barbaric methods as something new college coaches should aspire to. It was, for lack of a better word, gross. I couldn't believe all the stuff that was left out about him.

I have to think he was a producer on this show and would only allow it to air if it made him look great. Urban Meyer definitely had a moment as a top college football coach, but he also had some serious problems that this show just decided to not air. It was so bad that when they talked about his tenure with the Jaguars in the NFL, they said he "stepped down" as head coach. He was fired after 14 games because he was so ill fitted for the NFL. Tim Tebow was looked at as some kind of deity in this thing. They talked about him like he was the greatest college QB of all time. They had their chances to talk about him kind of getting off scot free sense he was a white QB winning titles, but they barely touched on that. A few of his teammates made comments about how they felt slighted, how Tebow got all the love, but the show was quick to get off that topic and move on to something else. Tebow also spoke like he was trained to sound wistful. He had this quiet tone that I found quite annoying. He talked as if he was this person who changed the college game. He would mention a fight between him and a teammate and give it a button along the lines that it helped both him and the teammate. Stuff like this made his teammate a better player. I found it quite odd that he didn't go into any kind of detail about how he felt about the arrests and issues, being that he is so religious. He sat down and openly praised Meyer at every turn. It was frustrating.

They did a decent job of portraying this team as one of the better college units of all time. They won two titles in three years. They had a Heisman winner. They had a bunch of NFL players. And they beat really good teams. But they never talked about the true issues that this team had. They barely touched on the arrests. There was one moment in one episode where they started to talk about it, but it was a three or four minute chunk in a 45 minute long episode. I thought they would do a full 45 minutes just on that topic. They didn't though. They kept it incredibly bland.

This could have been a salacious docuseries. They could have done all the good stuff and peppered in the bad. They could have dedicated entire episodes to the issues. They could have dug deeper. They went the opposite direction. "Untold" is meant to make you angry and disgusted with what you are seeing. This one was a miss though. They didn't dig at all. They let the bad stuff slide. It felt like the people behind "Swamp Kings" figured we knew all the bad stuff so they were just going to show the good. Skip this unless you are a college football fan like me. This is not worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Expo Expose"

Recently Earwolf started to do little side podcasts. They are like mini series. I have been an Earwolf guy for a good while now. Ever since I found podcasts, Earwolf was the first company I really followed. They do the best comedy podcasts, so it was a natural transition for me.

I am a CBB World subscriber, and through that I have found a ton of lesser known actors and comedians and writers doing podcasts or appearing on podcasts that I have become a fan of. Two of those people are Jacob Wysocki and Matt Apodaca. These two crack me up on every "CBB" appearance. They also co host their own podcasts. I am a fan. So when they announced they were doing a four part miniseries for Earwolf I was intrigued. I then did some research and found out they were going to go to some expos and talk about their experience. I have never been to an expo, but the whole idea of an expo fascinates me. Expos are big gatherings of people who have a similar fascination with a person, place or thing. So when all these like minded people come together for one common cause, that interests me. Add on the fact that Wysocki was going to host and Apodaca would be his cohort, I was in.

The show is called "Expo Expose". That is a great name by the way. I have already listened to all four episodes. I love this show. I want more of this from these two dudes. The whole concept for the show is that Apodaca and Wysocki go to the expos, talk about their experience, interview people who are attending and then do a final summation of the day. They went to four very different expos too. They attended a reptile expo, a tattoo expo, a boat expo and an anime expo. Three of these things are foreign to me. I do have two tattoos, but the tattoo culture is foreign to me as well. But, even though this was all very new to me, I was instantly interested in hearing Wysocki talk about his day and give his thoughts.

They started off the series with the reptile expo. I have never been a reptile guy, but I also understand why people like them. But hearing him talk to these people that have dedicated their lives, that was awesome. They were so passionate about the reptiles. They legitimately love their scaly pets. They also gave good advice on dealing with people who may have preconceived notions on reptiles. They followed that up with the anime expo. That was a very fun listen. I have never gotten into the whole anime thing, but I do know that people who have, they love it. That was very apparent listening to this episode. These fans are fanatical about the anime they love. It was really cool to hear the fans speak. The boating expo was the third episode, and there were a lot of people that I did not like. They were all about their possessions and their stuff. It drove me nuts. But Wysocki never let that show during his interviews. He was a pro and it was very cool to hear him speak about his whole day being in a place he felt very much the odd man out. The final episode was the tattoo one and that was very fun. Tattoo culture is a whole vibe and that came across tenfold. It was great to hear from people about their tattoos and to hear from the artists. I was all in with this episode.

What set "Expo Expose" aside was hearing from Wysocki and Apodaca afterward. They would give their full impression of the expo and they were very honest. They would point out the good and the bad. They would make it funny, but you could tell they were also taking it seriously. I was most interested in Wysocki's thoughts on the boating expo and they were about as honest as any interviewer could be.

I highly recommend this miniseries for anyone who has any kind of interest in expos. Expos are a wild and fascinating world. This show gives you that impression, but there is so much more to it. Check it out. It is a very good, short podcast series. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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SeedSing Classic: It is Time to Repeal and Replace Capitalism

Every Labor Day we revisit the failure of capitalism. Now more than ever the destructive narrative of capitalism is on display with the criminal greed being seen in our corporations and government. 

The post originally appeared on September 7th, 2015.

What do we really celebrate on Labor Day? History says that the day started as a reaction to the Haymarket Massacre in 1886. The deaths in Chicago that day brought to light the struggles of workers nationwide. Demonstrators at Haymarket Square that day were rallying for an eight hour work day. When we go back and look at how the heads of capitalism treated their workers, who were US citizens, it is frightening. The labor movement needed to strike, rally, and demonstrate just so the capital owners would treat the workers like real humans. We celebrate Labor Day because workers needed to demand, and risk their safety, for a humanity that the capital owners were not willing to provide.

Capitalism is anti humanity and it is not allowing us to socially evolve, it is time for a new economic system. The people at the very top of our capitalistic society are large carnivores that get rewarded for anything that they can consume. There is no humanity to the capital owners. We celebrate record stock markets, and forget we have such a small volume of people participating in the market. We complain about welfare queens, without accepting that some of our richest CEOs get their salaries enhanced by government subsidies. The devourers at the top of the economic food chain have made the people below fearful and reverent at the same time. Capitalism is not allowing us to grow as humans, it is keeping us in cages like the animals that the capital owners need to control.

The way capitalism is sold to the general public is through use of code words like freedom and opportunity. In the world of today there is very little opportunity or freedom for the people not at the top of the capitalism food chain. The use of freedom and opportunity have their roots in trying to keep people non-empowered. If you want to go out and start your own business, you do have that freedom. If you have a great idea that can change the world, you have the opportunity to pursue that dream. Our modern capitalistic system does throw up every hurdle imaginable so the current capital owners have a say over your success. The system allows for the commoditization of people who can steal and exploit other people's work. The defenders of capitalism use opportunity and freedom as defenses for these patent trolls. Capitalism does not create ideas, it creates ways to steal great ideas and give them to the carnivores at the top.

The idea of commoditization has reached a truly dangerous level in our society. We have used capitalism to justify putting a price on the our most important human needs. Healthcare is one of our largest, and wealthiest, industries. We all accept that doctors should be well paid because of their skill and necessity. Our ability to get healthcare, through insurance, is directly related to our income. That is insane. Medical care is a necessity for everyone in the world, why should it be a commodity? Why do we not question this? Most doctors are not builders and creators, they are administrators. When you go to the doctor, it is for maintenance or to discuss something out side of the norm. Your income level rarely dictates the maintenance you require. Your income level can directly relate to the need for a doctor when there is something outside of norm. Lower income people have more severe, treatable, medical issues because of how capitalism financially elevates doctors. Basic human needs like healthcare are not a commodity. Capitalism has set a value to our lives, that is anti-humanity.

The ability to communicate has been the greatest tool for social evolution. The printing press created a new world filled with scientific and social advances. The internet is just getting its legs, and changing the entire world for the better. Many of the innovations related to communication were not done in pursuit of economic riches. The internet was created by the government, and nurtured by the social system, to become the tool we use today. The engineers of the world create things that not only maintain society, but allow it to grow. The Wright Brothers looked to the government for support before they looked to the capital owners. Roads, rails, and bridges are designed and built by engineers with government support, not private business support. Why is it that the government has allowed business to commoditize basic needs like communication? The rise of the telecom deregulation was another sacrifice at the idol of capitalism. We have been told that private business can handle our communication better than the government funded engineers who built the network. Our reward is one of the worst communication networks in the developed world. The telecom companies get their money, the CEOs get their large paydays, and the citizens get a subpar product thanks to the tenets of capitalism. The telecom companies do not have any concern for our ability to communicate, their concern is only to gain money. Our government, and our cultural programming, have allowed for basic communication to be another commodity to be bought and sold. Due to capitalism the more wealth you have, the better communication available.

Capitalism is a wall that stops innovation. The ability to create a commodity out of basic social needs is a large problem. Your health is not something that should be paid for. Your voice and ideas are not things that should be granted by a company with no creators. Capitalism exists to give freedom and opportunity to those already established, and make sure the non established have very nearly no options to compete. We deserve the right pursue our dreams, and not be hampered by our inability to pay for health or communication. Everyone deserves freedom and opportunity.

Capitalism is one of the most destructive forces in history. We need to have a discussion on how to replace this carnivorous ideology with one that rewards innovation and creates an evolving society. In the future we will continue to discuss the pitfalls of capitalism, and start to formulate an ideology that will bring about a brighter future. We encourage your dissent and contribution. Your ideas are not a commodity. Come share them with us.

Happy Labor day. Enjoy this day of rest and remember that protesters died for the right to have a reasonable work schedule. Let us use this Labor Day to start a new movement. The old capitalistic ways need to be repealed, the replacement will produce true opportunity. We can find this new way forward together. The only thing we will lose are the cages the capitalists keep society in.

RD Kulik

RD is the creator and Head Editor for SeedSing. 

Ty Listens to "Bombing with Eric Andre"

About a week ago I started to listen to Eric Andre's new podcast, "Bombing With Eric Andre". Let’s discuss.

I'm an Eric Andre fan. He is coming to STL in October and you better believe that I am planning on going. I love his talk show. I love the prank stuff he does. I'm always pumped when he shows up in bit roles in movies I'm watching. He was one of the better parts in the very underrated show, "Man Seeking Woman". I enjoy the content Eric Andre creates. So him having a podcast was a no brainer for me. I subscribed to it instantly and have listened to the first four episodes happily.

He has had three comedians, Michelle Buteau, Sam Jay and David Gborie, and one musician, Mac DeMarco. Each episode just gets better and better and funnier. The whole concept of the podcast is interviewing his friends and asking three questions, what's the worst you've bombed, what's the worst bombing you've seen and what's the most wasted you've ever been on stage. Then Andre and the guest go on long tangents while answering each question. I love it. He gets these people to be fully open with him and their stories are wild. Buteau talking about performing in Jamaica seemed wild and terrifying. The stuff Sam Jay talked about, like going on stage after doing mushrooms, or seeing two dudes physically fight on stage, that had to be something to experience. Gborie, who writes for his show, had some of the craziest stories I have ever been privy to hear. The stories he told sounded fake, but how could one make this stuff up? Those have been the most eye opening. And DeMarco's stories had a fully different feel because he has totally different experiences being a musician. With each episode though you learn about the grind and the craziness it takes to get to the level these people are at right now. To make it where they have made it, and seeing what they have seen, going through what they have gone through, is nuts, but it is always funny. You can tell that the guests and Andre have a blast with one another. You can hear the friendship. You can tell they vibe easily off each other. Andre has this way of making his guests feel at ease, even when they are talking about the wildest shit I've ever heard. I also like how loose the interview is. It flows, it has the three questions, but Andre is clearly having fun with it. He doesn't take it too seriously, and that is how it should be. That is what I like about the podcasts that I listen to.

I didn't need more reasons to be an Andre fan. He won me over years ago. But this new podcast has made me an even bigger fan. I cannot wait for each week because that means a new episode is coming. "Bombing With Eric Andre" is fast becoming one of my favorite podcasts. It is a must listen as soon as it downloads. Check this pod out. It is wonderful. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Tim Heidecker's The Two Tims Tour is a Must See

I had the pleasure to see Tim Heidecker live on his tour a little less than two weeks ago. I have been a fan for a long time, but he never really toured a whole lot. I love his shows, I am one of the few people that like the movie he and Eric Warheim made, I thoroughly enjoy "The Comedy" and have enjoyed all of his more recent stuff.

When Heidecker announced a tour called "The Two Tims". I was instantly intrigued. I let some friends know about it and we went to see the show. None of us really knew what to expect, we did very little research on purpose, but we knew it was going to be good. As we took our seats we were rewarded with one of the better, and most unique shows I have seen in a long time.

The whole idea of this tour is, Tim Heidecker comes out and first he performs as an intentionally bad stand up comic. The comic's catchphrase is "no more bull shit", but all the character he is playing does is spout bull shit. It is cringey and awkward and the character is delusional. But it was also funny. I found myself cracking up at how out of the touch the comic is. It takes a ton of talent to flub lines and mess stuff up and go on stage in front of a bunch of people and do that. Heidecker did that better than anyone I have ever had the pleasure to see live. It was one of the oddest and most interesting live experiences I've seen. And I loved it.

Heidecker then takes a short break and comes out with his band, The Very Good Band, and performs his music for over an hour. I have heard his music before, but never really dove deep with it. This was a great way to reopen my curiosity. I was highly intrigued. I knew Heidecker was a talented dude and comedian. But hearing him play his guitar and sing his original songs, it blew my mind. He is really good at this as well. I was stunned in the best way possible. He played a bunch of music, some country, some folk, all good. I like how he interacted with the band. They have a very good rapport and it shows. They all seem to be having a great time. Heidecker also told jokes and poked fun and had a loose attitude and was clearly enjoying himself. He had the band leave the stage for a minute and he played the piano and sang a very incredibly deep cut Bob Dylan song called "Lenny Bruce". And believe me when I say this song is very weird. Heidecker made note of that after every line of the song. He would sing it in Dylan's voice, stop, and talk to all of the crowd about how wild the lyrics were. And Heidecker is a humongous Bob Dylan fan. He told us that and I fully believe him. While the Dylan cover was funny and very cool, it was the original stuff that got me. I didn't know any of the songs but I know them now. I have been devouring his music since this show. I will hear songs and think back to the live show and how well they all played the song live. Having no idea what I was going to hear, hearing his music and his band has made me an even bigger fan.

The show was a little over two hours and I could have watched it for longer. The Two Tims is a must see show live. It was an awesome evening and an evening I won't soon forget. Tim Heidecker has a fan for life. What a show.

Ty

 Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Barbie"

Now that I am done with the football talk I want to get to some things that I have seen or done or listened to the past couple weeks and have been waiting to tell you all about. The first thing I want to talk about is "Barbie".

Me, my wife and kids all finally went to see the movie two Sundays ago. I have been pestering my wife to see it and told her the kids should come. The movie is a phenomenon and I felt like it would benefit the kids to see it. They had typical reactions. My son, who is 11 and focused solely on sports said it was a "6 out of 10". My daughter loved the colors and seeing Barbieland, but when it got to the more serious stuff she was not interested. My wife and I absolutely loved the movie. I mentioned on the podcast last week how much I adore this movie. I fully believe it is going to go down as one of the best, and most impactful movies to ever come out.

"Barbie" tells a great story about acceptance and being okay with who you are and how it is fine to be sad sometimes and that everything is never going to be as perfect as one may want their lives to be. I was moved by this movie. I laughed harder at this movie than some of my favorite comedies of all time. The imagery was astounding and cool. They used old style techniques and made them modern day. It was highly impressive. And the acting was superb. Margot Robbie knocked it completely out of the park. She was fully engrossed in this role and gave it her all. She played funny and heartbroken to perfection. She blew me away. Ryan Gosling was what I imagine Ken would be like if the doll came to life. I fully believed he was Ken. It was terrific. He was the funniest person in this whole movie. America Ferrera spoke for all of us in our early 40's and how tough life can be with kids nowadays, especially kids with an opinion. Ferrera is wildly underrated and this role should push her to the fame she deserves. Even the smaller roles, those were nailed. Michael Cera as Allan was my favorite. Issa Rae as president Barbie was pitch perfect. Will Ferrell as Mattel CEO was spot on. Simu Liu as a rival Ken was the best foil you could want for Gosling's Ken. Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie was an example of how great a comedic actor McKinnon is. I was blown away by everyone. To see all the Barbies and Kens, that was quite a feat.

What got me most was Greta Gerwig's directing and her and Noah Baumbach's script. The directing was second to none. Gerwig controlled every aspect of these super talented actors and pulled the best out of them. To get drama and comedy the way she did, that work should not be overlooked. She should be the odds on favorite at the Oscars for best director. There should be no question. The script was even better than the directing. Gerwig and Baumbach told a relatable, real life story using Barbie and Ken dolls. They found a way to make a real life story out of dolls. There were moments in this script that were the best of the best. The way they tackled the stupidity of the patriarchy to Barbie dealing with an existential crisis to America Ferrera dealing with her daughter growing up and being over Barbie, it all worked. I bought it all and wanted more and more.

This is one of the rare perfect movies. I cannot find a flaw anywhere. Any early skepticism I had was instantly erased. I cannot recommend this movie enough. I think everyone should see it. It is a feat that will not be met for a very long time. "Barbie" is destined to become a classic and I am stoked that I saw it in a packed theater during week four of its release. What an accomplishment. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2023 College Football Preview

Wrapping up my football previews, today I have my NCAA football preseason prediction and preview for you all. This is my favorite sport to watch. I live for college football. I love spending my Saturdays in the fall watching college football and trail running. Those are the two things outside my family that fill me with joy. This is my version of Christmas. For my preview I will cover the power 5 conferences, the last time I can do that, and give you some independent teams and group of 5 teams I like. I will give you all my CFP teams, my title game matchup and my Heisman winner. Here we go.

We will start with the Pac 12 since this is the last year of the Pac 12.

College football fans know all about this, so I will go on my merry way giving you my final Pac 12 preview ever. This conference is loaded with talented QB's. This may be the year they get a team back in the CFP. The top teams will score a ton of points. The Pac 12 should be very exciting to watch. The top of the conference features USC, Oregon and Washington. USC has returning Heisman winner Caleb Williams Their offense is absolutely stacked. The defense isn't great, but USC could average upwards of 45 points per game. Oregon has its own Heisman hopeful in Bo Nix. He thrived last year and he is even more experienced. The Ducks also have some of the fastest players in the country on their offense. Michael Penix Jr thrived in Washington's offense last season. He has turned himself into a first round NFL draft prospect. Washington may have the best defense of these top three teams. Utah is still here and still very sound on both sides of the ball. Colorado has amassed the biggest transfer class of all time and Deion Sanders is their new head coach. They will be better than expected. Oregon State got DJ Ugaglei to transfer there and he seems happy and poised to have a good season. UCLA has gotten better every year under Chip Kelly and they should be a bowl team again. The rest of the conference is very blah, but these teams will scrap and fight every week. I have not watched the Pac 12 closely in a few years, but I will this year. I am excited to see how lethal these offenses can get. I think USC and Washington will play in the Pac 12 title game and USC will win the conference for the second straight season.

Let's move to the ACC.

The ACC is still the weakest of the power 5 conferences in my opinion, but there are some teams that could make a push for the CFP. Clemson is coming off a "down" year, and they look to be back. Cade Klubinik will take over at QB and this defense is going to be better this year. Clemson has become a legit college football powerhouse. Florida State looks to be back. Jordan Travis is a very good QB and this defense is loaded with talent. They seemed to have figured something out and they are going to be Clemson's main threat all season long. UNC has Drake Maye and if college football has taught us anything it is that a star QB can win a ton of games. Maye is good and should be in the Heisman talk all year, but this defense is very bad and they won't win as many games as they should. I am curious about Miami. They were very bad last season, but they trimmed some fat out of their coaching staff and they had a very solid recruiting class. This season will be very telling for the Hurricanes moving forward and for Mario Cristobal. They should be better than last season at the very least. Wake Forest has a good run game that can control the clock. Pitt seems to disappoint more often than not, but they are a decent team on paper. Louisville alwast has an explosive offense. And Duke can be stingy. I think this conference will come down to Clemson and FSU. I'll take FSU since they have the more experienced QB and a much better defense.

Up next, the Big 12.

This conference will look different next year, but we are not there yet. I have a few concerns about the top this season though. Is Texas back? Are they finally going to live up to the hype? Is Quinn Ewers legit, or are they going to have to turn to Arch Manning? What about Oklahoma? Are they going to rebound from an off year? Has the coaching staff gotten better? Is General Booty the answer at QB? How about KU? Are they going to be the team we saw for the first six weeks of last season or the last six weeks? Is West Virginia ever going to get over the hump? Is Baylor going to be dominant or disappointing? How will Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and UCF fare in their first season in a power 5 conference? Was TCU just a feel good story last year or are they building something special over there? There are far too many questions that have no real answers right now and may not have an answer all season long. I feel like it will come down to Texas and Oklahoma, each team's last season in the Big 12, and I do think Texas will win the conference. But don't count out Cincy, KU and Baylor. These teams could surprise a lot of people like TCU did last season.

Now the SEC.

This is the dominant conference in college football. They own the CFP. They have the most Heisman winners since the CFP was introduced. They have the best coaches and the best overall rosters. It is a gauntlet and the games are almost always a must watch. Georgia is back and reloaded. The names may be different but the results should be the same. Georgia is currently having one of the best runs we have seen in college football in quite some time. But there are threats. Alabama is always going to be here. They have the best staff. They have the most talented players. They are the definition of a team that just reloads. Alabama is going to be tough. LSU has Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels and a much improved defense. The Tigers are going to be a very formidable threat all season long. Auburn has a new staff under the much scrutinized Hugh Freeze, and they will welcome in a bunch of transfers. But they will still be a tough out and their home games are always rough for their opponents. Tennessee is going to be very, very good on offense. They will challenge the numbers USC is going to put up. I'm thrilled for Joe Milton that he is getting a real shot to play and he is my darkhorse pick for the Heisman. The defense is blah, but that offense is very fast and incredibly productive. Florida should be better in year two under Billy Napier. They will have to replace Anthony Richardson, which will be tough, but they should be improved as a team overall. Arkansas has a returning QB and a good offense. They will be a bowl team and give a scare to a few of the top teams.  I wonder if Texas A&M will actually live up to preseason hype? Or maybe Jimbo Fisher is just overrated. Missouri will have a very up tempo offense and could shock a few teams. Ole Miss has a wonderfully sound run game, but they leave a lot more to be desired everywhere else. Kentucky will be a bear as well. The SEC is awesome. There is a reason they are always the best conference and have the most titles in the CFP era. I am going to pick Georgia to win the conference again, but I do think they will face Tennessee in the title game and Tennessee will give them a good matchup.

Wrapping up the power 5 conferences we are going to the conference I watch the most, the Big 10.

The top of the Big 10 goes through the university of Ohio State and Michigan. It is good to have these two powerhouses on a level playing field. The university of Ohio State has some productivity to replace, but they will be just fine. Marvin Harrison Jr is still on this team and I feel like I could throw him TD passes. He is the most pro ready kid in all of college football. The new QB is his high school teammate as well. They have production everywhere and they should have a top five offense. The questions lie with their defense. They need to limit big plays. They have given up far too many lately. Michigan is finally back to being very relevant. Jim Harbaugh has done almost everything he has strived to do since he took this job. Michigan's offense is slow and plodding and productive as hell. This team loves to run the ball. They would run it every time if they could I feel. And why wouldn't you with Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum? They may have the best backfield in all of college football. Their o line is also amazing. They have won the best o line two years in a row. They may make it three this season. Their defense is also very sound most of the time. They stuff the run and make it tough for QB's to throw on their secondary. The questions here lie with the receivers, QB and coaching staff. JJ McCarthy needs to be able to let it rip through the air and the coaches need to let that happen from time to time. The receivers need to have one guy step up and be "the man". They haven't had a number 1 guy in a while. And the head coach is suspended for the first three games and the oc for the first game. The suspensions were levied by the school, but it is still an inconvenience I wish they didn't have to deal with. Penn State will be very good and they also have an elite running game. Their defense is stingy as hell too. Wisconsin hired Cincy's coach in the best move of the offseason and they will be much improved. They are going to throw the ball more than they ever have too. Michigan State lost some transfers, but they seem to thrive when no one expects anything from them, they have a good defense and always find someone to run the ball for them that is productive. Nebraska hired a new head coach as well, and while they will be improved, they still need a little more time to get back to relevance. Purdue went defensive minded with their head coach hire. They should be much better on that side of the ball, but they have a ton of offensive production to replace. Illinois is building a special defense, and even though their DC got a much deserved head coaching job, the Illini defense should still be one of the best in the country. Maryland has Taulia Tagovailoa for another year and they have a very explosive offense. They will be a threat to every team they play. Iowa is like Diet Michigan. They have their former starting QB and tight end. They also want to run and play dynamite defense, which they do very well. The rest of the conference is rough. The conference will come down to the Ohio State-Michigan game. Iowa will most likely win their division and go to the Big 10 title game. Michigan should win their final game. It is in Ann Arbor, they have won two in a row and they have a better team. But that was the case for the university of Ohio State last season and Michigan rolled them. I fear that will happen this season. I'm, unfortunately, picking the university of Ohio State to win the Big 10 this season.

As far as teams outside the power 5 that I like, first off, Notre Dame looked dominant in Ireland last week. Sam Hatmann is legit. Tulane should build upon a very good year last year. Louisiana has been getting better and better every year the last three years. Coastal Carolina has some staying power now. Boise State looks like they may be back to being relevant. And UTSA should build off another solid season. No group of 5 will break through the CFP this year, but some will win double digit games and be a pain in the butt in their bowl games.

Now for the CFP. This is tough for me. On one hand I could see the Big 10 getting multiple teams, but on the other hand I can see the SEC doing something unheard of and getting three teams in it this year. I'd love to see the Pac 12 get a team in there as well. If I had to pick right now, I'd go Georgia at 1, the university of Ohio State at 2, USC at 3 and Tennessee at 4. That means no Alabama, no Michigan, no Texas, no Oregon. This one is tough for me. As for the title game, I have Georgia rolling Tennessee this time and USC beating the university of Ohio State. As for the championship, I'm going with Georgia for a third straight year. Boring? Yep. But they are just so dominant and so terrifying. They are the class of college football in this era. As for my Heisman pick, I'd love to go with Caleb Williams winning it again, but I mentioned Joe Milton earlier as a darkhorse and I want to see him win it. So I'm picking Joe Milton to win the Heisman.

Okay, my football preview and predictions for the 2023 season are done. I cannot wait to dive into college football this weekend. It is going to rule. To everyone else, enjoy the season. It should be fun. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.