raymond padilla, Author at RPad.TV

Today’s Poll: Mandolin Battle Royal — Rod Stewart vs. REM

The mandolin is a wonderful instrument. Whether it’s a bard singing tales at a tavern or a British pop/rock star with unexplainable hair, the soothing sounds of the mandolin enhance just about anything. It’s a scientific fact that reciting a recipe for turkey stuffing to the dulcet tones of mandolin music will result in an instant classic. It’s true.

Today, I’d like you to vote on which song uses the mandolin more effectively. Both songs were massively successful during their respective heydays. And while they’re both fine songs melodically, they were both taken to another level, thanks to the mandolin.

In the red corner is “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart. This catchy tune tells the timeless tale of a young man sleeping with an older woman. Key lyric:

But you turned into a lover,
And mother what a lover,
You wore me out.

Next up is “Losing My Religion” by REM. In 1991, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing this song. Lead singer Michael Stipe describes it as “a classic obsession pop song.” Key lyric:

That’s me in the corner.
That’s me in the spotlight.
Losing my religion.

If you’re ready to vote, here’s the poll.

[poll id=”197″]

In case you need a refresher on either of these songs, here they are in all of their mandolin-fueled glory.

As an added bonus, here are some fine cover versions of these excellent songs. The first is by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, while the second is by Clelia Vega. I’m particularly fond of the former…mostly because I wanted Susanna Hoffs to be my “Maggie May” while I was in high school.

Leland Yee Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Former California state senator Leland Yee was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in a corruption scandal involving guns. Longtime gamers will remember Leland Yee as an outspoken politician that attacked videogames. Over the course of his career, he sponsored several bills that hurt the gaming business. He was particularly outspoken against Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and claimed that the ESRB knew about the controversial “Hot Coffee” mod before the game was published. Additionally, Leland Yee held numerous anti-gun stances while in office.

With his games-are-violent and anti-gun positions in mind, it’s hilarious that Leland Yee was caught in an arms scandal. While trying raising money to run for California secretary of state, Leland Yee was busted. According to The LA Times:

The San Francisco Democrat was caught in an FBI sting that recorded him promising votes and guns to an undercover agent who was funneling him contributions. He pleaded guilty last year rather than face a trial.

I’m thrilled that Leland Yee has been legally declared a scumbag, but I’m disappointed that his sentence is only five years. What he did was deplorable and an abuse of the public’s trust. To me, five years seems light for a matter involving the illegal distribution of heavy ordnance. According to this CNN story, he was dealing crates of guns, shoulder-fired missiles, and rockets acquired from Filipino rebels. This kind of gun running and arms dealing leads to tremendous loss of life. Five years seems…light.

In a perfect world, Leland Yee would be sentenced to 20+ years in Federal Pound Me in the @ss Prison. He’s a liar, a thief, and a frickin’ arms dealer. He should be behind bars for the rest of his life. A five-year sentence, which I imagine will be cut short for good behavior or some other nonsense, isn’t enough for this piece of crap.

That’s my professional opinion, anyway. What do you think of Leland Yee’s sentence? Does the time fit the crime? Or does he deserve harsher punishment?

Source

February Handcheck at Vaping 360

Hello vaping friends! Kindly do me a favor and check out this “February Handcheck!” article at Vaping 360. It’s a rundown of the setups five members of the Vaping 360 team (myself included) have been using. It would be spectacular if you could post a handcheck photo of your vaping setup and write a bit about it in the comments section of the article. So please, Please, PLEASE click on the link above when you have a chance.

Daredevil Season Two Trailer is Full of Elektra

The lovely (and deadly) Elektra Natchios gets the spotlight in the latest trailer for Daredevil season two. Elektra was mentioned in passing during a flashback scene in season one. This year, she’ll be brought to life by Elodie Yung. (Don’t ask me why a Greek assassin is being played by a Cambodian-French actress. White people take roles from minorities all the time!) The new Daredevil trailer shows Elektra asking for Matt Murdock’s help, kicking ass alongside the hero, and getting some sexual healing. Hopefully she ends up reconnecting (biblically) with Murdock. That guy needs to get laid.

The two-and-a-half minute clip shows much more than Elektra. It also has clips of Matt having issues with longtime companion Foggy Nelson and nurse Claire Temple. The former laments walking up to Matt’s apartment and eventually finding him dead, while the latter chastises the hero and tells him that Manhattan is no longer his city. Bits of the Punisher and Karen Page are shown as well.

The juicy stuff is, of course, the ninja stuff. Elektra tells Matt that Daredevil didn’t defeat the Yakuza; they’re just hanging out in the background while DD beats up their enemies. The Yakuza appears to be back with a vengeance, accompanied by some menacing buddies — the Hand. In the comics, many of Daredevil’s best stories have to do with the Hand. The trailer shows the mystical ninja clan storming up a building. Daredevil’s mentor Stick makes a brief appearance, warning his disciple about the Hand. Glimpses of fight scenes are shown, with Daredevil and Elektra taking on Hand ninja.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Daredevil season one was its realistic and bone-crunching combat. While I’m greatly looking forward to glorious ninja battles in season two, I hope that the fights retain the impact of their forerunners and aren’t overly choreographed.

Anyway, please check out the new Daredevil season two trailer when you have a chance and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Meanwhile, At Vaping 360…

When you have a chance, please check out my Janty article on Vaping 360. The piece is about how Janty had the opportunity to be first-to-market with a temperature-control box-mod. Vaping historians know Janty as the inventors of the original eGo e-cigarette and the RY4 e-liquid. While the company isn’t as prominent as it used to be, it should still be respected as a leader and innovator. That said, the company appears to have missed a tremendous opportunity with temperature-control box-mods. Kindly read the full story for all the details.

Zoom Theories Revisited (The Flash CW)

After hypothesizing on the identity of archfiend Zoom on The Flash last week, this week’s episode straight-up revealed his face. While more information was given to viewers, more questions were raised. Let’s use this space to continue to figure out the mysteries behind the identities of Zoom, Jay Garrick, and Dude in a Mask that’s stuck on Earth-2. Naturally, it’s time to activate your spoiler shields. Let’s use a Dothraki theme to indicate the things that are known for sure.

It is known: Zoom, Earth-2 Jay Garrick, and Earth-1 Hunter Zolomon have the same face

That was one helluva way to end a very cool episode of The Flash (the King Shark CG and Barry’s interpretive water-lightning dance were phenomenal)! Zoom returned to his lair, carrying Jay’s body while Dude in Mask continued to whimper in his cell. Zoom unmasked and revealed the visage of Jay Garrick!

As I mentioned last week, many people believe that Zoom is Earth-2 Hunter Zolomon. The new question is, “Why the hell does Zoom have the same face as Earth-2 Jay Garrick?”

Theory: Jay Garrick and Hunter Zolomon are twins

This is a popular theory that’s floating around on The Flash Reddit page. I’m not quite sold on it yet, but it would explain why Earth-2 Jay Garrick, Earth-1 Hunter Zolomon, and Zoom all have the same face. It would also explain why Guy in a Mask is being kept under wraps. Most fans are certain that it will be Teddy Sears under the iron mask, when all is said and done. (If that’s the case, hopefully Teddy Sears’ agent got him some nice money for playing four roles.) Perhaps I’ve watched too many episodes of WWE programming over the years, but having two sets of twins from multiple version of Earth seems a little too neat.

Theory: Guy in the Mask is Earth-1 Jay Garrick

By the process of elimination, it makes sense for this man to be Earth-1 Jay. That is, of course, assuming that you believe that Earth-2 Jay was who he said he was and Earth-1 Hunter Zolomon was who Earth-2 Jay said he was. (Confused yet?) Another interesting tidbit is that in the episode where Earth-1 Hunter Zolomon was revealed (season 2, episode 11), Earth-2 Jay said, “I couldn’t find a Jay Garrick anywhere on this planet.” That seems like a swerve. Surely there had to be some record of a man named Jay Garrick, unless Earth-2 Jay was a baddie all along.

In a recent piece on Variety, The Flash executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said, “Jay had been watching them and knew that so he was able to masterfully step into the role each of them needed. He became a friend and mentor to Barry. A love interest to the heartbroken Caitlin. He skillfully played them all.” What Earth-2 Jay said in episode 11 and what Kreisberg said to Variety has me sticking to my theory that Zoom is Earth-2 Hunter Zolomon, as well as the guy parading around Earth-1 as Earth-2 Jay. Of course that doesn’t explain the corpse Zoom carried to his hideout.

It is known: Earth-2 Jay Garrick is dead…

…or at least a guy that looked like him is dead. At the end of tonight’s episode, Zoom drops Earth-2 Jay’s lifeless body and says, “Well this…is a complication.” I’m not certain that Zoom was talking about Jay’s death; he could have been talking about all the breaches being closed. Keeping in mind that Kreisberg implied that Zoom and Jay are the same person, I’m not convinced that the corpse was actually in the Garrick or Zolomon gene pool. This season has a lot symmetry with last season, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the “Jay” that died (while standing in front of an ominous portal like an asshat) was a shapeshifter working with Zoom. Remember, the Reverse Flash had Everyman posing as him to distract the good guys. Symmetry!

Theory: The “Jay” corpse isn’t actually Jay

Even though Zoom was unmasked in this episode, there are still so many questions about the true identities of multiple characters. The first season of The Flash played around with time paradoxes. This season is playing around with the multiverse. Is it possible that the writers are combining the two in order to surprise the audience along about the “real” identities of Zoom, Jay Garrick, and Dude in a Mask? I’m still not completely sure, but I can’t wait for more episodes of The Flash to start in late March!

Given the big Zoom reveal at the end of this episode, what are your new theories on the true identities of Zoom, Jay Garrick (both versions), and Dude in a Mask? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Vaping Diaries #372: Blow E-Juice Interview

My interview with Blow E-Juice co-owner Farid Zahreddine comes with an added bonus. As expected, he told me about Blow E-Juice and its three launch flavors. In addition to learning about the company and its tasty dessert e-liquids, Farid went on an inspired rant of how it’s wrong for politicians to equate vaping with tobacco cigarettes. His passionate diatribe was a pleasant and welcome surprise.

As for the company itself, Blow E-Juice started in mid-2015. The owners are people that are passionate about vaping and got into the scene. In addition to appreciating the fact that vaping got them off of tobacco cigarettes, the owners were fascinated by the vaping community. As with many new and rapidly growing industries, the vaping business is relatively small and has a sense of family. The owners of Blow E-Juice seem to genuinely enjoy that aspect of vaping.

Moving onto the three Blow E-Juice vaping e-liquids, the company’s most popular flavor is Om Nom Nuke. It’s a savory dessert blend that combines toffee custard, vanilla ice cream, and caramel. It’s a very rich flavor that’s bursting with complexity. Vapers that enjoy simple, straightforward flavors will likely be overwhelmed by Om Nom Nuke. The bit of it I vaped was quite delicious.

Dolce Fuel is the company’s strawberry cheesecake e-liquid. While not as rich as Om Nom Nuke, it’s still quite flavorful. The company did a good job of mixing the cheesecake creaminess and the bright fruit notes. While there are a lot of strawberry cheesecake flavors on the market, I believe that Dolce Fuel is certainly worth a try.

To my surprise, my favorite Blow E-Juice flavor was the company’s simplest blend. Orgasmic Aftermath is a straight-up cheesecake. Perhaps I was influenced by its fantastic name, but I really enjoyed this straightforward cheesecake vape.

For more information on Blow E-Juice and to hear Farid’s fantastic rant, please check out the interview below.

Vaping Diaries #371: Hold Fast Vapors Interview

When I first met the Hold Fast Vapors crew, I was excited by the prospect of meeting a group of pirates that made vaping e-liquid. Sadly, Hold Fast Vapors doesn’t have any actual pirates on staff (or so the company claims), but what it does have is a bunch of delicious flavors. Senior account executive Connor O’Brien spent some time with me to talk about the company and three of its flavors.

The newest addition to Hold Fast Vapors is the Ironclad line. The Ironclad e-liquids use a higher percentage of vegetable glycerin (VG) for more vapor production. The first Irconclad flavor is Key Largo, a yummy Key lime sherbet. I very much enjoyed this e-liquid’s blend of light sweetness and tanginess. It was my favorite of the three flavors covered in this interview.

One of the earlier flavors in the Hold Fast Vapors line, Mutiny is a blend of pear, berries, and cream. It’s an interesting mix that stands out from the numerous berries-and-cream concoctions on the market. Mutiny’s use of pear gives it a tasty edge. While I’m generally not big on fruit vapes, I do enjoy fruit-and-cream blends. With its pear kick, Mutiny was a pleasant surprise.

The last flavor in the Hold Fast Vapors lineup is a dessert mix called Port Royal. Vapers with a sweet tooth will enjoy this medley of cake, maple sugar, and nuts. I love me some dessert vapes, so I was instantly drawn to this flavor and enjoyed the bit I had during my meeting with Hold Fast Vapors.

Connor told me to expect two more flavors in the Ironclad lineup, which makes sense considering that many vapers have moved to sub-ohm tanks. The extra VG will help them fog up some rooms with delicious vapor. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t reveal much about the flavors. Off camera, he said I’d have to walk the plank if he told me what the new flavors were. See, I knew they were pirates!

Vaping Diaries #370: Foggy Gnome Interview

Foggy Gnome had a number of interesting products for vapers on display at Vape Nights. Mark Gutensohn, the company’s head of sales and marketing, walked me through them. First, let’s talk about the three types of Foggy Gnome cotton. The company doesn’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach for cotton, so if offers three varieties of wicking material. Gutensohn doesn’t believe there’s a “best” one of the three, but rather different types of vapers will have different preferences. Beyond that, the same vaper might find a different type of cotton will match a certain juice.

As for the three specific types of Foggy Gnome cotton, first up is Southern Blend Organic Fogwick. This mix of short-fiber and long-fiber cotton retains the natural oils and waxes. For those looking for the purest flavor, Southern Blend Organic Bath is a good choice. It’s similar to the previous cotton, but undergoes an organic bath to remove the oils and waxes. Last, but certainly not least, is Sub-Ohm Gold Organic Fogwick. Aimed towards vapers that love low-resistance coils and high temperatures, this short-fiber cotton has the highest heat resistance of the three. Gutensohn was quick to point out that all Foggy Gnome cotton is American grown and mechanically processed in the United States.

On the box mod front, Foggy Gnome offers the Fogg Boxx. This parallel box mod is made from extremely sturdy 7075 aluminum. Gutensohn showed me a video of a Fogg Boxx being run over by a large truck. After driving over the Fogg Boxx, the driver got out of the truck and vaped on it. The box mod is available in seven different colors and comes with a certificate of authenticity. The Fogg Boxx is manufactured and assembled in the United States. In addition to its sturdy construction, I love that the Fogg Boxx looks different from all the Hammond-style box mods on the market.

To learn more about Foggy Gnome cotton and the Fogg Boxx, check out my chat with Mark Gutensohn below.

Zoom Theories (The Flash Season Two CW)

The identity of Zoom has been one of the most fascinating aspects of The Flash season two. Episode 14 may have contained a few hints about the identity of this enigmatic speedster. I’m going to use this space to discuss a pair of Zoom theories and some of the circumstances that may support them. Naturally, please turn your spoiler shields on.

Flash Iron Mask — Despite all his rage he is still just a dude in a cage.

Let’s start with one of Zoom’s prisoners — the guy in the iron mask. Using his keen and scientific mind, Barry deduces that Iron Mask Cage Guy is tapping out letters using a code favored by prisoners of war. The guy spells out “Jay” and has a fit when Barry says that Jay Garrick is safe on Earth-1.

Theory: The guy in the mask is the real Earth-2 Jay Garrick.

If that theory pans out, then who the hell is the “Jay Garrick” that has been hanging around with the Earth-1 heroes? Remember when Caitlin tried to find “Jay’s” Earth-1 counterpart? She ended up finding a man named Hunter Zolomon. “Jay” explains that Zolomon has a different name because he was adopted. Is it possible that “Jay” is a big fat liar? The answer to that would be no, because he’s a physically fit man, but he could still be lying.

Theory: The guy Earth-1 heroes think is Earth-2 Jay Garrick is actually Earth-2 Hunter Zolomon.

Comics fans know that Hunter Zolomon is Zoom’s Christian name, but there’s more to it than that. One of the more interesting Zoom theories I’ve read comes from this Reddit thread. A few posters suspect that Fake Jay Garrick is actually Zoom. He’s messing around on Earth-1 to monitor Barry’s powers and waiting for the right moment to steal them. Using my Seinfeld voice, “Did you ever notice that ‘Jay’ and Zoom are never in the same room together?” I’m going to zip through the old episodes to make sure, but the only time I remember them sharing a scene was during a flashback sequence narrated by “Jay.” That tale could be part of Zoom’s big ruse.

Theory: Fake Jay Garrick and Zoom are the same person.

Jay Garrick Idiot — I think I’ll just stand in front of this ominous portal, grinning like an idiot!

Fake Jay and Zoom being the same guy would also explain the scene above. The heroes have escaped Zoom’s clutches in Earth-2 and “Jay” has just closed the breech. While everyone else is standing a safe distance away, “Jay” is lingering in front of the yet-to-completely-close portal, smiling like a jackass. Seconds later, he’s impaled by Zoom’s arm and is dragged back to Earth-2. It all seems rather silly. Either Jay Garrick is a world class moron or he wanted the Earth-1 heroes to think “Jay” died. The way the scene was filmed, it was completely obvious that something bad was going to happen to “Jay.” Perhaps “Jay’s” fake death was another layer of Zoom’s master plan.

Theory: Fake Jay is Young Zoom

A few Reddit posters believe that Fake Jay is Earth-2 Hunter Zolomon, while Zoom is a future iteration. Fake Jay said that he was obsessed with getting faster, ergo his Velocity-6 abuse. Zoom is quite clearly obsessed with getting faster. I’m not as big on this theory, but it does have a certain symmetry with the baddie from The Flash season one.

Theory: Dude in a Mask is Max Mercury.

This is almost definitely not going to happen, but I would love it if Dude in the Iron Mask was Max Mercury. DC Comics’ “zen master” of speed has been a father figure to many speedsters. He’s also the most knowledgable person in the world when it comes to the “speed force.” That could explain why Zoom wants him locked up; he can’t have the Yoda of speed teaching young heroes how to defeat him.

The Flash television series will definitely have Kid Flash (Wally West) in the future and possibly Jesse Quick as well. The new speedsters could use a fatherly tutor like Max Mercury, while Barry is off doing the heavy hero work. But like I said, Max Mercury is almost definitely not going to happen. It’s a long shot, combined with wishful thinking on my part.

Anyway, those are some assorted theories on the identities of Zoom and Dude in the Iron Mask. I’d love hear some of yours! Kindly share your theories in the comments section.