How has culture changed in your lifetime?

I’m seeing an unintentional theme in several things I’ve read and heard over the last few days: change.  We all manage it differently, and we certainly all have memories of various changes.

When I was a child, when someone was humiliated (whether intentionally, or by mission of action), that event would eventually fade from memory.  Today, smartphones, social media, and 24/7 access to the worldwide web change all this.  When I came home from school, I felt safe from anyone I perceived as a bully.  Today, they have the ability almost reach through the computer monitor and torment their targets at any time of day.

When I was growing up, Motley Crue, Slayer, Venom, W.A.S.P.,  and Celtic Frost were considered by many to be the devil’s music.  Today, bands like Belphegor, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Dark Funeral, Vital Remains, and Sinister consider themselves to be the instruments of Satan (figuratively, 90% of the time, but, still – big difference).

I remember the Cosby Show as groundbreaking – showing an upscale African-American family on primetime television was, at the time, a big deal.  Today, we have an African-American president.  I honestly did not believe I would live to see that (although I often hoped that I would).  Although racism is alive and more well than I would like today, we’re further along than before.

I recall a 60 Minutes expose’ on Dungeons & Dragons in the early 1980’s – this was the scourge that would tear America’s children apart.  Today, those young RPG players are now passing their storytelling craft and imagination onto their kids (some people find D&D very sexy, apparently).

There are but a few examples.  Our society has been through quite a bit in my lifetime, and I know we have a lot of room to grow.  For better or for worse, what have you seen, and what would you like to see?

ROTLA 6 – Podcasting (6/9/2013)

This is a special edition of Reviewers of the Lost Art, where Jimmy TR takes on Graham the Reanimator (Left of the Dial, Geek Thoughts), along with BenFromCanada (Geek Thoughts) to discuss the ins and outs of podcasting (reread this description after listening to the podcast for a cheap laugh).

TV(tehe) Bravest Warriors: Season 1

Samantha Maybe is back again to watch cartoons and entertain you with her whimsy. In this episode she watches Bravest Warriors Season 1 in its entirety.

Bravest Warriors is a production of Cartoon Hangover and is created by Pendleton Ward

The music featured in this episode is from Adventure Time

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Thanks for watching! You’re Awesome.

Adventure Time with Graham, Sam, and Jenny, Episode 1, part 2

In Part 2 of episode one Graham, Sam, and Jenny discuss the origins of Princess Bubblegum, the evilness of Peppermint Butler, Finn’s potential Oedipal complex and So Much More! You won’t regret it.

Adventure Time with Graham, Sam, and Jenny (pt 1)

In the first ever installment of our Adventure Time podcasts, we discuss the Great Mushroom War and some of the important episodes offering clues about the truth behind Ooo and some of the shows major characters. Email us with suggestions for future podcasts at leftofthedial@thatruled.com, or head over to our page on the TR forums. Hope to hear from you soon and thanks for listening. You’re awesome.

Where the actual $!@&% has (either) Jimmy been?

In a word:busy.

Life’s been rough around these parts lately, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting much, much brighter.  “A couple weeks off” turned into “two months of making sure that there would still be a That Ruled”.  Basically, I needed to take the time to make some money to keep things running around these parts.  For a while, it seemed very possible that both my place to live and the very infrastructure of That Ruled was in danger.

More good news: there are a bunch of podcasts that have been recorded, if not edited, that I can release in the coming weeks.

Jimmy TR and Jimmy D will also be seen in the relatively near future, at the very least, on Versus and KTHXDIE, respectively.

I am even going to put together some sort of a schedule (yeah, I know – crazy talk), so that you know what’s coming when.  Look for that in about a week or so (I have a new day job to become accustomed to).

I want to say thanks to all my TR Producers for flying the flag as best they could while I was gone.  Your efforts did not go unnoticed, and I simply cannot thank you enough... but I’ll try.

Special Thanks to TR’s new team members: Ben From Canada and Re-Animator Graham for infusing us with some much-needed new blood and variety.

Extra Special Thanks to SkeleTroy and NNTV for just plain pushing.  Without you gents, This may well be a very different writing.  Thank you.

Super Extra Special Thanks to anyone reading this.  You’re the reason that this community exists.  Thank you.

Great things are afoot, folks.  Thanks for sticking with us.

Jimmy TR

That Ruled Episode 8 – Godzilla & Gojira

Jimmy TR finally tackles a film that is almost literally spiritual to him – Gojira (1954), and its American adaptation, Godzilla (1956), as part of the TGWTG Godzilla Crossover Project (http://x.co/ZillaViews).  This is NOT a typical JTR review, so, please be open on this one.  As always, thank you for watching, and thank you for a great 2012!

Jimmy TR Versus CyniCritic Ep 1: Howard the Duck

Jimmy attempts to enact revenge on the Cynic for making him watch Spy Kids 3, but something sinister is afoot…
BLOOPERS FOR THIS EPISODE CAN BE FOUND HERE.

Comic Review Show!: Saga Chapter 7

Samantha Maybe discusses Chapter 7 of Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, enjoy!

Saga belongs to Image

Theme song by AlanahSees

Music used in this episode includes:
Laffy Taffies – Wreck it Ralph
Kodamas – Princess Mononoke Soundtrack
Sadness! Abenobashi Shopping Arcade – Magical Shoppping Arcade Abenobashi OST
One Minute to Win it – Wreck it Ralph
Kardusen – PG.lost
TARDIS – Doctor Who: Series 5

follow me on twitter @SamanthaMaybe

head over to my channel at www.samanthamaybe.com and check out even more awesome stuff at www.thatruled.com

Thanks for watching!!!

Philosophy at Odd Hours: On Guild Wars 2 and Codes of Conduct

Philosophy at Odd Hours

(Where SamanthaMaybe and AlanahSees talk about all the things)

NOTE: Sam’s laptop is named Gigi. Alanah’s laptop is named Caesar Augustus aka Oggy. Also, they have a friend named Mike.

Continue reading

Spy Kids 3 Commentary

Jimmy & Cynic comment on the process of making the Spy Kids 3 review, and allude to future collaborations.

That Ruled Episode 7 – Bloodsport

Jimmy tackles one of his favorite martial arts films, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s debut, Bloodsport.  Lao Che never had it so good.  This episode also marks the official debut of the new That Ruled theme song, written by Sam Bean of The Senseless!

BLOOPERS FOR THIS EPISODE ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

Reviewers Of The Lost Art 1: Getting Started With A New Show (11/09/2012)

Jimmy TR, NNTV, Thomas Fyrehart, & Samantha Maybe discuss the trials and tribulations of starting your own web series. In a fitting twist of fate, the video from the call was completely useless, and over half the audio was garbled beyond recognition.  So, the next day, we pushed forward to bring you this new show, albeit audio only.

We present to you our testament to being an online entertainment producer: When life hands you lemons, make a podcast.