Apollo 11 video and the 70's

For those who knew me in a previous life growing up in Blaenau Ffestiniog, my interests mainly covered history and sciency stuff (I'm really trying to avoid the term geek here!), and I think the reason for this unfortunate and sometimes forgotten time of my life is the whole NASA thing of astronauts going to the moon that was so awsome to these young eyes. For years I always thought that I actually witnessed the first moon landing in 1969, in front of my black and white telly I may add, but thinking about it I would have been only 6, so not really credible! I probably remember the later missions when going t the moon was old hat to most, but to me it was something that really fascinated me, the whole idea of going to the moon and back. My school books must have been covered with little drawings of spaceships and astronauts! I must add that I was into football and cricket in a big way so I had other interests. Looking back it was such an interesting place to grow up in, and of course interesting times. To me, the early 70's (of what I remember of it) was a totally different era to the late 70's, I mean in my mind I have 2 different feelings towards them. The last remnants of the 60's against the beginnings of the electronic emergence of the 80's. Being older in the late 70's also had something to do with it of course! I started drinking alcohol in 1979 (pint of lager 35p!) and smoking took a firm hold on me. Welcome to the adult world! So my childhood ended at this time. But I can remember the great landmark times of every family (getting a telephone in the house for the first time and when we got our first colour telly from Radio Rentals) in 1977. I'll never forget the first football match I saw on telly (in fact there were not many live matches in those days like today only highlights, and the pitch was so green. I used to like sliding the colour control up a bit just to see more colour! We weren't rich but overall me and my sister had a happy childhood. Bottom line is that it was a great time to grow up in and I remember back on it with great affection.
Anyway, I heard this track from Porcupine Tree (yes, them again!), and thought this subject would compliment the music. There's another track called 'Moonloop' which is even more suited to NASA video footage which can be seen on my website. The reason why I use a lot of the PT's music is that I feel that it really compliments the ideas I get for video projects. So I'm always kind of glad that I find other music for a project, which I have with the Dexter video and one I made using the music of Djam Karet

A Dexter video

I have been busy lately watching this excellent series and have compiled some scenes from the first 2 episodes. Season 3 is crrently airing and Showtime have recently announced that they have comissioned a further 2 seasons. Devised from the novel 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' by Jeff Lindsey, Dexter is the tale of a blood spatter officer working for the Miami PD and moonlights as a serial killer at night. He specifically kills only those who have killed but have avoided justice, this is the code that has been instilled in him since he was a boy by his foster father, a cop named Harry Morgan. Predictably there have been opponents to the series, notably the Parents Television Council, who tried to prevent the series being aired on a national broadcaster, quoting:

"We are formally asking CBS to cancel its plan to air the first season of Dexter on its television network. This show is not suitable for airing on broadcast television; it should remain on a premium subscription cable network. The biggest problem with the series is something that no amount of editing can get around: the series compels viewers to empathize with a serial killer, to root for him to prevail, to hope he doesn’t get discovered."

It does raise the point on whether Dexter is seen as a hero, which is emphazised in the second season which has Dexter, dubbed the Bay Harbour Butcher by the police, is seen as a force of good as it is revealed that he only disposes of the scum of society, and dubbed The Dark Defender by the public. In fact in reality there is an ongoing case in America where a copycat killing has been blamed on the TV series.

"Connections have been suggested between the TV show Dexter and an ongoing missing person investigation in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Mark Twitchell, has been charged with first degree murder in the disappearance of 38 year old John Altinger in what appears to be similar to Dexter's clandestine murders. Det. Mark Anstey of the Edmonton Police Service was quoted as saying "We have a lot of information to suggest he definitely idolizes Dexter." Three months prior to the murder of Altinger, Twitchell had posted on his Facebook status that he claimed to have a lot in common with Dexter Morgan."

Perhaps the PTC have a point.