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MegaCon 2012: Orlando, Florida | Feb 17 -19

I have attended many conventions in my life (albeit, work-related), but never a comic book convention. Prior to the popular guest spots of Vanessa G from Girls-Gone-Geek.com on the podcast, I always just assumed that comic book conventions were only for nerds, geeks and people obsessed with fictional characters.

After attending my first of one such convention – MegaCon – I have now learned that they are for, well…nerds, geeks and people obsessed with fictional characters…and that I am one of them!

The following is my account as a comic book convention virgin…so, please be gentle, it’s my first time.

“NEEEEEEEEEEEEEERDS!!

First off, I feel the need to dispel a few preconceived notions about comic book conventions and the types of people that attend them. Contrary to popular belief, they are not – well, not entirely – attended by:

• Men who live in their parent’s basement and have never seen a woman’s…um, “Batcave”
• Social outcasts who lack the ability to interact in the real world
• Pimply prepubescent teens with masking tape holding their glasses together, sporting a pocket-protector

Despite the caricature popularized by John Hughes’ films in the 80′s, today’s nerds and geeks are easily the most sought-after demographic across multiple industries. This is evidenced by the many other huge “Cons” – such as ComicCon, SxSW and CES – which directly appeal to geek culture and dictate the direction of everything from electronics, movies, television and the entertainment industry as a whole. You see, the thing about nerds and geeks (of which I consider myself to be the latter), is that we are a highly vocal, passionate, committed and creative bunch…with disposable income.

‘Gerds’ (or if you prefer, ‘Neeks’) are almost always the first adopters of new technology and media. We are the most vocal in our support or disdain of something through our blogs, podcasts and Twitter / social media feeds; thereby driving popular perception and opinion. Not to mention being the most likely to create the next ‘Big Thing’ that you – and/or society – cannot live without.

In Plainer Terms: We are likely going to be your future Overlords…so be nice. ;)

“Cosplay”

Batman, Robin & The Girl Wonder

Cosplay – or “costume play” – is something that is more specific to comic book conventions and one of the most entertaining, impressive and fun aspects to experience or participate in.

As Vanessa G often says: it is the place to, “proudly let your geek flag fly”, as fans dress up as their favorite characters…whether from comic books, video games, movies or television. Shannon (my girlfriend) and I, both continually remarked at how much we admired the dedication and creativity that went into many of the costumes that we saw this year at MegaCon, held in Orlando.

What was so much fun about the cosplay that we saw, was how committed each person was to their character! Most of those who dress up spend all year (and I would imagine, quite a bit of money) working on their costumes. Many also team up with friends and other fans…therefore, Batman (a personal fav) will also be flanked by The Joker, Harley Quinn, Bain, The Riddler, Robin, Nightwing and others associated with the Batman DC Comic universe…while always staying in character. :)

Cosplay is such a huge part of any comic book convention, that is is easily one of the most looked forward to aspects of the show. Those who dress up – happily and proudly – spend most of their time posing for photographs with fellow attendees.

I have included a full gallery of MegaCon photographs that I took at the bottom of this page.

No...*I* am Batman.

Panels, Panels & More Panels!

Another big draw for conventions are the panels. Usually – depending upon the kind of Con you are attending – the panels will be discussions with experts in the industry, actors | producers | directors on a popular television show or movie, artists, editors and others who may be associated with the field.

Since we were only going for a day, I chose a few panels (from over 80!) out of the MegaCon panel schedule that we were interested in attending:

DC Comics: The New 52

DC Comics panel

• Last year, DC Comics made a huge announcement (and game-changing decision) by essentially starting over at “Issue #1″ with its New 52.
• In an attempt to attract a new audience who may have felt intimidated (myself included) by jumping into a particular comic at (for instance) “Issue #457″ of a series…DC essentially hit the re-start button. The move was both hugely successful and controversial at the same time, as it did attract new fans (again, myself included)…but also angered many longtime fans.
• The panel included DC Co-Publisher Dan DiDio, Executive Editor Eddie Berganza, current Batman artist Greg Capullo and others. The discussion covered ‘The New 52′, along with a Q&A session in which the crowd could ask questions…including participation from yours truly.
• In one exchange – an older fan who had been reading DC Comics for nearly 50 years – expressed his utter disappointment with the New 52 move…to which DiDio and Berganza replied with the need for the industry to attract new readers in order to remain relevant and continue to thrive. It was at this moment that I was called upon by DiDio, wherein I said that I could attest to the success of the move, as it encouraged me to jump back into comics and that I have since picked up many of the New 52. My “testimony” elicited applause from the room and the panel, as I was a prime example of what the DC “re-do” was meant to achieve. Even Shannon was called upon and asked what she thought of my return to comics, to which she replied that she thought it was great and that it even got her interested…love that chick. :)
• I also had an opportunity to speak directly with both Dan DiDio and Greg Capullo after the panel, as we discussed some of the books that I am currently reading (including Capullo’s take on Batman) and the effect that the New 52 has had on the industry and whether they felt that Marvel would eventually follow suit.
• I’ll be discussing the panel, along with my MegaCon experience, on an upcoming episode of the podcast…so stay tuned!

Vampire Diaries

Shannon at the Vampire Diaries Panel

• As I mentioned previously, my girlfriend Shannon also attended the conference with me. Prior to the show, she jokingly made fun of me for wanting to go…until she (gleefully) learned that there was also a “Vampire Diaries” panel…which officially made her a geek alongside me.
• Revealing this to her (our shared geekitude), must have been what Darth Vader felt like when he told Luke that he was his father.
• In attendance were: Joseph Morgan, Lauren Cohan (currently on AMC’s The Walking Dead) and David Anders.
• Judging from the mostly all-girl audience and their reaction to the male actors…I can say with confidence that fangirls are far more rabid than fanboys!

Q&A with Stan Lee

Stan Lee Panel

• The creator and co-creator of some of comics’ greatest characters discussed his career and answered questions from the (packed) audience in attendance.
• It was an entertaining session and primarily paid homage to his legendary status within the comic book community. It was particularly fun seeing so many kids in the audience – fully dressed as their favorite Marvel character – running to the front of the room to ask Mr. Lee questions. :)
• Mr. Lee also hinted that the upcoming Avengers movie was his favorite Marvel-based movie adaptation to date (woot!).

Nerd Mecca (aka: The Convention Floor)

As is the case with any convention, the floor is heavily populated with vendors who are exhibiting and selling their wares. At MegaCon, you could find vendors for just about anything comic book related. The floor was HUGE and chock full of a wide assortment of geeky goodies.

Whether you’re looking for a rare issue of Action Comics, or perhaps a hard-to-find collectible action figure…chances are you were going to find it on the MegaCon floor, which spanned over the course of 3 convention halls.

T-shirts, custom made costumes (I especially liked the Steampunk booths), favorite trades, custom made role-playing weapons, rare & current issues, artist autographs or hell, you could even buy your very own remote controlled R2D2!

MegaCon 2012 Crowd

Although it was packed, Shannon and I navigated the floor as best we could, trying to take everything in.

Truth be known, I was actually on the hunt for a specific discontinued Batman action figure, that I finally found after the about the 20th booth we stopped at. :)

Beyond that, I remember remarking at how I fortunate I felt that I wasn’t a collector of comic books (I read mine through the Comixology app on my iPad…I know, I know, comic blasphemy). Judging from the massive amount of bins available at most vendor tables – in which you could find almost any issue you were searching for – I could see how simply looking through the bins could take an entire day by itself.

Of course, the floor was made even more entertaining by the many attendee’s who were engaged in cosplay…displaying some truly impressive costumes.

Comic Con Cherry Popped

All in all, we had a great time. It was a nice way to spend the day and for fans of people-watching, you couldn’t have picked a better venue!

I really admire the time, dedication and effort that people put into their costumes and the commitment they exhibited while playing the role of their favorite characters…whether from the world of comics, video games, movies or television.

Although MegaCon is a 3 day event (Fri-Sun), we only attended Saturday. However, beyond the panels and convention floor, the festivities continued well into the evening thanks to costume parties, video game tournaments and even a speed dating event for attendees who were looking for love in Alderaan places. ;)

Although I consider myself to be a huge geek…I am no where near approaching the level that was on display this weekend…and that should not be considered a dig by any stretch of the imagination!

I have always been more of a tech-geek who just recently was re-introduced to the world of comics again, thanks in large part to DC Comic’s New 52 and the enthusiasm of people like Vanessa G and Erika P at Girls-Gone-Geek.com.

I used to read comics a lot as a kid and eventually strayed away, but I have always been a big video game, technology and superhero nerd for a long time…so the trip back was quite painless. I would also be lying if I said that I didn’t feel a little giddy and childlike every time I saw some of my favorite Star Wars & Batman characters. :)

Now that my “cherry” has been popped…I will definitely be attending more Con’s as they make their way to Orlando. In fact, Shannon has already mentioned that we should start planning to attend next year’s (massive) ComicCon in California…looks like I’ve created a monster!

Dana

Selecting a photo will bring up the full gallery:

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As if the world needed yet another location and activity check-in app, Path swaggers into the room – with its sexy and attractive UI – and just might be worthy of your attention.

Similar to other popular GPS-enabled check-in services like FourSquare or Gowalla, that track where you are – and GetGlue that tracks what you are doing – Path is the bastardized offspring of the best that all three of these services have to offer.

Path allows users to easily share what they’re doing, who they are with and where they are with a select group of friends without broadcasting it to the world (however, should you prefer, you can opt to publicly share to social media sites).

Therefore, your check-in to Starbucks or the bookstore is not seen by every other person who also checks in to that same location (nor does it attract “randoms” to send you follow invites), but only by your friends that you have invited (and vise versa) to “follow your Path.”

What makes Path stand out is its attractive UI. After a recent update (the screenshots above are from the previous version), the user interface feels similar to Facebook’s timeline – including a personalized “cover” image – wherein you are able to easily see and interact with your friend’s most recent activity or “paths.” Therefore, whether you want to comment on a song that a friend is currently listening to, add an emoticon to their activity (i.e. “like”) to display your approval / disapproval or perhaps recommend your favorite dish at a restaurant or cafe that they just checked into – Path makes it easy and intuitive to do so in a very nice and clean fashion.

The (self-proclaimed) purpose of Path is as a “smart journal” to share your life with loved ones and close friends. Therefore there are no badges, points or stickers gained for your activity. It is basically its own self-contained social media app.

Within the app you are able to:

• Post a photo, including taking one and posting it directly from your phone’s camera or gallery
• Tag a friend that you are with and what you are doing
• Check-in to any location
• Share the awesome new song that you are listening to
• Post a comment (i.e. “status”), which friends can also respond to
• Indicate that you have gone to bed or have awoken for the day
• Invite friends (via Facebook or your address book) to “follow your Path”

Although this doesn’t sound very different from similar apps (and to be honest, it isn’t), what Path offers is a more private and personalized experience that is well executed. Your friends are able to easily view, comment or respond to any of your activities and the app combines it all into one seamless timeline that also include’s your friend’s activities.

Plus, it’s just really pretty to look at!

As I mentioned earlier, Path is a more personal combination of Facebook, Foursquare and GetGlue. It doesn’t necessarily “specialize” in anything in particular (i.e. just checking in or just posting a comment), but rather gives you the (truncated) “best of 3 worlds.”

In future updates, I would like to see them to add more options in terms of sharing what you are doing; for example – instead of just being able to share an individual song that you are listening to – I wouldn’t mind being able to share the entire album or what book I am reading, movie I am watching or game that I might be playing.

But as a (relatively) new addition to the location & activity based check-in apps, Path is one that I would recommend that you try out and see for yourself.

As someone who lives his life “out loud” due to the podcast and other social media channels that I manage, I like that Path allows me to have a much more “condensed” and personal way of sharing the activities that I may not always want to make public (don’t worry…(mostly) no freaky stuff!), by sharing them with those that I consider to be in my much smaller “inner circle.” <--- After typing that, it occurs to me that I might as well add Google+ to the mix of similar apps.

However, as I referenced previously, you can choose to share your activity to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and even Foursquare. Thanks to this – and with future updates and added features – I can see Path becoming my primary check-in app and doing away with Foursquare, Gowalla and GetGlue altogether.

Path is available for both Android and iOS devices.

App Score: B+

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Kate Beckinsale returns as “Selene” – the (wonderfully) skintight-latex clad vampire and resident bad-ass Death Dealer – in “Underworld: Awakening“, the fourth (and quite possibly the best) installment of the Underworld film franchise.

As Seth Rogen so eloquently put it at the Golden Globes, when taking his place on stage aside fellow presenter, Kate Beckinsale:

• “Hello, I’m Seth Rogen and I am currently trying to conceal a massive erection.”

Truer words have never been spoken, Mr. Rogen. However, our Beckinsale boner’s aside, on to the review…

Synopsis

The many-centuries-long war between the Vampires and the Lycans (werewolves) has finally spilled over and the humans have become aware of their existence.

What follows are the “Great Purges” – an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.

The movie opens with Selene and (a completely computer-generated) Micheal Corvin – the only hybrid of both Vampire and Lycan to ever exist – attempting to escape the Purge to safety.

It is in these early scenes that we are immediately treated to some kick-ass action (woot!)…in addition to proof that Selene has evolved into an extremely powerful Vampire – as prefaced at the end of Underworld: Evolution – due to her being given the blood of Alexander Corvinus (the origin of the immortal bloodline) by Alexander, himself.

It is this gift from Alexander that not only makes Selene stronger and more powerful, but also immune to the effects of sunlight.

I only mention a few of these things because:

• 1) It appears that actor, Scott Speedman (“Michael”), was not invited back for this go-round. In the few scenes that Micheal does make an appearance, it is at a distance and immediately obvious that he is entirely CG. I am fine with this since, although I liked the idea of a Michael’s hybrid character and his (integral) contribution to the series, I was never particularly fond of Speedman as Michael. Maybe I am just glad that his absence clears the way for someone better…*ahem*…Kate, call me.
• 2) Establishing that Selene is now very powerful was part of the fun for me; as it tells me that she is going to be a bad-ass throughout the entire movie. Not that she wasn’t previously…but tell the truth, didn’t you like Neo’s character in the 3rd Matrix more because he was finally at the height of his powers and not stumbling through it, like in the first two movies?
• 3) Also, setting up both Michael and Selene as being one-of-a-kind, paves the way for where Awakening is obviously going with the introduction of Eve (played by India Eisley)…which if you watched the love scene in Evolution frame-by-frame in slow motion (*ahem*…not saying that I did…*awkward silence*), it doesn’t take a genius to figure out who Eve actually is.

'Eve' played by actress India Eisley

Awakening

Selene is captured in the beginning of the film, only to be awakened 12 years later, to a world in which her kind has been forced underground and teetering on the edge of extinction. Selene is being held by biotech giant, Antigen…which, as the tried-and-true story goes, has a less than altruistic agenda. Selene escapes Antigen in search of answers…and Michael.

It is not long before the character of Eve is introduced, a young girl designated “Subject 2″ (to Selene’s “Subject 1″), who was also being held by Antigen.

I give the writers props here for not feigning suspense before they finally reveal who Eve is, as they make it clear that Selene and Eve share a connection in which they can see through each other’s eyes when they are near one another.

In case you are still clueless, Eve is obviously the daughter of Selene and Michael…a conclusion that many of us probably jumped to the moment it was revealed that a young girl would be in the film.

What the writers rightfully focused on was how powerful Eve is – or better, will eventually become – being the daughter of the only hybrid to exist and a mother who possesses the power (and immunities) of the original bloodline…it is with Eve that Antigen’s true intentions are also finally revealed.

Lastly, we are introduced to a few new characters, who will likely return for the (obviously eluded to) fifth installment. I liked the character of Thomas, as he fits the vibe of the series better than Speedman and I am curious if he will eventually become Selene’s future love interest…and as such, my sworn enemy.

'Thomas' played by actor Theo James

Verdict

I’ve always really enjoyed the Underworld movies and Awakening is no exception…in fact, it may be my favorite of the series. Of course, this can only be said by having watched the previous three installments, but Awakening was simply a much bigger budget film with a lot of non-stop action and killer fight scenes.

Those of us who have been fans of the films over the last decade, have probably also noticed that every new addition to the franchise has enjoyed an (obviously) increased budget (and gore) over the previous film. There is a reason for that: Underworld and Selene have garnered a huge fan following over the years and thankfully the studio has continually upped the budget to match.

We saw Awakening in IMAX 3D, and although the 3D transfer was decent, I don’t think I’ll be missing out when it comes to Blu-Ray and I watch it again on my non-3D widescreen.

The story is very straight-forward and a lot of attention was paid to giving audiences what they want…action. Selene is far more skilled in this movie and I thought that the fight choreography stood up and was drastically improved over previous films. In fact, there were a number of scenes in which I giggled gleefully and got a huge kick out of the action on screen.

Seeing how it wouldn’t likely go over well for Selene and Eve to have the human race as their enemies, that distinction was sufficiently filled by Antigen, the obligatory evil corporation.

As far as hunting Lycans are concerned, fear not, as there is plenty of ‘Vampire on Lycan’ action…not the least of which is a new Lycan – roughly 10x the size of an average Lycan – that Selene has to tangle with a couple of times in the film and which results in another giggle-inducing conclusion. :)

India Eisley plays Eve very well and I am curious about where her storyline will go next…an answer I should not have to wait too long for, as the fifth movie was strongly alluded to.

Easy now, good doggy...

Truth be told, I felt as though Awakening was over too soon (running time: 88 mins) and I’m not embarrassed to admit that I was disappointed when it did end…but only because I wanted more!

There is no deeper meaning to the Underworld series, they are just fun action films and I have always enjoyed the story of the Vampire & Lycan bloodlines, their centuries long war and watching as Selene continually grew in her power and abilities.

Even if you have never seen the previous films, Awakening provides just the right amount of exposition to catch you up…but I venture that if you are a first timer, you will likely rush out to watch them after seeing this film. :)

I definitely recommend it, especially if you are a fan…it’s just a really fun flick to watch and probably packs more action into it than the previous 3 films combined.

- Dana

Need To Get Caught Up?

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Amazon has begun pushing out firmware update 6.2.2 today. From the changes I have seen so far, it includes: a handful of small performance tweaks, bugs fixes and, most notably, adds a full-screen mode to the device’s Silk browser.

At the time of this writing, Amazon has not yet updated the Kindle Fire updates page with additional details and specifics, but I am sure more (official) information will become available soon.

Official Update from Amazon:
• We have a new, free over-the-air software update available for Kindle Fire. This update enhances fluidity and performance, improves support for manually set up e-mail providers in the Email app, and offers a new full screen mode for viewing web pages. The update will be automatically delivered to your Kindle Fire.

Amazon is reported to be pushing the update out as I type this – however for those of you who are as impatient as I am and not seeing the update yet, you can download and manually install the update if you do not want to wait for the OTA (Over The Air) update.

Simply download and copy (sideload) the file to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder on your Fire — you will need a micro-USB cord or file management app in order to do this.

After the file is added to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder: Quick Settings –> More (+) –> Device –> Update Your Kindle.

Download Kindle Fire Firmware Update 6.2.2 Here

Note: You can select the link and download it from within the Silk Browser on your Fire, but remember that it must be moved to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder on your device before you can install and update.

You can do this either by connecting to your computer via micro-USB (just drag & drop the file into the folder) or by using a file management app like ES File Explorer, that provides you access to your files & folders without having to connect to a computer.

The newest firmware version will read: 6.2.2_user_3205220

I created this video to help people with doing a manual update | install:

For my hacker friends, 6.2.2 does break root…sorry :(

I’m still searching through the device to see what other goodies I can discover, however so far it appears to be mostly a maintenance update with some back-end tweaks to improve the overall performance.

I will say that I do like the new full-screen mode that is now available for the Silk browser, adding a nice addition to the web browsing experience on the Fire.

Please feel free to add any additional improvements (or bugs) that you find, in the comment section.

For more information, you can also view my comprehensive 4-part video tutorial and review of the Kindle Fire.

- Dana

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As someone who produces his own podcast, it only stands to reason that I also listen to a lot of podcasts.

By far, the best podcast app that I have come across – and believe me, I have tried many – is Pocket Casts by ShiftyJelly.

Pocket Casts is a highly intuitive cross-platform (meaning it plays nice with both iOS and Android) podcast catcher that allows you to easily find, subscribe, organize and listen to your favorite podcast content providers…*ahem*…including, of course, Stimulated Boredom…even though I have my own app, just sayin’. ;)

There are many app options available to podcast fans. Whether it’s Stitcher, Google Listen, DoggCatcher, TuneIn etc…however Pocket Casts quickly became my favorite and is the primary app that I use to consume the long list of podcasts that I personally subscribe to and enjoy. By the way, Stimulated Boredom is available on all of these options…again, just sayin’.

Why Pocket Casts?

The best thing about Pocket Casts is how intuitive the UI is. It is very simple to search, add and start playing your favorite content.

For instance, say you want to find my show…and seriously, you really should if you haven’t already, what the hell are you waiting for?:

• Simply tap the ‘Search‘ icon –> type in ‘Stimulated Boredom‘ –> select ‘Add‘ when it my show comes up and VOILA!…you are subscribed.

From that point forward, any new content / shows will automatically update in the app, in addition to allowing you to easily listen to all past episodes, stream directly over WiFi or 3G, and/or download directly onto your phone’s memory – in the event you are going to be out of coverage or in airplane mode. In addition, all shows that you subscribe to are automatically organized on the home screen and the right-hand corner of each show conveniently displays how many new / old episodes are available that you have yet to listen to…making it easier to see at-a-glance which shows have added new content recently.

Also, unlike other podcast catcher apps that I have tried, Pocket Casts is stellar at remembering exactly where you left off if you have to stop playback or answer a call. This is great because I don’t always have a chance to listen to a full podcast in one sitting, so its ability to pick up right where I left off (regardless of OTA streaming or if you directly downloaded the episode) is outstanding and very handy. Additionally, you have the ability to easily rewind or fast-forward in 30-second increments (just a simple touch to the left or right of the screen), should you realize that you missed something or zoned out for a moment.

Lastly, if you are on Android, the app also comes with a handy widget that you can place on one of your home screens to make launching and playing|pausing from the application even easier.

So far, I have yet to have any trouble with finding the shows I like and the search function is quick and accurate every time. Everything from “This American Life” to “The Nerdist”, “Stimulated Boredom” to “Fresh Air” or “Bill Maher”…all of my favorite podcasts are available at my fingertips.

Considering all of these features, Pocket Casts is easily worth the $2.99 (on Android) and $1.99 (on iOS) price-tag. Truth be known, I’d be willing to pay more in order to support a developer who finally created a podcast catcher that just works every time…which is something I can’t say about some of the others that I have tried.

Click any thumbnail to view the screenshot gallery:

Why Podcasts?

This is more of a sidebar relating to the on-demand convenience and great content offered by subscribing to podcasts.

Back when I started Stimulated Boredom in February of 2005, it was a lot harder explaining to people exactly what a “podcast” was…”I don’t get it, is it a radio show? What channel can I hear it on?“…there also weren’t a lot of people podcasting, as it was a pretty new medium at the time.

But today – thanks to the meteoric rise in the popularity of apps – far more people are aware of what a podcast is. By the way, if you’re still downloading podcasts in iTunes and manually loading them onto an iPod…please say hello to my Grandma for me and ask her how she likes her new flip-phone.

There are so many podcasts out there that offer outstanding programming; whether from a favorite celebrity / personality or an independent content provider like me, you can find podcasts on (literally) any area of interest that you can think of. Not to mention that some of the most popular radio programs and TV shows offer a podcast version as well.

So, whether you are looking for politics, gaming, news, zombies, sports, humor, science, accounting, comics, knitting, entertainment, dog training, movies, underwater basket weaving or everything else in-between, you are sure to find a podcast that is produced by someone who is very passionate about the subject matter. Couple that with the on-demand convenience of listening to exactly the kind of content you are specifically interested in and the absolute lack of car commercials, lawyer ads and other interruptions, and I don’t understand why people still listen to terrestrial radio anymore.

Although you will find some podcasts that are low quality, I believe that the vast majority are produced by people who really care about their chosen subject matter and are extremely talented. Also, In the last few years I have also noticed a TON of celebrities and well-known personalities starting their own podcasts, getting sponsorships and parlaying their podcast’s success into other endeavors.

My point being, if you aren’t already supporting some of these great shows, I highly recommend that you jump into the world of podcasts. Pocket Casts is a good start, as the app makes it very easy for you to browse popular programs or search by genre | subject matter.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out Stimulated Boredom!

…just sayin’.

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Check out past book reviews in the Buk Lernin section.

"Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. Absolute Nerd-Porn.

• WARNING: This book contains high levels of nerd porn. If you are easily offended by awesome 80′s pop-references, video games, classic John Hughes films or are prone to getting nerd boners lasting longer than 6 hours, I highly recommend that you stop being such a Neo-Maxi-Zoom-Dweebie and suggest that you make like a tree and get out of here.

If you’ve read some of my most recent book reviews, you may have noticed that (lately) I’ve tended to stay within the non-fiction, historical & autobiographical genres. As such, I was dying for a great piece of fiction – a STORY – something I could get lost in. I happily found that escape in this wildly entertaining world created by Ernest Cline; so much so that I realized I was reading it too fast and purposely slowed down in a futile attempt to prolong its inevitable end.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed…nay, loved this book. If you have ever considered yourself to be a nerd, gamer, geek or lover of ’80′s pop references, films and music, I implore you to stop reading this review right now and to go pick up | download a copy of “Ready Player One”…you can thank me later for the resulting nerdgasm you’ll inevitably experience.

If you do not consider yourself to be any of these things – fear not – as the author made the narrative and references perfectly accessible and entertaining, with just the right amount of exposition.

The Matrix + Willy Wonka = Ready Player One

Author’s Synopsis:
• It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.
  
  Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and work and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

  And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.

  For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

  And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

  Suddenly the whole world is watching and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

Wade Watts, aka: “Parzival”

Wade Watts, the protagonist, is a poor and overweight kid who lives with his uncaring Aunt in “the stacks“…the not-so-distant-future’s equivalent of a trailer park – wherein the trailers are literally…well, stacked – in an attempt to deal with overcrowding near the outskirts of cities, where the most reliable sources of electricity and Internet connections can be found.

The world is experiencing an energy crisis and record unemployment, crime is rampant and like most everyone else, Wade finds his escape in the OASIS…a vast online virtual reality, in which people control their own self-created avatars (W.o.W style, including the ability to level up your character) to engage in everything from attending school, working, taking a vacation, interacting with others, questing and playing games.

Due to the depressing nature of the real world, the OASIS becomes the place in which billions of people around the planet prefer to exist.

Wade escapes to an abandoned van – his hideout – to adopt his online persona (“Parzival”). He attends school in the OASIS because he has to; for his video console and virtual-reality visor will be taken away if he flunks out and he cannot afford one on his own.

Wade is a very bright kid, hindered only by his circumstances, and he quickly endears himself to the reader because he is witty, smart and easy to identify with. You root for him because the odds are stacked against him – he doesn’t have the money to buy top-of-the-line gear or purchase transport credits to travel extensively within the OASIS – and deep down you know he is smarter and more deserving than others.

Reader created fan art of Wade in his hideout, jacked into the OASIS

The OASIS

The OASIS was created by James Halliday, a brilliant and eccentric man who was obsessed with the 80′s, having grown up during that decade.

Originally intended as a massively multiplayer online game, the OASIS gradually evolves into the globally networked virtual reality that most of humanity now use on a daily basis. It grew into thousands of online “worlds” in which people could interact, travel to, work, play and indulge in virtually (pun intended) countless activities

Want to travel to the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine from Star Wars? Perhaps you would rather hunt down replicants, like Harrison Ford’s character in “Blade Runner?” Maybe just a vacation to a tropical island OR attend public school OR work in a virtual call-center offering OASIS tech-support…you can travel to (or create) any world ever seen in movies, TV shows, literature, your imagination or real life, video games and even music. The OASIS is a staggeringly large universe.

Through the use of a console and various haptic rigs and gear, the user is completely immersed in the OASIS…essentially experiencing it as they would actual reality. The OASIS is free to log into, but costs money to travel or purchase upgrades for your avatar (should you not want to spend countless hours killing NPC’s for measly XP). In fact, OASIS credits carry more value than paper currency and the company that Halliday founded, GSS, is the most valuable company in the world and has made its creator a billionaire many times over.

“Shall We Play A Game?”

Upon his death, Halliday releases a video in which he informs the world that he has hidden an “easter egg” somewhere in the OASIS. In order to find the egg, you must first discover 3 hidden keys, each key containing a riddle to unlock 3 gates (challenges) and each completed gate revealing a clue as to the location of the next key. The person who eventually finds the easter egg will be awarded Halliday’s entire fortune…to the tune of $250 billion dollars.

This results in worldwide pandemonium, as millions of people flood the OASIS in an attempt to find the hidden keys…and eventually the easter egg. However, there is a quirky catch: Halliday was obsessed with the 80′s and therefore his riddles, clues and challenges are all embedded within (awesome) 80′s pop-culture references. As a result, egg hunters (or “gunters,” as they call themselves) begin to pour over every movie, TV show, video game and song from the 80′s, in an attempt to decipher the first clue.

Yet, as years pass without any avatar’s name making it onto the Scoreboard – a site that announces when someone has found one of the keys or cleared any of the gates on their way to finding the easter egg – many become discouraged over time and give up the hunt.

Until one day, when a single name suddenly appears at the top of the Scoreboard…”Parzival”…Wade’s OASIS avatar. And the race is on…

Game Over

As someone who grew up gaming and came of age in the 80′s, “Ready Player One” was an absolute blast to read. In fact, if either “WarGames”, “Weird Science”, “Better Off Dead” or “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is not on your all-time favorite movies list, I’m not sure we can be friends anymore.

This book is filled with so much nostalgic nerd-candy that I dare any self-professed geek to read this book and not giggle knowingly during certain passages. There are references to every gaming console, classic games, popular anime, comics, computer systems, iconic TV shows, John Hughes films and songs that are undoubtedly on everyone’s 80′s playlist – in fact, the author even created a Spotify playlist to act as a soundtrack to the book.

Along the way, you are introduced to other endearing “gunters” such as, Art3mis (Wade’s love interest), Aech, Daito and Shoto, who also find the first key and are closing in on Wade’s heels…not to mention the obligatory evil corporation IOI – and its online army of “sixers” – who will stop at nothing to find the easter egg first and take over the OASIS so that it can further monetize and charge users monthly access to it.

“Ready Player One” was just so much fun to read and was exactly the kind of story I wanted to get lost in. Many of my favorite parts of the story were while trying to decipher the clues for myself, drawing from my own knowledge of the decade. There are also some twists and turns that kept me flipping the pages, wondering what was going to happen next…therefore, kudos to the author for not making it predictable.

This was easily one of my favorite books of the past year. It completely appealed to the raging geek in me and will do the same for those of you who love fun 80’s pop-culture and who also fantasized about owning the hoverboard from, “Back to the Future” or wondered what it would be like to live in the Star Wars universe or who spent countless hours gaming and leveling up.

I give this book 4.5 (out of 5) nerd-boners.

- Dana

Note: “Ready Player One” is currently in movie development. Audio book version also available and narrated by Wil Wheaton

Check out past book reviews in the Buk Lernin section.

The author, Ernest Cline, with his personal AMC Delorean. The vehicle is even customized with a Flux Capacitor (plutonium not included) and is a replica of the original from the film.

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Check out past book reviews in the Buk Lernin section.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

How do you keep the reader engaged in a story when they already know how it ends?

This is the challenge that author, Erik Larson had to overcome in his newest / best-selling book, “In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin.”

Synopsis from the author’s website:

• With this new book, I invite you to journey to Berlin during Hitler’s first year in power, 1933, in the company of a real-life father and daughter from Chicago who suddenly found themselves transported to the heart of the city. They had no conception of the harrowing days that lay ahead. At the time, nothing was certain—Hitler did not yet possess absolute power, and few outsiders expected his government to survive. The family encountered a city suffused with energy and optimism, with some of the most striking, avant-garde buildings in the world. Its theaters, concert halls, and cafés were jammed; the streets teemed with well-dressed attractive people. But my two protagonists were about to begin an education that would change them forever, with ultimately tragic consequences.

  The father was William E. Dodd, a mild-mannered professor who, much to his surprise and everyone else’s, was picked by President Roosevelt to be America’s first ambassador to Nazi Germany. His daughter, Martha, was 24 years old, and chose to come along for the adventure, and to escape a dead marriage to a New York banker. They and the rest of their family settled in a grand old house on the city’s central park, the Tiergarten—in literal translation, the Garden of Beasts.

  Dodd expected to encounter the same warm citizenry he had known three decades earlier while a graduate student in Leipzig; he hoped to use reason and quiet persuasion to temper Hitler’s government. Martha found the “New Germany” utterly enthralling, totally unlike the horrific realm depicted in newspapers back home. For her, as for many other foreign visitors at the time, the transformation of Germany was thrilling and not at all frightening. Not yet.

  As that first year unfolded they experienced days full of energy, intrigue, and romance—and, ultimately, terror, on a scale they could never have imagined. Their experience tells volumes about why the world took so long to recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler.

I was originally turned-on to Larson’s writing, when I read and reviewed the outstanding, “The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America.” I especially appreciated Larson’s attention to detail and exhaustive research, of which he also brought to, “In The Garden Of Beasts.”

Suspension of Historical Hindsight

The “challenge” that I referenced earlier, is that the reader already knows how this story ends. There is no hero. There is no thwarting of the Hitler regime. Europe and the world are still thrust into WWII and millions of people still die…as do the horrors of the Holocaust.

Rather, what Larson does – which is something I always strive to achieve when reading about historical events – is to place the reader into history, in the present tense, while attempting to suspend the advantage of hindsight and an outcome that is already known.

Therefore, in the preface of the book, Larson does an admirable job of explaining the way that he approached the book…from the perspective of Ambassador Dodd and his family; through their eyes and how they experienced Hitler’s Germany for the first time. It is within this context, that you are placed “into” history and are getting a front-row seat to what it must have been like to be living in Berlin at that time and what you might have seen or encountered.

As a huge WWII buff, I try to get an understanding of what the people of the time might have been thinking, feeling or experiencing at that time…while trying to remove the advantage that I have…which is already knowing what happens and formulating an opinion after the facts are already in. How would I have reacted before knowing what Hitler would eventually do? What must it have been like to live in Germany after WWI and under the burden of the Treaty of Versailles? Would I have fallen victim to the blind Nationalism that gripped the nation? Would I have seen the actions of the young Chancellor (as he and his party rose to power, not after he became Dictator) as a threat? To truly understand history, I think it is paramount to understand these things and how they occurred…and in this case, so that they may never be repeated again in the future.

Ambassador Dodd (center) and family. With Martha (left).

An American Family in Berlin

As the author’s synopsis mentioned, William Dobb was an unlikely candidate – and not the first choice – to be America’s first Ambassador to Hitler’s Germany. Ambassadorships were usually cushy jobs that were reserved for personal friends of the President, large donors or those from the elite class of “old money.” At that time, it was a lot of pomp, circumstance, endless diplomatic parties and hand-shaking. The handful of candidates that were offered the job, simply turned it down.

William Dodd, a college professor, was a staunch supporter of FDR and through a few personal connections, was brought to Roosevelt’s attention. At the time, the U.S. was primarily concerned with Germany’s ability to continue to repay their debt to American creditors. Therefore, the Ambassadorship was originally viewed as nothing more than the role of a glorified debt collector, to ensure that Germany continued to make their payments on time.

He was an unlikely candidate, but strove to embody the values of American society, which FDR appreciated. Dodd shocked and appalled the rich (“good old boy”) foreign affairs crowd, when he insisted on a meager salary (enough to simply cover his expenses) and that he be able to bring his old Chevrolet…decidedly, “not befitting of a man of his charge,” according to his critics. His intent was to embody and personify the American people – and to avoid seeming ostentatious – as he did not feel right collecting a large salary or a chauffeured car, especially when many Americans were still reeling from the Great Depression (another reason why America was so concerned with collecting its debt from loans provided to Germany after WWI).

His daughter, Martha Dodd – a precocious 24 year old – found the “New Germany” romantic and exciting. Originally, she viewed the new Nazi Government as the beginning of Germany’s “re-birth” after WWI and along the way engaged in numerous affairs with diplomats and even the first head of the Gestapo, Rudolph Diels. At one point, she was even introduced directly to Hitler by “Putzi” Hanfstaengl, with the intent (unbeknownst to Martha) that if the American woman enchanted the German Chancellor, it might solidify relations with the U.S. Government.

Martha Dodd

As the book progresses – and as one can assume – as Hitler begins to tighten his grip around the German people, both Dodd and Martha become disenfranchised with the new Chancellor and begin to view his actions and motivations as more malicious than originally perceived when they arrived in 1933. There are also some interesting passages from when Dodd meets with Hitler personally, and the author’s details (gleaned from journals, biographies and first-person accounts) relating to each man’s perception of the other.

Unfortunately, many of Dodd’s warnings go ignored…and in many cases, his criticism of the Hitler regime garners him many enemies in the State Department who would like to see him removed. As I mentioned previously, in those initial years, the U.S. was more interested in the collection of Germany’s debt and not in agitating the new Chancellor’s government, especially since most American’s overwhelmingly favored a more isolationist view towards European politics and potential future conflicts.

History, In The Present Tense

Although a little dry at times, “In The Garden of Beasts” is an admirable and very interesting attempt at helping the reader to understand the environment, underlying political currents and culture surrounding Germany as Hitler rose to power. In that regard, I feel that Larson succeeded.

I would not deem it a “page turner” the same way that I did during my review of, “Unbroken,” but for those of you who also like to be placed “into” history – in order to fully understand it – I think that you will enjoy this book.

As I mentioned previously, there is no “happy ending” and no hero that swoops in to save the day at the last minute. Its intent was to give the reader the context and understanding of what it must have been like to be living in Germany during that time in the (then) present tense.

One of the most compelling sections of the book comes closer to the end, when it becomes abundantly clear that Hitler is attempting to consolidate his power during the, “Night of Long Knives.” This is before President Hindenburg dies (the one person in German who could legally check Hitler’s power and unseat him) and is an example of how hindsight is 20/20 and how easy it is to pass judgement with the advantage of hindsight…because, at the time, the event (as horrific as it was) garnered no public condemnation from the World at a point when Hitler’s government could have still been collapsed.

Beyond that, I also found the descriptions and anecdotes about the power struggle and personalities of some of histories greatest villains (i.e. Goebbels, Goring, Himmler etc), to be especially enlightening, revealing them to be nothing more than ego-driven, petty tyrants.

I recommend this book to fellow history buffs, but perhaps not to those with a passing interest in WWII. It is a very detailed account of the Dodd’s experience in Berlin, and I feel it would be appreciated most by those who already have an interest in the subject matter as a whole.

Note: Tom Hanks is in the process of developing, “In The Garden of Beasts” for Universal.

- Dana

Check out past book reviews in the Buk Lernin section.

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The Kindle Fire by Amazon

As many of you know, I have been planning to do a comprehensive video review of the new Kindle Fire from Amazon.

I had pre-ordered the device within an hour of the announcement, written a First Impressions article prior to its release, in addition to an Initial Hands-on once it arrived at my doorstep on November 15th.

Now that I have had a couple of weeks to play with my new toy, I wanted to share my thoughts, impressions and rating for Amazon’s new 7″ tablet. What follows is a comprehensive 4-Part video series in which I take you on a full tour of the device, discussing all of its features, specs and performance.

Additionally, I have upgraded this review to also include a full tutorial and walkthrough of the Kindle Fire…therefore the videos have been broken up into 4 parts that will cover:

• Part 1: Introduction to the Kindle Fire, a tour of the hardware and specs, in addition to a hands-on with the device.
• Part 2: Settings, newsstand, magazines, books and the Kindle Store, comics and graphic novels.
• Part 3: Music, streaming, the Amazon Cloud Player, Whispersync, videos, Hulu+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Videos, Prime membership and docs.
• Part 4: Apps, the Silk Browser and web surfing, email, memory management and my final thoughts, opinion and rating.

My hope is that this review & tutorial will be helpful to both current Kindle Fire owners, in addition to those who are interested in purchasing the device. I tried to cover as many bases as I could, so that useful information can be found for those who are new to the tablet market, as well as those who are “tech-heads” like myself. :)

You can also view the videos by visiting the Stimulated Boredom YouTube Channel.

So, without further ado, enjoy the review!

*For the best viewing experience, please be sure to select 720p HD viewing

Part 1: Introduction, Hardware Tour | Specs & Hands-on

Part 2: Settings, Newsstand, Magazines, Books, Comics & Graphic Novels

Part 3: Music, Amazon Cloud Player, Videos & Docs

Part 4: Apps, Silk Browser, Email, Final Thoughts, Opinion & Rating

If you have any questions about anything not covered in the video, or would like more specificity about a particular feature, please feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me directly at: dana@stimulatedboredom.com

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‘Tis the Season :)

In this video, I explain the physics behind Santa’s ability to deliver presents around the world in one night. So, gather the kids around as Uncle Dana tells you a story!

*Audio pulled from the 12/14/08 Stimulated Boredom show entitled, “She Bang, She Bang”

- Dana

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Crowds surge to take advantage of Black Friday deals

J.D. Luedi is a listener from Canada and contributing writer for Stimulatedboredom.com. Images and minor edits by Dana.

Once again we find ourselves in the midst of another frenzied shopping season. Black Friday saw hordes of Americans cram into various retail outlets and malls in order to be the first person with the most stuff at the cheapest price and in the shortest time possible. Crowds trampled an elderly man who was having health issues, several people were shot, and a woman in LA pepper-sprayed twenty people (children included), in order to get a new Xbox 360. The manner in which consumerism has come to epitomize the ‘American Dream’ is a distinctly modern phenomenon. In this piece I am going to explore how the spectre of consumer culture came to prominence in America. From its beginnings as war-time propaganda to the emotional cues in advertising, the art of ‘public relations’ has drastically shaped contemporary socio-economic and political relations.

A hundred years ago, the idea of a ‘consumer’ did not exist. Individuals were described by both the powers that be, and themselves as workers, producers, owners, renters…and most importantly as citizens. During the first half of the 20th century, these and indeed all other modifiers became subordinate to that of ‘consumer’. This change was brought about in part to turbulence of history, social upheavals, paradigmatic shifts etc. Yet all these factors were merely tools and opportunities for one man; Edward Bernays – the man who single-handedly engineered this new order – and who everyone seems to have forgotten.

One of the leading influences in the first half of the 20th century, was Sigmund Freud, who as part of his creation of psycho-analysis posited the existence of innate urges and forces within the human psyche. Freud believed these impulses, although part of the unconscious mind, influenced our behaviour and operated independently of reason. Following the outbreak of WWI, Freud became increasingly pessimistic concerning human nature, viewing the horrors of the war as evidence that these forces had been unshackled.

During this time, Freud’s American nephew, Edward Bernays was working in New York as a press agent. When America joined the Allied war effort in 1917, Bernays was hired by the newly created Committee on Public Information, to promote America’s war aims and efforts in the press. Bernays was highly skilled at promoting Woodrow Wilson’s ideals of democracy and self-determination, so much so that Bernays accompanied the President to the Paris Peace Accords in 1919. Bernay’s efforts helped create the image of Wilson as a liberator, with European crowds feting the President. “Make the world safe for democracy”, that was the slogan according to Bernays, who began to wonder whether similar methods at mass suggestion could be applied during peacetime.

Edward Bernays

Due to the negative connotation surrounding ‘propaganda’, Bernays simply created the Council on Public Relations – and the PR industry was born. Bernays set up the first public relations office in New York, and began to read his uncle’s works. Bernays became convinced of the validity of Freud’s thinking, and indeed was the main driving force behind the widespread publication and mainstream acceptance of Freud’s works in America. Bernays realized that one needed to play to people’s unconscious forces, and that traditional marketing methods were insufficient. One of Bernays’ first clients was George Hill, the president of the American Tobacco Corporation. Hill wanted Bernays to find a way to get women to smoke, since social taboos existed at the time discouraging women from doing so.

Bernays consulted A.A. Brill, a psychoanalyst who determined that cigarettes were linked to male dominance, and represented a symbolic penis. If Bernays could associate cigarettes with challenging male power, he could get women to smoke (for then they would have their own penises). Bernays convinced a group of rich debutantes to all light up in public during the New York Thanksgiving Parade. Bernays had also tipped off the press, by claiming that a bunch of radical suffragettes were going to smoke in public. This caused a sensation and the press was on hand to capture the scene and trumpet it around the country. Bernays coined the term ‘torches of freedom’ to describe the cigarettes, linking them with the sufferance movement’s aim of equality. This in turn linked smoking with female strength and independence, and tobacco sales to women exploded during the 1920s.

Bernays realized that the way to sell products was not to appeal to reason (as many advertisements only emphasized a products utility, durability and cost), rather one ought to sell them at an irrational, emotional and personal level. With the emergence of mass production in America, US corporations began to fear the issue of overproduction. Corporations realized that they needed Americans to shift from a needs based, practical view of products to an emotional, desire based conceptualization:

“We must shift America from a needs to a desires culture, people must be trained to desire, to want new things even before the old has been entirely consumed…we must shape a new mentality in America, Man’s desires must overshadow his needs” – Paul Mazer (Lehman Brothers) 1930.

Prior to such thinking there was no ‘American consumer’. During the 1920s, American banks helped fund chains of department stores across the country, as outlets for these new mass-produced goods. Bernays created many of the now common place advertising tools, such as organized fashion shows in department stores. Bernays worked together with William Randolph Hearst, owner of Cosmopolitan and many other magazines/newspapers, to cross-promote various products of Bernays’ other clients. Bernays also developed the idea of celebrity endorsements, linking products to beauty, wealth and glamour of the stars such as Clara Bow. Bernays also paid celebrities to wear and use the products of his customers, and he also invented the process of product placement in films. Rather dubiously Bernays also commissioned psychologists to issue reports claiming certain products were good for you, and then claimed that these to be independent studies.

It was Bernays who convinced the American public and government that:
- Water fluoridation was healthy & beneficial by working with the American Aluminium Company, and Dental Association
- Bacon and eggs was the true all-American breakfast option
- That cars could be sold as sex / status symbols
- Ballet was fun to watch – following Diaghilev’s 1915 Ballet tour
- That only disposable cups were sanitary – in cooperation with the Dixie Cup campaign
- That everyone should own stocks – helping fuel the stock market boom in the 1920s
- To use hairnets at work
- That Ivory soap was medically superior, and that soap in general was an accessory / beautification item

"Hey big boy...everyone knows that it's the car you drive that makes you sexy...not to mention the beer you drink"

Bernays’ talents were sought by both businessmen and politicians, who having read Freud, worried about the potential negative externalities which might arise in the age of mass democracy due to these irrational forces. Bernays claimed to have the answer by stating that one simply needs to excite the emotions of the masses and then sate them with consumer goods, thus making them docile and society peaceful. Bernay’s called this the ‘engineering of consent’ – “the very essence of the democratic process, the freedom to persuade and suggest.” Bernays helped President Coolidge public image by having him sit down with famous celebrities for a pancake breakfast. Bernays also worked with Herbert Hoover, who in 1928 proclaimed that consumerism was the paramount aspect of American life, and that it had turned Americans into “constantly moving happiness machines”. An anonymous lament from a New York reporter in the same year also states that “a change has come over our democracy, and it is called ‘consumptionism’, the American citizen’s first importance to his country is now no longer that of citizen, but that of consumer.”

Following the election of Franklin Roosevelt, and the implementation of his New Deal, Bernays worked with American industry and corporations to counter Roosevelt’s notion that government could change society for the better. Industrialists rallied against Roosevelt for his heavy handed economic policies and commissioned Bernays to help promote the narrative of private business vs. government. To this aim, Bernays founded the National Association of Manufacturers, which set out to show that it was industry not government that was responsible for national recovery and the health of the nation. Bernays was also the central adviser to the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York, and it was he who insisted that the central theme be the link between American business and democracy.

Following WWII, Bernays sought to use his techniques of mass manipulation to play on the fears of the American public, and use those emotions to help win the Cold War. Instead of advocating to allay the fears of the public, Bernays suggested that these fears be stoked and managed in order to use them as a weapon against communism. This all came to a head during the early 1950s, following the rise to power of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman in Guatemala. During this time the United Fruit Company exerted massive control over the government and politics of many Central American nations. In 1953 Arbenz sought to nationalize United Fruit land holdings in order to distribute it to the poor. Arbenz was a democratically elected democratic socialist with no ties to Moscow, however Bernays working for United Fruit re-branded him as a dangerous communist sympathizer.

Arbenz was vilified by Bernay’s efforts to incite the American public’s emotions, by claiming that Guatemala was becoming a Soviet staging ground from which to attack America. Bernays created a fake independent new agency, called the Middle American Information Bureau, which flooded the American media with anti-Arbenz propaganda. Bernays also flew journalists to Guatemala and had them interview handpicked ‘locals’ about the communist scourge in Guatemala. During the time these American journalists were in the country, there was a massive anti-American demonstration, which many at United Fruit were convinced that Bernays had also organized. President Eisenhower eventually authorized a secret CIA operation to train a rebel army and stage a coup, overthrowing Arbenz and instituting a puppet government.

J.D. Luedi is a listener from Canada and contributing writer for Stimulatedboredom.com.