Friday, December 03, 2004
Religion + Sex Ed = Disaster
RED FLAG!
Wow. The Religous Right in this country are at it again.
First, a disclaimer, there are two kinds of conservatives: 1) Religous Conservatives (bad) 2) Fiscal Conservatives (good). Strictly fiscal conservatives are exempt from my rath on this one.
I read an article on cnn.com about sex ed in public schools and abstinence programs. I was appauled at some of the reports.
Abstinence advocates will refute these claims by submitting that abstinence is the absolute best way to prevent disease and pregnancy, which of course it is. But abstinence isn't a realistic practice to teach in schools. Kids are having sex and messing around at younger and younger ages now. Some of these programs teach that condoms are not effective in preventing disease. Why don't you just tell the kids to go have unprotected sex, or why not teach the "pull out" method of preventing pregnancy? The article also says that these programs often "blur science and religion." These things piss me off so much. School are not here to teach morals and values. That is the job of the parents. Schools are there to inform. Give the kids the facts. Kids are smarter than churches or government give them credit for. If they give them the straight honest truth about sex, contraceptives, diseases, and contraction prevention, the kids will be able to make smarter decisions than if the schools say, "Don't have sex, condoms don't work anyway." Does anyone else see the absurdity in this? To me it seems like our country has two polar opposites when it comes to sex: the over-sexed and the under-sexed (I'm talking about individuals; I'm talking about schools of thought, ideologies). There are not many folks in the middle ground. The media promotes sex, the government condemns it, except Billy Clinton of course. When did sex become a bad thing? Schools just need to give the kids the facts. People who get pissed about schools teaching about safe sex need to re-direct their focus to families if they want to make a difference. They are barking up the wrong tree going through schools. Where do you think most kids really learn about sex? In school, from their friends and classmates. What do people think kids do during the peel off after the group hang? Go to a petting zoo or do some heavy petting? No matter how hard they try, these people cannot deny sex; sex is going to happen. They need to provide kids with the knowledge to go about it safely and responsibly.
Until The Next Time.
Wow. The Religous Right in this country are at it again.
First, a disclaimer, there are two kinds of conservatives: 1) Religous Conservatives (bad) 2) Fiscal Conservatives (good). Strictly fiscal conservatives are exempt from my rath on this one.
I read an article on cnn.com about sex ed in public schools and abstinence programs. I was appauled at some of the reports.
Abstinence advocates will refute these claims by submitting that abstinence is the absolute best way to prevent disease and pregnancy, which of course it is. But abstinence isn't a realistic practice to teach in schools. Kids are having sex and messing around at younger and younger ages now. Some of these programs teach that condoms are not effective in preventing disease. Why don't you just tell the kids to go have unprotected sex, or why not teach the "pull out" method of preventing pregnancy? The article also says that these programs often "blur science and religion." These things piss me off so much. School are not here to teach morals and values. That is the job of the parents. Schools are there to inform. Give the kids the facts. Kids are smarter than churches or government give them credit for. If they give them the straight honest truth about sex, contraceptives, diseases, and contraction prevention, the kids will be able to make smarter decisions than if the schools say, "Don't have sex, condoms don't work anyway." Does anyone else see the absurdity in this? To me it seems like our country has two polar opposites when it comes to sex: the over-sexed and the under-sexed (I'm talking about individuals; I'm talking about schools of thought, ideologies). There are not many folks in the middle ground. The media promotes sex, the government condemns it, except Billy Clinton of course. When did sex become a bad thing? Schools just need to give the kids the facts. People who get pissed about schools teaching about safe sex need to re-direct their focus to families if they want to make a difference. They are barking up the wrong tree going through schools. Where do you think most kids really learn about sex? In school, from their friends and classmates. What do people think kids do during the peel off after the group hang? Go to a petting zoo or do some heavy petting? No matter how hard they try, these people cannot deny sex; sex is going to happen. They need to provide kids with the knowledge to go about it safely and responsibly.
Until The Next Time.
Nearly A Return to Glory
Thursday Night TV Report:
The OC
This episode had the best of what The OC has to offer and the absolute worst it has to offer. I loved it and I hated it.
The beginning was excellent, the stuff that makes the show fun to watch. By the way, how many episodes start in the pool house? A lot.
New Character Thoughts: Lindsay - Aside from her first name, she has a definite Lohan thing going on, which is good and bad. Also like Lohan, but not like a lot of people, she has a good side and bad side. Some angles make her a bombshell, some make her a dud. She is a lot like Anna from last season, she has Anna-type lines, except she's 10 times bitchier and less cool.
Ryan did something during the episode that does not happen nearly enough on TV. When he met Alex, the hot chick with female-Kramer hair thing who works at The Baitshop, he did a truly honest looking double take as she walked by. This never happens in TV, probably because the actors aren't just first meeting while shooting, so they already know what to expect. But Ryan played it perfectly, as if he had never seen her before. Little things, kids, it's the little things.
By the way, Ben McKenzie is getting much, much better at acting.
Seth Coen line of the show: (while talking to Alex, trying to get her to do the "group hang" with the "peel off" - more on that later) "Ryan's very anti-establishment..." Great stuff.
Other lines of note:
Julie Cooper: "I was trying to Google myself and I crashed the entire network."
Zach: "Okay, I'm going to go jump off the pier." It wasn't just the line though, it was the tone he used to say it. Funny.
Seth: "She was my shorty last year but then she got served."
Other Episode Related Thoughts:
First of all, thanks to them for reading my last OC blog entry and ending this episode with happy characters.
Second, the group and hang and peel off thing. That's what is cool about The OC, it takes things from real life like that, that aren't often verbalized or acknowledged, but things that everyone knows exists.
Third, we are now at the point where a "How will they write Marissa off the show?" conversation started in the 213 last night. She has nothing to offer to the show anymore. She came storming in last season with a burst, but now she's just burned out. And, Misha Barton is an atrocious actress, painful to watch. And this her and DJ thing? Just time filler. He sucks at acting as well. HOW ABOUT THEIR KISS AT THE END??? Worst kiss in TV history, close the books. It will never be topped. I often speak hyperbolic about things, but this is on the money. That was fucking horrible. Not believable at all. He was kissing her right corner of her mouth, her closed mouth, not moving lips. How do the show's producers allow this to happen? I need the inside story on that kiss. Wow. Talk about a boner killer.
Ideas to write her off? I think a suicide, or any kind of death would be too drastic for The OC and would kill a lot of the show. I think maybe Julie shipping her off to some boarding school, or Jimmy getting a great job somewhere and her moving with him, or maybe jail or something. She's either gotta change or has to leave.
Two things I'm excited about:
1) Seth with a special lady friend again. Should be comedic.
2) The Sandy Coen/Caleb Nichol thing, the mystery about what he's doing. And it's not an affair. I think he may have another daughter he never told anybody about and that is who this women is.
Last Note: How long is Kirsten going to let Julie call her KiKi?
Until Later.
The OC
This episode had the best of what The OC has to offer and the absolute worst it has to offer. I loved it and I hated it.
The beginning was excellent, the stuff that makes the show fun to watch. By the way, how many episodes start in the pool house? A lot.
New Character Thoughts: Lindsay - Aside from her first name, she has a definite Lohan thing going on, which is good and bad. Also like Lohan, but not like a lot of people, she has a good side and bad side. Some angles make her a bombshell, some make her a dud. She is a lot like Anna from last season, she has Anna-type lines, except she's 10 times bitchier and less cool.
Ryan did something during the episode that does not happen nearly enough on TV. When he met Alex, the hot chick with female-Kramer hair thing who works at The Baitshop, he did a truly honest looking double take as she walked by. This never happens in TV, probably because the actors aren't just first meeting while shooting, so they already know what to expect. But Ryan played it perfectly, as if he had never seen her before. Little things, kids, it's the little things.
By the way, Ben McKenzie is getting much, much better at acting.
Seth Coen line of the show: (while talking to Alex, trying to get her to do the "group hang" with the "peel off" - more on that later) "Ryan's very anti-establishment..." Great stuff.
Other lines of note:
Julie Cooper: "I was trying to Google myself and I crashed the entire network."
Zach: "Okay, I'm going to go jump off the pier." It wasn't just the line though, it was the tone he used to say it. Funny.
Seth: "She was my shorty last year but then she got served."
Other Episode Related Thoughts:
First of all, thanks to them for reading my last OC blog entry and ending this episode with happy characters.
Second, the group and hang and peel off thing. That's what is cool about The OC, it takes things from real life like that, that aren't often verbalized or acknowledged, but things that everyone knows exists.
Third, we are now at the point where a "How will they write Marissa off the show?" conversation started in the 213 last night. She has nothing to offer to the show anymore. She came storming in last season with a burst, but now she's just burned out. And, Misha Barton is an atrocious actress, painful to watch. And this her and DJ thing? Just time filler. He sucks at acting as well. HOW ABOUT THEIR KISS AT THE END??? Worst kiss in TV history, close the books. It will never be topped. I often speak hyperbolic about things, but this is on the money. That was fucking horrible. Not believable at all. He was kissing her right corner of her mouth, her closed mouth, not moving lips. How do the show's producers allow this to happen? I need the inside story on that kiss. Wow. Talk about a boner killer.
Ideas to write her off? I think a suicide, or any kind of death would be too drastic for The OC and would kill a lot of the show. I think maybe Julie shipping her off to some boarding school, or Jimmy getting a great job somewhere and her moving with him, or maybe jail or something. She's either gotta change or has to leave.
Two things I'm excited about:
1) Seth with a special lady friend again. Should be comedic.
2) The Sandy Coen/Caleb Nichol thing, the mystery about what he's doing. And it's not an affair. I think he may have another daughter he never told anybody about and that is who this women is.
Last Note: How long is Kirsten going to let Julie call her KiKi?
Until Later.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
'Roids, Odd Observations, and The Return of Perverted Tom and TSLF
So much to talk about.
First, Ty Willingham being fired from Notre Dame is the final nail in the coffin that is already nearly barried that will elimate the Irish Stigma. They can no longer claim to be an exception to college football. They are just a run-of-the-mill mediocore football program now. They fired a guy with a winning record in the middle of his contract. Notre Dame doesn't fire people in the middle of their contracts. They played a tough as hell schedule this year too, I don't get it. Dumbest firing in a long time.
Second, Jason Giambi admitting to steriod use. Was anyone surprised? Does anyone care? This will be the subject of all ESPN broadcasts, except for the mandatory three hours of WSOP re-runs so we get to hear Norman Chad be an idiot, for the next 48 hours. We will hear nothing but Steroid talk. And does anyone care? Look what it did for him, a liver parasite and a tumor, look what it did for his brother, not even in the league anymore I don't think. Baseball needs to close the book on this now. Stop worrying about the past, you can't do anything about it anymore anyway, just start taking measures to prevent use in the future. Get progressive, get sensible. Don't give baseball a black eye.
Much to the dismay of The Geoff and Heed, Wisconsin beat the Terps of Maryland. Go Badgers. Maybe we're in for another great Badger season, hopefully John Stacco doesn't suit up and turn the ball over a whole bunch in the NCAA tourney.
Carmelo's friend really must want to mooch off of him for a long time, taking the rap for his little weed problem. I hope his friend isn't too dissapointed when 'Melo is 30 pounds overweight, the father of 5 kids with 5 different women, and a crack addict in 8-12 years. You heard it here first, the next Shawn Kemp.
Most of the time when people look from side to side, they just use their eyes, or they will turn their whole head. But I saw someone today doing a very creepy thing. He was turning his head slowly to the right, but as he was doing so, he was shifting his eyes to the left at a pace just a bit quicker than his head was moving at. It kind of weirded me out. Have your friend do this for you, it looks odd. Does anyone else notice stuff like this? For those of you who read this shit I write, do you ever notice how I ask a lot of questions like that and never get answers, yet I keep asking them over and over again.
So I'm on 3 hours of sleep over the last 28 hours. I do this to myself. Procrastination is my problem, or is it my method? I do my best work under the gun sometimes. I need to give myself false deadlines, finish something quickly, then come back and look at it a day later. That might be smart. But if that's ever gonna happen, I will need to hire somebody to hold a gun to my head while I finish the assignment a day early.
I have finally written an article for the paper that I would have no problem claiming. I haven't been pleased with anything I've written for it thus far, but this one I like. It's nothing special, but I think it's solid. I have another assignment now, the basketball game on Saturday, should be a good one, hopefully I can write something I appreciate having my name on.
I handed in a project this morning at 9:30 and then walked my ass right out of class. My intention was to study for my 12:30 test, which is in 1 hour and 5 minutes, but that hasn't quite happened yet. No worries.
I'm contemplating a hair cut today as well. If you think I should do this and would like to make a donation to the cut-my-hair fund, please get in touch with me.
Weekend Goal: No memory loss due to drinking.
Thursday Goal: Nap, TV, Drinks. Good Goals.
I have been awake before 7 am for four straight days. That, my friends, deserves the title of unprecedented.
The Twins signed Mike Redmond. Nobody cares.
I'm sure I will drink too much coffee today and not be able to take a nap later on. Then I will get pissed, come on this thing, and unleash some fury on some poor, undeserving subject matter.
Perverted Tom says he's coming out tonight. For this I am excited. I haven't seen Tom in 2 weeks. I think TSLF has him locked up in Apartment 112.
Time to chapter skim before the test.
I should probably take my college career more seriously.
Maybe not.
Until Later. It's Thursday, if you read this, you know what to expect.
First, Ty Willingham being fired from Notre Dame is the final nail in the coffin that is already nearly barried that will elimate the Irish Stigma. They can no longer claim to be an exception to college football. They are just a run-of-the-mill mediocore football program now. They fired a guy with a winning record in the middle of his contract. Notre Dame doesn't fire people in the middle of their contracts. They played a tough as hell schedule this year too, I don't get it. Dumbest firing in a long time.
Second, Jason Giambi admitting to steriod use. Was anyone surprised? Does anyone care? This will be the subject of all ESPN broadcasts, except for the mandatory three hours of WSOP re-runs so we get to hear Norman Chad be an idiot, for the next 48 hours. We will hear nothing but Steroid talk. And does anyone care? Look what it did for him, a liver parasite and a tumor, look what it did for his brother, not even in the league anymore I don't think. Baseball needs to close the book on this now. Stop worrying about the past, you can't do anything about it anymore anyway, just start taking measures to prevent use in the future. Get progressive, get sensible. Don't give baseball a black eye.
Much to the dismay of The Geoff and Heed, Wisconsin beat the Terps of Maryland. Go Badgers. Maybe we're in for another great Badger season, hopefully John Stacco doesn't suit up and turn the ball over a whole bunch in the NCAA tourney.
Carmelo's friend really must want to mooch off of him for a long time, taking the rap for his little weed problem. I hope his friend isn't too dissapointed when 'Melo is 30 pounds overweight, the father of 5 kids with 5 different women, and a crack addict in 8-12 years. You heard it here first, the next Shawn Kemp.
Most of the time when people look from side to side, they just use their eyes, or they will turn their whole head. But I saw someone today doing a very creepy thing. He was turning his head slowly to the right, but as he was doing so, he was shifting his eyes to the left at a pace just a bit quicker than his head was moving at. It kind of weirded me out. Have your friend do this for you, it looks odd. Does anyone else notice stuff like this? For those of you who read this shit I write, do you ever notice how I ask a lot of questions like that and never get answers, yet I keep asking them over and over again.
So I'm on 3 hours of sleep over the last 28 hours. I do this to myself. Procrastination is my problem, or is it my method? I do my best work under the gun sometimes. I need to give myself false deadlines, finish something quickly, then come back and look at it a day later. That might be smart. But if that's ever gonna happen, I will need to hire somebody to hold a gun to my head while I finish the assignment a day early.
I have finally written an article for the paper that I would have no problem claiming. I haven't been pleased with anything I've written for it thus far, but this one I like. It's nothing special, but I think it's solid. I have another assignment now, the basketball game on Saturday, should be a good one, hopefully I can write something I appreciate having my name on.
I handed in a project this morning at 9:30 and then walked my ass right out of class. My intention was to study for my 12:30 test, which is in 1 hour and 5 minutes, but that hasn't quite happened yet. No worries.
I'm contemplating a hair cut today as well. If you think I should do this and would like to make a donation to the cut-my-hair fund, please get in touch with me.
Weekend Goal: No memory loss due to drinking.
Thursday Goal: Nap, TV, Drinks. Good Goals.
I have been awake before 7 am for four straight days. That, my friends, deserves the title of unprecedented.
The Twins signed Mike Redmond. Nobody cares.
I'm sure I will drink too much coffee today and not be able to take a nap later on. Then I will get pissed, come on this thing, and unleash some fury on some poor, undeserving subject matter.
Perverted Tom says he's coming out tonight. For this I am excited. I haven't seen Tom in 2 weeks. I think TSLF has him locked up in Apartment 112.
Time to chapter skim before the test.
I should probably take my college career more seriously.
Maybe not.
Until Later. It's Thursday, if you read this, you know what to expect.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Turn Your Picture Box Off
I just read The Sports Guy's latest piece on his website. It was entirely about TV shows, in fact, it was his scorecard of all the TV he watched when he threw his back out. For all you TV junkies out there, you will love this article. If you don't want to read it, I'm going to put a few clips on here and discuss them.
The Real World
Sports Guy: "Now it's an out-and-out freak show. Of the three females, one is salty with everyone because she was abandoned by her parents; one spends most of her time arguing with her boyfriend on the camera phone; and one is a self-professed nymphomaniac. Good balance there. The guys aren't much better. For instance, three weeks ago, Landon (short guy from Wisconsin with a booze problem) went drinking with his ex-girlfriend -- the same ex who dumped him for his best friend. Certainly someone you'd want to remain friendly with. She also brought a dumpy friend with her who wobbled around with a blurcle covering her face, then puked red liquid all over someone's boat. Then they left and Landon cried on camera in the Confessional Room, clinching his status as the biggest loser in the history of the series. That was the whole show."
First of all, you have to appreciate how he equated Wisconsin with having a booze problem when he wrote about Landon. Second of all, he is exactly right. This is TV at its worst. This is such garbage. I hate it, and at the same time, I watch it. I have no moral fiber.
The Bachelor
Sports Guy: "Here's the biggest problem with "The Bachelor:" Everything leads to the final proposal, which always ends up being the most uncomfortable 20 minutes of the year for anyone who remotely values their manhood. Hence, no male viewer in his right mind would watch the final episode unless he was in traction with an unfeeling wife who refused to change the channel. If I'm stuck watching this crap to the end, at least give me a host cracking jokes like "Wow, Byron, congrats not only on the engagement, but on making a blubbering ass of yourself in front of 20 million people." Or,"Mary, congrats on falling in love on a contrived TV show twice in a 14-month span; you're clearly not insane at all."
Thanks to Bill Simmons for putting my thoughts into words. My sister subjected me to this crap for 40 minutes on Thanksgiving until I caved and went downstairs to play ping-pong with three kids ages 9 and under. Yeah, that's how bad it was. These people cannot be falling in love all the time and so quickly like this. For the women, this is about winning a competition, love does not even enter into it. For the Bachelors, this is about having power and having 25 women playing for your eye. What guy wouldn't want that? Of all the shit on TV, this is the absolulte most 100% dispicable manipulation of people and insult to viewers. If you watch this crap, please salvage your dignity and fuckin' knock it off. I haven't wrote the word "fuck" on here in a while, that felt good.
If there is anything you should take away from this article, it is the realization that you are allowing networks to feed you absolute shitty TV. It's fuckin' horrible. People need to stop watching whatever is on so networks will be forced to put out quality TV. You can't tell me you actually really enjoy and look forward to Blind Date or Pimp My Ride or any of that other bullshit that takes the creative mind of a third grader to put together. Stop watching it; demand better. If there is no demand, there will be no supply. Work with me, kids.
A TV Moment/Disaster of My Own:
We fellas at The 213 have a digital cable box problem for probably a month. Heed finally went to get a new one yesterday. When I hooked up, we found that we were receiving all the movie channels. This also happened the last time we had to get a new box. (By the way, can they not make a good box? And, can we have some better technology than the little screw things at the end of co-axle wires? Like just a plug or something, screwing those things is horrendous.) So we have the movie channels, and The Rizz is flipping through the channels when we come upon "Hotel Erotica" on Cinemax. Ah, yes, soft core porn, does it get any better while being so bad? So we have this business woman who has a male assistant who is her bitch pretty much, doing all her errands and such. BitchBoy meets the female assistant of a bussinesman who tells him that he needs to find out what she wants in order to break free from being The Bitch. Yes, I followed the plot line. So then, of course, Bitch Boy thinks he knows what to do. He goes to the room with some wine that Boss Lady wanted and when he enters the room, he finds her riding this Other Dude. This is soft core porn at its best. You have both pelvic regions moving in unison and in the same direction. Simple laws of physics will tell you that even if there is penetration, there is no actual movement creating friction. So this brings about the following comments from The Rizz, S-Mac, and myself, "He's gotta still be hard, doesn't he?" "Is it taped to his leg?" "How about the fake moans?" "She does have nice tits." There is no better situation for some really good jokes and loud laughs than having 3-4 guys in a room watching soft core porn. I know that sounds pretty homoerotic, but get over it. So anyway, back to the engrossing plot line, Bitch Boy is bummed, but fear not, Female Assistant is there to fuck him in the hot tub. I swear to the leader of atheists that you barely need to be alive to be a male actor in a soft core porno. Then the unthinkable happens: We lose the movie channels. The subscription notice pops up on screen. Just bad timing, we didn't even get to see how it ended. We didn't get the channels back either. Hotel Erotica was gone for good. Unreal, our house was pissed. Curse words. Bewilderment. Astonishment. Then I just watched some real porn on my computer.
And then on to more TV. Did anyone see or read Bravo's list of the 100 TV Characters of all-time?
First, I am sick of lists.
Second, this one sucked.
Third, here's why:
How were Sam and Diane the only people from Cheers on the list? No Norm? No Cliff? No Woody? No Coach? Absurd. That pretty much invalidates the entire list right there. No need to move on.
Speaking of Norm, played by George Wendt, was there any other more comedic and mismatched pair in any music video of all-time than George Wendt and Macaulay Culkin in Michael Jackson's Black and White video???
By the way, I suggest catching the Jamie Foxx episode of Inside the Actors Studio. When the hell are they going to put that out on DVD?
Enough.
Until Next Time.
The Real World
Sports Guy: "Now it's an out-and-out freak show. Of the three females, one is salty with everyone because she was abandoned by her parents; one spends most of her time arguing with her boyfriend on the camera phone; and one is a self-professed nymphomaniac. Good balance there. The guys aren't much better. For instance, three weeks ago, Landon (short guy from Wisconsin with a booze problem) went drinking with his ex-girlfriend -- the same ex who dumped him for his best friend. Certainly someone you'd want to remain friendly with. She also brought a dumpy friend with her who wobbled around with a blurcle covering her face, then puked red liquid all over someone's boat. Then they left and Landon cried on camera in the Confessional Room, clinching his status as the biggest loser in the history of the series. That was the whole show."
First of all, you have to appreciate how he equated Wisconsin with having a booze problem when he wrote about Landon. Second of all, he is exactly right. This is TV at its worst. This is such garbage. I hate it, and at the same time, I watch it. I have no moral fiber.
The Bachelor
Sports Guy: "Here's the biggest problem with "The Bachelor:" Everything leads to the final proposal, which always ends up being the most uncomfortable 20 minutes of the year for anyone who remotely values their manhood. Hence, no male viewer in his right mind would watch the final episode unless he was in traction with an unfeeling wife who refused to change the channel. If I'm stuck watching this crap to the end, at least give me a host cracking jokes like "Wow, Byron, congrats not only on the engagement, but on making a blubbering ass of yourself in front of 20 million people." Or,"Mary, congrats on falling in love on a contrived TV show twice in a 14-month span; you're clearly not insane at all."
Thanks to Bill Simmons for putting my thoughts into words. My sister subjected me to this crap for 40 minutes on Thanksgiving until I caved and went downstairs to play ping-pong with three kids ages 9 and under. Yeah, that's how bad it was. These people cannot be falling in love all the time and so quickly like this. For the women, this is about winning a competition, love does not even enter into it. For the Bachelors, this is about having power and having 25 women playing for your eye. What guy wouldn't want that? Of all the shit on TV, this is the absolulte most 100% dispicable manipulation of people and insult to viewers. If you watch this crap, please salvage your dignity and fuckin' knock it off. I haven't wrote the word "fuck" on here in a while, that felt good.
If there is anything you should take away from this article, it is the realization that you are allowing networks to feed you absolute shitty TV. It's fuckin' horrible. People need to stop watching whatever is on so networks will be forced to put out quality TV. You can't tell me you actually really enjoy and look forward to Blind Date or Pimp My Ride or any of that other bullshit that takes the creative mind of a third grader to put together. Stop watching it; demand better. If there is no demand, there will be no supply. Work with me, kids.
A TV Moment/Disaster of My Own:
We fellas at The 213 have a digital cable box problem for probably a month. Heed finally went to get a new one yesterday. When I hooked up, we found that we were receiving all the movie channels. This also happened the last time we had to get a new box. (By the way, can they not make a good box? And, can we have some better technology than the little screw things at the end of co-axle wires? Like just a plug or something, screwing those things is horrendous.) So we have the movie channels, and The Rizz is flipping through the channels when we come upon "Hotel Erotica" on Cinemax. Ah, yes, soft core porn, does it get any better while being so bad? So we have this business woman who has a male assistant who is her bitch pretty much, doing all her errands and such. BitchBoy meets the female assistant of a bussinesman who tells him that he needs to find out what she wants in order to break free from being The Bitch. Yes, I followed the plot line. So then, of course, Bitch Boy thinks he knows what to do. He goes to the room with some wine that Boss Lady wanted and when he enters the room, he finds her riding this Other Dude. This is soft core porn at its best. You have both pelvic regions moving in unison and in the same direction. Simple laws of physics will tell you that even if there is penetration, there is no actual movement creating friction. So this brings about the following comments from The Rizz, S-Mac, and myself, "He's gotta still be hard, doesn't he?" "Is it taped to his leg?" "How about the fake moans?" "She does have nice tits." There is no better situation for some really good jokes and loud laughs than having 3-4 guys in a room watching soft core porn. I know that sounds pretty homoerotic, but get over it. So anyway, back to the engrossing plot line, Bitch Boy is bummed, but fear not, Female Assistant is there to fuck him in the hot tub. I swear to the leader of atheists that you barely need to be alive to be a male actor in a soft core porno. Then the unthinkable happens: We lose the movie channels. The subscription notice pops up on screen. Just bad timing, we didn't even get to see how it ended. We didn't get the channels back either. Hotel Erotica was gone for good. Unreal, our house was pissed. Curse words. Bewilderment. Astonishment. Then I just watched some real porn on my computer.
And then on to more TV. Did anyone see or read Bravo's list of the 100 TV Characters of all-time?
First, I am sick of lists.
Second, this one sucked.
Third, here's why:
How were Sam and Diane the only people from Cheers on the list? No Norm? No Cliff? No Woody? No Coach? Absurd. That pretty much invalidates the entire list right there. No need to move on.
Speaking of Norm, played by George Wendt, was there any other more comedic and mismatched pair in any music video of all-time than George Wendt and Macaulay Culkin in Michael Jackson's Black and White video???
By the way, I suggest catching the Jamie Foxx episode of Inside the Actors Studio. When the hell are they going to put that out on DVD?
Enough.
Until Next Time.
To Mugs
I just went for a run and realized just how out of shape I am. Damnit. I've put on an extra winter coat a little early this season. I am making a vow right now that this morning was as out of shape as I will ever be in my life. Time to turn the page on that one, next chapter please.
I have many hours of studies to do today. I hope it goes well and doesn't take as long as I'm expecting it to, but who I am kidding, I will probably be surfing around the internet reading of bunch of shit when I should be in the process of completing my project, due Thursday.
A sad note:
A good friend of mine from high school's younger sister committed suicide on Friday. As an older brother with a sister in the same grade, I can't imagine what that's like. This guy and I talked a lot about a lot of things in high school. I haven't spoken to him much since, before Sunday, the last time I spoke to him was in June. But he and I built one of those friendships where no matter how long you are apart, it is easy to come back into just the way it was. There will always be that closeness and that trust there. His sister's funeral was at 11 today. Unfortunately, academics are keeping me from being there and I feel horrible about that. So, to my friend, remember the good but don't forget the bad. When someone dies it is important to remember that person for who they were because after a death, you will have many, many people coming to you and telling you all sorts of things about that person that may cloud your memories. Your memories can turn into descriptions and words, and that is sad. Keep them vivid and fresh. Hear her voice, see her face, feel her presence.
I have many hours of studies to do today. I hope it goes well and doesn't take as long as I'm expecting it to, but who I am kidding, I will probably be surfing around the internet reading of bunch of shit when I should be in the process of completing my project, due Thursday.
A sad note:
A good friend of mine from high school's younger sister committed suicide on Friday. As an older brother with a sister in the same grade, I can't imagine what that's like. This guy and I talked a lot about a lot of things in high school. I haven't spoken to him much since, before Sunday, the last time I spoke to him was in June. But he and I built one of those friendships where no matter how long you are apart, it is easy to come back into just the way it was. There will always be that closeness and that trust there. His sister's funeral was at 11 today. Unfortunately, academics are keeping me from being there and I feel horrible about that. So, to my friend, remember the good but don't forget the bad. When someone dies it is important to remember that person for who they were because after a death, you will have many, many people coming to you and telling you all sorts of things about that person that may cloud your memories. Your memories can turn into descriptions and words, and that is sad. Keep them vivid and fresh. Hear her voice, see her face, feel her presence.
Treat Me With Kid Gloves
There is an article on cnn.com today about poker and young people. It falls nowhere near short of ridiculous.
Let's break it down:
First, a quote from the article:
"It's fun. It's exciting. It's glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that other addictions are not," says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. "There's the impression that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is always going to have a bigger factor in determining the outcome than your skill."
For starters, we need to define the difference between poker and gambling. Gambling is laying 100 bucks down on red in roulette, or putting 5 bucks in a one-arm bandit and pulling the lever. Poker introduces other elements, such as skill and experience. In poker you are playing against other people, as opposed to hacking away the House, trying to bust impossible odds. Whyte says that randomness will override skill in determining success. He may be right, but only when considering the very short term. In the long term, there is absolutely, 100%, - Keanu Reeves will win an Oscar before I am wrong - no denying that skill will override the randomness of the cards you pull. There is a reason why people can play this game for a living, and it has nothing to do with luck. For seconders, glamorizing an addiciton? None of the pro players you see on the good poker shows are addicts, in respect to poker. Booze, drugs, and sex are glamorized far more in TV and the media. He makes it sound like people on the show are praising guys while they piddle away their last dollar playing craps and then well all laugh at him and wish we could be in his shoes.
Another:
Dave Smiley, principal at Elgin High School in suburban Chicago, began enforcing an old ban on card and dice games months ago: "We're like church -- you shouldn't be gambling in school," he says.
My commentary on this will have litle to do with poker. But you just read the princepal of a public high school say that his school is like a church. Where, oh where, to begin? Mr. Smiley, I would like to draw your attention to the Bill of Rights. How are you like a church? Would you care to elaborate and then have the book thrown at you. It is hard to believe that a public school admistrator made this comparison. Also, aren't people in church gambling with their faith all the time? They could be wrong. Either they are, or Jews are, or Buddhists are - somebody as to be wrong. I'm going to call this guy; we need to talk.
Sorry, but Mr. Smiley was unavailable. Maybe I will try later. If you would like to speak to him, the number at Elgin High School is (847) 888-5100.
Then, and this is my favorite part, they wait until the end to drop the bomb on you:
He (Dan Romer, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania) oversaw the 2003 Annenberg National Risk Survey of Youth, which found that about 8 percent of the young people surveyed showed signs of having a gambling problem.
8% of kids surveyed in a study showed signs of a gambling problem!!!
Wow.
I will give you a minute to collect yourself.
We need to examine the semantics of this man's statement: "showed signs of" does not mean "clearly has an addiction." Also, the decision to use "problem" instead of "addiction" is interesting. And, I will bet every penny I have (funny, huh) that the percentages for kids showing signs of alcoholism and drug addiction are significantly higher, if for the only reason that the number of kids participating in booze and drug use is going to be higher than that of kids participating in gambling/poker activities.
Some people are so concerned with protecting "America's Youth" that it makes me almost as sick as people who misinterpret the nature of poker and skew the line between church and state. Yes, I vomited after reading this article. Maybe we should just place all people under the age of 21 in a bunker beneath the Earth so they won't have to experience the hardships of this world.
Until The Next Time.
Let's break it down:
First, a quote from the article:
"It's fun. It's exciting. It's glamorized on TV and in the media in a way that other addictions are not," says Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. "There's the impression that through skill you can beat the odds. But randomness is always going to have a bigger factor in determining the outcome than your skill."
For starters, we need to define the difference between poker and gambling. Gambling is laying 100 bucks down on red in roulette, or putting 5 bucks in a one-arm bandit and pulling the lever. Poker introduces other elements, such as skill and experience. In poker you are playing against other people, as opposed to hacking away the House, trying to bust impossible odds. Whyte says that randomness will override skill in determining success. He may be right, but only when considering the very short term. In the long term, there is absolutely, 100%, - Keanu Reeves will win an Oscar before I am wrong - no denying that skill will override the randomness of the cards you pull. There is a reason why people can play this game for a living, and it has nothing to do with luck. For seconders, glamorizing an addiciton? None of the pro players you see on the good poker shows are addicts, in respect to poker. Booze, drugs, and sex are glamorized far more in TV and the media. He makes it sound like people on the show are praising guys while they piddle away their last dollar playing craps and then well all laugh at him and wish we could be in his shoes.
Another:
Dave Smiley, principal at Elgin High School in suburban Chicago, began enforcing an old ban on card and dice games months ago: "We're like church -- you shouldn't be gambling in school," he says.
My commentary on this will have litle to do with poker. But you just read the princepal of a public high school say that his school is like a church. Where, oh where, to begin? Mr. Smiley, I would like to draw your attention to the Bill of Rights. How are you like a church? Would you care to elaborate and then have the book thrown at you. It is hard to believe that a public school admistrator made this comparison. Also, aren't people in church gambling with their faith all the time? They could be wrong. Either they are, or Jews are, or Buddhists are - somebody as to be wrong. I'm going to call this guy; we need to talk.
Sorry, but Mr. Smiley was unavailable. Maybe I will try later. If you would like to speak to him, the number at Elgin High School is (847) 888-5100.
Then, and this is my favorite part, they wait until the end to drop the bomb on you:
He (Dan Romer, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania) oversaw the 2003 Annenberg National Risk Survey of Youth, which found that about 8 percent of the young people surveyed showed signs of having a gambling problem.
8% of kids surveyed in a study showed signs of a gambling problem!!!
Wow.
I will give you a minute to collect yourself.
We need to examine the semantics of this man's statement: "showed signs of" does not mean "clearly has an addiction." Also, the decision to use "problem" instead of "addiction" is interesting. And, I will bet every penny I have (funny, huh) that the percentages for kids showing signs of alcoholism and drug addiction are significantly higher, if for the only reason that the number of kids participating in booze and drug use is going to be higher than that of kids participating in gambling/poker activities.
Some people are so concerned with protecting "America's Youth" that it makes me almost as sick as people who misinterpret the nature of poker and skew the line between church and state. Yes, I vomited after reading this article. Maybe we should just place all people under the age of 21 in a bunker beneath the Earth so they won't have to experience the hardships of this world.
Until The Next Time.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Brief Thoughts
I saw a hot girl wearing a Korn hat today. I was more than dissapointed.
Do we really need to discuss Favre's consecutive games played streak every single week?
So I saw my ex-girlfriend and her father, who walked in on us fooling around once, at the grocery store the other day. I did my best to evacuate the area.
Michael Moore is a communist.
I love seeing people I haven't seen in 2-3 years.
I am more afraid of Glen Danzig than I am of any other 5' 5" man in the world.
Gene Hackman is an overrated actor.
Punk rock is under-listened to and over-exposed. Figure that out.
Without Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez, would anyone know who is Ben Affleck is?
America being dumbed-down everyday. Don't help it.
VH1 needs to bring pop-up video back.
Who will be in rehab first, Britney Spears or JoJo?
Is there a more undatable person in the world than Courtney Love?
Do you ever notice that often times in movies crying ends in laughter or smiles?
When will this sequel and re-make phase of Hollywood pass?
Ethan Coen turned 50 today. He is a genius.
Everyday the world as we know it ends and a new one starts in the morning.
Bleeter Bloop.
Until Tomorrow.
Do we really need to discuss Favre's consecutive games played streak every single week?
So I saw my ex-girlfriend and her father, who walked in on us fooling around once, at the grocery store the other day. I did my best to evacuate the area.
Michael Moore is a communist.
I love seeing people I haven't seen in 2-3 years.
I am more afraid of Glen Danzig than I am of any other 5' 5" man in the world.
Gene Hackman is an overrated actor.
Punk rock is under-listened to and over-exposed. Figure that out.
Without Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez, would anyone know who is Ben Affleck is?
America being dumbed-down everyday. Don't help it.
VH1 needs to bring pop-up video back.
Who will be in rehab first, Britney Spears or JoJo?
Is there a more undatable person in the world than Courtney Love?
Do you ever notice that often times in movies crying ends in laughter or smiles?
When will this sequel and re-make phase of Hollywood pass?
Ethan Coen turned 50 today. He is a genius.
Everyday the world as we know it ends and a new one starts in the morning.
Bleeter Bloop.
Until Tomorrow.
The Reason for the Season
I've been a blog neglecter for six days, but now I am back with some shit to spew at you from my head via my fingers.
On Thanksgiving, it is traditional to give thanks for things in your life that you appreciate. But who do you give the thanks to? If you are giving thanks for your family, then naturally the thanks goes to them. But what if you are giving thanks for being in good health? I guess you could give the thanks to yourself if you keep yourself in shape, but what if you are thankful that you don't have testicular cancer? Where does that thanks go? I guess you have to just let it float around.
The Holiday Season: it brings out the best and the worst in America and in Americans. I always hear people talking about the reason for the season, especially around Christmas, but nobody ever bothers to specify this. We are left to assume that the person speaking is refering to is some supreme being we are to worship, but what if the reason to that person is to be with family? Then we have unintentionally misinterpreted the meaning behind what said communicator is attempting to convey. We need specify our reasons for celebrating things in this season to avoid misunderstandings. I think it is rather arrogant of Christians to post things that read, "Remember the Reason for the Season." As if every person's reason is the same. As if all people are Christians. And what season are they talking about? The Holiday Season? The Christmas Season? The Winter Season? Their signs should read, "Remember that Jesus is the reason for our Christmas Season." I think that version is more snappy anyway.
On another Holiday note, I have decided to celebrate Christmas for the 21st consecutive year. People reading this may wonder why there is even a decision to be made. Don't you just celebrate it no matter what, like your birthday? Not me. This will be my fourth Christmas has a decided Atheist, the previous two were as a "doubting Christian," and the 15 before that were as an ignoramus. The last three years I have celebrated Christmas with my family because of my family. It is a great family time and I think my family has truly great Holiday traditions. But everyone else the last few years has had a reason to be there other than family. This reason of course being celebrating the birth of Jesus. So how can an Atheist decide to celebrate Christmas and be able to find some personal reason for it? Well, much in the same way that millions of other Americans do. Christmas in America is hardly about Jesus. It is a commercial holiday, like Valentine's Day, where the virtually sole purpose is gift exchange. How many people do you know who spend more time worshiping Jesus than shopping for presents in preperation for Christmas. My purpose in celebrating Christmas is to give. Some Christians may call that worshiping Jesus, to which I will respond by asking if I was worshiping Jesus when I bought my 20 year old brother a case of beer for his birthday. Anyway, an Atheistic Christmas it is; I think many Christians celebrate this kind of Christmas as well, they just don't think about it. Consumerism killed Jesus and made Christmas an American Holiday, not a Christian Holiday. After all, you don't receive mail on Christmas, do you?
Until Sooner, rather than later.
On Thanksgiving, it is traditional to give thanks for things in your life that you appreciate. But who do you give the thanks to? If you are giving thanks for your family, then naturally the thanks goes to them. But what if you are giving thanks for being in good health? I guess you could give the thanks to yourself if you keep yourself in shape, but what if you are thankful that you don't have testicular cancer? Where does that thanks go? I guess you have to just let it float around.
The Holiday Season: it brings out the best and the worst in America and in Americans. I always hear people talking about the reason for the season, especially around Christmas, but nobody ever bothers to specify this. We are left to assume that the person speaking is refering to is some supreme being we are to worship, but what if the reason to that person is to be with family? Then we have unintentionally misinterpreted the meaning behind what said communicator is attempting to convey. We need specify our reasons for celebrating things in this season to avoid misunderstandings. I think it is rather arrogant of Christians to post things that read, "Remember the Reason for the Season." As if every person's reason is the same. As if all people are Christians. And what season are they talking about? The Holiday Season? The Christmas Season? The Winter Season? Their signs should read, "Remember that Jesus is the reason for our Christmas Season." I think that version is more snappy anyway.
On another Holiday note, I have decided to celebrate Christmas for the 21st consecutive year. People reading this may wonder why there is even a decision to be made. Don't you just celebrate it no matter what, like your birthday? Not me. This will be my fourth Christmas has a decided Atheist, the previous two were as a "doubting Christian," and the 15 before that were as an ignoramus. The last three years I have celebrated Christmas with my family because of my family. It is a great family time and I think my family has truly great Holiday traditions. But everyone else the last few years has had a reason to be there other than family. This reason of course being celebrating the birth of Jesus. So how can an Atheist decide to celebrate Christmas and be able to find some personal reason for it? Well, much in the same way that millions of other Americans do. Christmas in America is hardly about Jesus. It is a commercial holiday, like Valentine's Day, where the virtually sole purpose is gift exchange. How many people do you know who spend more time worshiping Jesus than shopping for presents in preperation for Christmas. My purpose in celebrating Christmas is to give. Some Christians may call that worshiping Jesus, to which I will respond by asking if I was worshiping Jesus when I bought my 20 year old brother a case of beer for his birthday. Anyway, an Atheistic Christmas it is; I think many Christians celebrate this kind of Christmas as well, they just don't think about it. Consumerism killed Jesus and made Christmas an American Holiday, not a Christian Holiday. After all, you don't receive mail on Christmas, do you?
Until Sooner, rather than later.
