St. Dickolas
It's the holiday season and that means one thing: shopping. Everyone and their mother is out at the mall or retail store. This also means that normally wide open parking lots are full to the ends of the aisles; and with full aisles comes cars creeping along looking for an open spot or someone about to pull out.
So with all these cars creeping along looking for spaces, you get the occasional car stalker. By this I mean there is that car that slowly follows you as you walk down the aisle to your car, finally putting on the flashers when you reach the car, waiting to take your space. For me, I detest these people. I don't know what it is. Laziness? Stalking? I don't know, but I do have a fun and easy way to deal with it. I simply walk down the wrong aisle to the approximate depth of my car, then cross over between rows to where my car is. The stalking cars will follow slow behind you, then as they see you cross over, will usually stop for a brief second, look around a bit, then peel off and try to find another spot. I find this highly amusing, despite it's contradiction in embodying the spirit of the season. Screw it, I say. The holidays are so full of unwarranted pressure and stress, that little things that can make you laugh are welcomed.
Just thought I'd share this little tip. But don't do this if you've parked near the end of the aisle and the stalker car can just whip around the corner and brandish the full parking lot rage.
On a side note, I have added a 'reactions' bar at the bottom of these posts, where you can click and agree, disagree or just say 'who cares?'. I appreciate the feedback, if only to steer what I bitch about next.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wiikness
I was recently visiting my local electronic gaming store and I found myself amongst citizens other than the usual teenager/college kid/geek I was accustomed to seeing. Rather, those around me were all 40 and 50 year old professionals each with a piece of paper in hand. Ah, the lists! At that moment I recalled making one of those lists myself as a child each Christmas. These lists did not have a single article of clothing, a single book or even a movie. It was all video games (or video game accessories). Of course I would put the really expensive stuff on there, partly as a joke, but they were also there to make the other items more worthy of purchase. Yes, video games also taught strategerie. Anypoop, I found it amusing that now as an adult, I am noticing the continued practice of the video-game-Christmas.
What bothered me during this experience though was seeing how a good majority of these shoppers had absolutely no clue what they were purchasing other than the name written on the list. Honestly, I saw an 80 year old man buy "Left 4 Dead" and "World of Warcraft: Battle Chest". Now if these were movie titles, I doubt Mr. Oldman would have been buying them, but he seemed to have no reservations, even after seeing the mutilated hand on the cover of "Left 4 Dead". Others were asking questions to the sales clerk about different games and "whether they are fun" or "how many people can play this", etc. Would it kill you to take a minute and familiarize yourself with the item you are purchasing for your child, who will no doubt be spending at least 10 or 15 hours sitting zombified in front of it's illuminated display? Shit, I guess that's why they have the ESRB.
Now, I'm sure the kids who will be receiving these games have done their research or at least know why they want the game, so I can't pick a bone with title choice or system preference. However, the whole time I was in this store, the phone was ringing off the hook with people asking if the store had any remaining Nintendo Wiis. The store was sold out (much like every other store in North America), but customers were urged to check back in the morning for a possible new shipment. I have to give respect to the geniuses over at Nintendo, for they have realized one of the greatest cash cows of the past few years. Even with the economic downturn of late, video games; led by the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, are still selling strong. Combine a trusted name, family friendly software, a new control system that promotes 'active movement' (hilarious), a couple new-wave gimmicks, and a relatively low price point; and well, you have yourself a winner. The Wii is probably most popular for it's gimmick of the 'Wii Fit' which is essentially just a balance board and scale that you can stand on, control your system and see how fat you are. It, and the rest of the system, markets itself as an activity alternative and an interactive element that allows you to do more than just sit on the couch. I will say, that yes, this is a great idea in principle, but it is just like drinking a diet coke: you have less calories, but you are still drinking a sugary cola. With the Wii, you are still playing virtual tennis rather than going outside and playing actual tennis. But I'm sure it comforts all the parents out there that their little butterballs are at least moving more than just their eyes and thumbs.
As a further note, of all the people I know who have a Wii, I would say about 95% of them haven't even turned it on in the past month. It is a fad, a moderately expensive fad, and Nintendo is profiting nicely. Sure, the younger kids still play everyday, but like any fad, even that will wear off in time. Overall, I would just like to know how much these parents and giftgivers know about the products they are purchasing and what level of involvement their kids have with them. I often get the feeling that these games are merely babysitters and tranquilizers. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I would be responsible enough to fully interview the babysitter and at least try out the tranquilizer myself before leaving my kid alone with it. Video games are great, but like any media, there is still a level of responsibility to uphold.
I was recently visiting my local electronic gaming store and I found myself amongst citizens other than the usual teenager/college kid/geek I was accustomed to seeing. Rather, those around me were all 40 and 50 year old professionals each with a piece of paper in hand. Ah, the lists! At that moment I recalled making one of those lists myself as a child each Christmas. These lists did not have a single article of clothing, a single book or even a movie. It was all video games (or video game accessories). Of course I would put the really expensive stuff on there, partly as a joke, but they were also there to make the other items more worthy of purchase. Yes, video games also taught strategerie. Anypoop, I found it amusing that now as an adult, I am noticing the continued practice of the video-game-Christmas.
What bothered me during this experience though was seeing how a good majority of these shoppers had absolutely no clue what they were purchasing other than the name written on the list. Honestly, I saw an 80 year old man buy "Left 4 Dead" and "World of Warcraft: Battle Chest". Now if these were movie titles, I doubt Mr. Oldman would have been buying them, but he seemed to have no reservations, even after seeing the mutilated hand on the cover of "Left 4 Dead". Others were asking questions to the sales clerk about different games and "whether they are fun" or "how many people can play this", etc. Would it kill you to take a minute and familiarize yourself with the item you are purchasing for your child, who will no doubt be spending at least 10 or 15 hours sitting zombified in front of it's illuminated display? Shit, I guess that's why they have the ESRB.
Now, I'm sure the kids who will be receiving these games have done their research or at least know why they want the game, so I can't pick a bone with title choice or system preference. However, the whole time I was in this store, the phone was ringing off the hook with people asking if the store had any remaining Nintendo Wiis. The store was sold out (much like every other store in North America), but customers were urged to check back in the morning for a possible new shipment. I have to give respect to the geniuses over at Nintendo, for they have realized one of the greatest cash cows of the past few years. Even with the economic downturn of late, video games; led by the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, are still selling strong. Combine a trusted name, family friendly software, a new control system that promotes 'active movement' (hilarious), a couple new-wave gimmicks, and a relatively low price point; and well, you have yourself a winner. The Wii is probably most popular for it's gimmick of the 'Wii Fit' which is essentially just a balance board and scale that you can stand on, control your system and see how fat you are. It, and the rest of the system, markets itself as an activity alternative and an interactive element that allows you to do more than just sit on the couch. I will say, that yes, this is a great idea in principle, but it is just like drinking a diet coke: you have less calories, but you are still drinking a sugary cola. With the Wii, you are still playing virtual tennis rather than going outside and playing actual tennis. But I'm sure it comforts all the parents out there that their little butterballs are at least moving more than just their eyes and thumbs.
As a further note, of all the people I know who have a Wii, I would say about 95% of them haven't even turned it on in the past month. It is a fad, a moderately expensive fad, and Nintendo is profiting nicely. Sure, the younger kids still play everyday, but like any fad, even that will wear off in time. Overall, I would just like to know how much these parents and giftgivers know about the products they are purchasing and what level of involvement their kids have with them. I often get the feeling that these games are merely babysitters and tranquilizers. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I would be responsible enough to fully interview the babysitter and at least try out the tranquilizer myself before leaving my kid alone with it. Video games are great, but like any media, there is still a level of responsibility to uphold.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The Real Tragedies of Reality Television
I know I have posted before about the inane crap that is put forth on cable these days, but after another painful session of boob tubery, I must return to the topic. On the glorious day of gluttony that is known as Thanksgiving, I found myself just this side of comatose and frozenly staring into the tv set with some family. We happened upon a marathon of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta", which stayed on my screen due to the lack of me being able to put up any protest. So we watched, and I cringed, we watched some more, and I about shot myself in the face. I was not suprised at my reaction, but rather angered that this kind of drivel constitutes entertainment. Also, being 'reality' television, I was further angered by the fact that these characters are actually real people inhabiting the same real country I live in.
If you are not familiar with "The Real Housewives" series on Bravo, it basically follows 5 or 6 'housewives' in various localities that are known for their wealth and luxury. Surprisingly enough, Atlanta was chosen for this past season, but my guess is that it was to give a different perspective of luxury living than that of a blonde liposuctioned white trophy wife or a brunette liposuctioned Jewish trophy wife. The cast of 'Atlanta' were all black wives of current or ex-professional athletes, except one 'token' white chick. All of the wives were relatively interesting, but nothing I would write home about. Some are still with their husbands, some not, but all are retardedly wealthy and spend their free time shopping and gossiping. Ridiculous. But I suppose this alone wasn't enough fodder for 13 or however-many episodes, so they included the most braindead mannish looking waste of oxygen disguised as a white 'housewife'. This woman did not reveal (at least from what I saw) her 'sugar daddy' or 'big poppa' or whatever she called him because he didn't want to interfere. Whoever this guy is, he must know just how worthless this chick is because he doesn't want to be publicly associated with her. Cheers to him. Anyway, there were too many things to point out about this womanly abomination; between the fake singing and the bitching back and forth to warrant me elaborating any further. Take away this: if cancer took human form, this would be your model.
Anyfart, enough griping. My real issue is not with blonde retards or gold-digging feminists, but rather the people that decide this is entertainment and the viewers in the world who agree that this is entertaining. These women are poop and I could care less what they do with their lives. I am hoping that the main draw to engaging in these people's lives is to watch how shitty things are for them and to take pleasure in the fact that we are not them. I know conflict and tragedy are interesting viewing material, but I enjoy scripted television because I always am comforted by the fact that these horrible things are not really happening to real people. Instead, by watching these monstrosities, we become aware just how crappy the upper class can be and in turn, people as a whole. It taints the view of people in these positions. I know I got the impression that women like these with healthy bank accounts and huge houses are vapid, inconsiderate gossips who spend the day drinking wine, buying thongs and occasionally showing up at a charity function.
I know editing and production can extremely alter the reality of the situations, but you can't edit everything. What concerns me is that these women are acting this way on purpose. They know they are being filmed, they know it will be seen nationwide, yet they continue to put on the show. This just means they are ignorant to their own situation and how they come across to others. Perhaps this is the key to 'good' reality television, but I generally interpret ignorance with a negative connotation and would happily distance myself from any instance of it.
What results from all this is a facilitating of negative stereotypes for the middle-aged wealthy woman. Granted these woman may be exceptions and is why they were picked from the show in the first place, but there should be an understood responsibility of knowing what this type of show could promote. It bothers me to no end that horrible people get paid attention to in ways such as this. The people who make this show no doubt realize how miserable these people are, but it sells advertising and makes money, so it will go on. With so many worthwhile people out there, why not show them on national tv. We all know the reason why: happiness doesn't sell like tragedy does. It just sucks these people get paid to be garbage.
I know I have posted before about the inane crap that is put forth on cable these days, but after another painful session of boob tubery, I must return to the topic. On the glorious day of gluttony that is known as Thanksgiving, I found myself just this side of comatose and frozenly staring into the tv set with some family. We happened upon a marathon of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta", which stayed on my screen due to the lack of me being able to put up any protest. So we watched, and I cringed, we watched some more, and I about shot myself in the face. I was not suprised at my reaction, but rather angered that this kind of drivel constitutes entertainment. Also, being 'reality' television, I was further angered by the fact that these characters are actually real people inhabiting the same real country I live in.
If you are not familiar with "The Real Housewives" series on Bravo, it basically follows 5 or 6 'housewives' in various localities that are known for their wealth and luxury. Surprisingly enough, Atlanta was chosen for this past season, but my guess is that it was to give a different perspective of luxury living than that of a blonde liposuctioned white trophy wife or a brunette liposuctioned Jewish trophy wife. The cast of 'Atlanta' were all black wives of current or ex-professional athletes, except one 'token' white chick. All of the wives were relatively interesting, but nothing I would write home about. Some are still with their husbands, some not, but all are retardedly wealthy and spend their free time shopping and gossiping. Ridiculous. But I suppose this alone wasn't enough fodder for 13 or however-many episodes, so they included the most braindead mannish looking waste of oxygen disguised as a white 'housewife'. This woman did not reveal (at least from what I saw) her 'sugar daddy' or 'big poppa' or whatever she called him because he didn't want to interfere. Whoever this guy is, he must know just how worthless this chick is because he doesn't want to be publicly associated with her. Cheers to him. Anyway, there were too many things to point out about this womanly abomination; between the fake singing and the bitching back and forth to warrant me elaborating any further. Take away this: if cancer took human form, this would be your model.
Anyfart, enough griping. My real issue is not with blonde retards or gold-digging feminists, but rather the people that decide this is entertainment and the viewers in the world who agree that this is entertaining. These women are poop and I could care less what they do with their lives. I am hoping that the main draw to engaging in these people's lives is to watch how shitty things are for them and to take pleasure in the fact that we are not them. I know conflict and tragedy are interesting viewing material, but I enjoy scripted television because I always am comforted by the fact that these horrible things are not really happening to real people. Instead, by watching these monstrosities, we become aware just how crappy the upper class can be and in turn, people as a whole. It taints the view of people in these positions. I know I got the impression that women like these with healthy bank accounts and huge houses are vapid, inconsiderate gossips who spend the day drinking wine, buying thongs and occasionally showing up at a charity function.
I know editing and production can extremely alter the reality of the situations, but you can't edit everything. What concerns me is that these women are acting this way on purpose. They know they are being filmed, they know it will be seen nationwide, yet they continue to put on the show. This just means they are ignorant to their own situation and how they come across to others. Perhaps this is the key to 'good' reality television, but I generally interpret ignorance with a negative connotation and would happily distance myself from any instance of it.
What results from all this is a facilitating of negative stereotypes for the middle-aged wealthy woman. Granted these woman may be exceptions and is why they were picked from the show in the first place, but there should be an understood responsibility of knowing what this type of show could promote. It bothers me to no end that horrible people get paid attention to in ways such as this. The people who make this show no doubt realize how miserable these people are, but it sells advertising and makes money, so it will go on. With so many worthwhile people out there, why not show them on national tv. We all know the reason why: happiness doesn't sell like tragedy does. It just sucks these people get paid to be garbage.
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