I am a closet American Idol fan. Like, I love the shit out of it. Actually, brb. I have to watch Paul McDonald sing Rocket Man....
Its like he's howling at the moon. Grrrr I love him SO MUCH! I just beg for the last word! I picked him to be the winner weeks ago.
So anyway. This is only the second season that Jesse has watched. I however, due to some pretty crappy roommates, have been watching it for years. The only seasons that I haven't seen, are the ones from the years I was either living alone, or before my roommates got Tivo.
When this season was starting, I was 100% anti. Jesse was convinced that the show would be fine with the new judges, but I took a bit of convincing. I enjoy it more than I thought I would. Jesse made a comment a couple of weeks ago that planted a seed that sprouted new perspective this week.
Yes, there is more razzle dazzle and rat-a-tat-tat this time, and irregardless of whether or not the judges or the contestants are the best ever, the show is more exciting. Everyone was so worried about Simon leaving the show. But apparently this "everyone" that we were hearing about didn' event exist. Nobody cares that he isn't here. Steven Tyler kicks ass and Randy is so jealous. We think it's hilarious.
However, the underlying cost of this is that now we are smeared in disgustingly thick amounts of product placements. Randy doesn't speak a sentence without name dropping. Every plug the show has is tied up into multiple layers of promotions. I mean, duh. It's one of the most watched shows in America, millions and millions have been spent (and made) from this show. They have to advertise. This is not the point.
I don't really have a point. Except that my point is that American Culture sucks. It's gross. I am an absolute conundrum to myself. Simultaneously to boycotting hyper consumerism to the best of my American ability, I pursue a career in marketing. Blah.
Shayne doesn't stand a chance against this stuff. I fight my conscience about whether or not to let her play with toy laptops and toy cell phones. She just turned one!!! I know 3 year olds that can operate a Wii better than I could. I also know 3 year olds that can hold a conversation better than some 16 year olds I know.
I'm just saying.
When do we start regulating? Not really regulating, but just saying "no I don't want you to try to sell me something right now." Especially because since everyone is selling everything, customer service is out the window. But that's another day another story. I mean, don't we have some type of choice in the matter? Shouldn't we? We're the ones that are on the receiving end of the constant smut flood.
I know that someone out there agrees with me. Our children are being brainwashed by the media to consume the media from the day they are born! People make their babies facebook pages. Did you have a facebook page when you were a baby? Has anyone stopped to consider the long term repercussions of this over indulgence of media?
I never thought American Idol could get more promoty than it already was. It has gone from syrupy advertising to molassesy advertising. Simon left and the show no longer needed to focus on the singing competition first, now it can be a whole circus act. I'm choking on it, guys.
Paul McDonald: I'm watching this shit for you so you better win.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Brainwashing Children
Veggie Tales. You know, the "Go God" series that teaches children all of the old school American values. Shayne received one of these books as a gift! And we were happy to have it as we want her library to be vast so that she may choose her path wisely. However, this particular rendition of God Loves Us, as cute as it is, is also pretty unpolitically correct. Being the good mom I am, I had no choice but to glue a couple of her thick cardboard pages together.
Apparently the little peas (or whatever they are) are dumb hicks. Complete with missing teeth and poor grammar spelled out as it would sound. Well, we have family that wear overalls and drive tractors. And believe it or not they are not dumb (there is of course, an exception for every rule). They have degrees, and all of their teeth, and you don't need a translator to decipher the words they be spewing out they mouths.
Lets break this down. Perhaps you are unaware of the immense reach that Veggie Tales is capable of. Since 1993 they have sold 53+ million videos, 13 million books and more than 7 million CDs. They have aired on NBC, Telemundo, ION TV, the list goes on! That means that children everywhere are being exposed to the perpetuation of the country bumpkin stereotype hand in hand with being spoon fed Christianity.
Beginning at the earliest age of childhood development children are having the seed of pretentiousness planted as deep into their souls as their faith. Which translates into stuck up hoes growing up to marry stuck up pricks that become stuck up politicians and businessmen. Politicians such as these are the ones shutting down your schools and driving economically poisonous steaks into the hearts of rural areas. Wal Mart is also guilty of said treachery. All these decisions derived from the notion that country folk are dumb and useless towards the progression of our outstanding American culture. Ugh. Don't get me started. I think we can all agree that American culture is disgusting.
In summary: shame on you Veggie Tales! Teaching children that some people are better than other people. Not to mention the flip side of this situation! Which is even MORE awful!
Lets take a quick look at the pretend red/blue map of our country in our minds. We all know that the majority of high value, Christian culture is located where? In the sticks. Where they drive tractors and wear overalls, much the dummy peas in the currently glued together pages of Shayne's "God Loves Us" book. So here rather than worrying about brainwashing children to be snobby, we have to worry about crushing an unconscious layer of self worth! Classic case of self-fulfilling prophecy.
The most despicable part of all of this is the seething irony! Our children only know to discriminate because we teach them to do it. So stop.
Apparently the little peas (or whatever they are) are dumb hicks. Complete with missing teeth and poor grammar spelled out as it would sound. Well, we have family that wear overalls and drive tractors. And believe it or not they are not dumb (there is of course, an exception for every rule). They have degrees, and all of their teeth, and you don't need a translator to decipher the words they be spewing out they mouths.
Lets break this down. Perhaps you are unaware of the immense reach that Veggie Tales is capable of. Since 1993 they have sold 53+ million videos, 13 million books and more than 7 million CDs. They have aired on NBC, Telemundo, ION TV, the list goes on! That means that children everywhere are being exposed to the perpetuation of the country bumpkin stereotype hand in hand with being spoon fed Christianity.
Beginning at the earliest age of childhood development children are having the seed of pretentiousness planted as deep into their souls as their faith. Which translates into stuck up hoes growing up to marry stuck up pricks that become stuck up politicians and businessmen. Politicians such as these are the ones shutting down your schools and driving economically poisonous steaks into the hearts of rural areas. Wal Mart is also guilty of said treachery. All these decisions derived from the notion that country folk are dumb and useless towards the progression of our outstanding American culture. Ugh. Don't get me started. I think we can all agree that American culture is disgusting.
In summary: shame on you Veggie Tales! Teaching children that some people are better than other people. Not to mention the flip side of this situation! Which is even MORE awful!
Lets take a quick look at the pretend red/blue map of our country in our minds. We all know that the majority of high value, Christian culture is located where? In the sticks. Where they drive tractors and wear overalls, much the dummy peas in the currently glued together pages of Shayne's "God Loves Us" book. So here rather than worrying about brainwashing children to be snobby, we have to worry about crushing an unconscious layer of self worth! Classic case of self-fulfilling prophecy.
The most despicable part of all of this is the seething irony! Our children only know to discriminate because we teach them to do it. So stop.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
How much money does Brenden Fraser make off of Netflix?
So we started out researching a band we heard on Pandora. Which lead to researching Mumford & Sons, which lead to researching Brenden Fraser, where we noticed that not a single movie that has Brenden Fraser acting, singing, taking pictures, producing or even walking around in the background of someone else's acting, is available instant queue on Netflix.
Upon noticing this, Jesse became rather upset. He feels like somehow Brenden Fraser is making money off of Netflix sending a movie to your house, rather than being instantly available on our Tivo/laptop. He became outraged at the thought that somebody else that is already very successful (I use this term loosely) is sticking it to the little guy and interfering with Jesse's ability to randomly decide that he wants to watch Encino Man or Son in Law, MonkeyBone, or a handful of other's that we looked up. None of these movies are "worth getting in the mail" and there is no reason as to why they would not be available instantly.
So this is what he said: "Man, wtf, I hope Brenden Fraser gets in a car accident on his way home and dies."
REALLY?!?!? So we had this flash discussion about how Americans are SO greedy that he is more concerned with his ability to get a movie instantly, that he would flippantly dismiss a mans life just because he may or may not have something to do with why he can't watch these select movies.
So. Does anyone know if people make money off of having Netflix send movies in the mail rather than watching them instantly? Obviously, Netflix charges more because it costs them money to do so, but does anyone else make any?
Feedback.
Upon noticing this, Jesse became rather upset. He feels like somehow Brenden Fraser is making money off of Netflix sending a movie to your house, rather than being instantly available on our Tivo/laptop. He became outraged at the thought that somebody else that is already very successful (I use this term loosely) is sticking it to the little guy and interfering with Jesse's ability to randomly decide that he wants to watch Encino Man or Son in Law, MonkeyBone, or a handful of other's that we looked up. None of these movies are "worth getting in the mail" and there is no reason as to why they would not be available instantly.
So this is what he said: "Man, wtf, I hope Brenden Fraser gets in a car accident on his way home and dies."
REALLY?!?!? So we had this flash discussion about how Americans are SO greedy that he is more concerned with his ability to get a movie instantly, that he would flippantly dismiss a mans life just because he may or may not have something to do with why he can't watch these select movies.
So. Does anyone know if people make money off of having Netflix send movies in the mail rather than watching them instantly? Obviously, Netflix charges more because it costs them money to do so, but does anyone else make any?
Feedback.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
There is no synonym for Internet
Recently I have been forced to revert back to the dark ages. While it was only for a couple of days, it surprisingly interfered rather severely with my to-do list. Jesse was out of town "hunting." My phone was on the brink of death (it no longer charges, I have to trade batteries back and forth with his phone), and the charger for the laptop had shorted out.
My mission: go to Discount Electronics and buy a new charger for the laptop so that I might continue on my life. Problem: where the hell is Discount Electronics? Of course Jesse told me where it was before he left, but did I actually remember? Ha! That's so cute of you to think so.
So it has happened. Technology has taken over. The phone book has become obsolete, and I have unconsciously become dependent on machines to run my errands. The only logical deduction is that the consumption of our human race by technology can only lead to one thing: zombieland. My next thought is that I need to get in touch with Chris Pavolich aka Sweetass for a crash course in zombieland survival.
Really though, I was a complete mess. Ironically the only thing keeping me in this downward spiral of no communication with the outside world is the same thing that I needed to bring me out of the darkness: the internet, or lack thereof.
So as the good consumer I am, I headed straight to Best Buy to ask someone where Discount Electronics was. Best Buy has two things, high prices and credit cards, a true perpetuater of consumerism (and now I think they might have something to do with this whole technology take-over). The conspiracy theorist inside of me kicked into overdrive. Discount Electronics has electronics at a discounted price, that is why they call it that. They're here to help, they're the guys that will survive the zombie attack (those in charge of BB will be eventually overtaken by the monster that they created).
*Side Bar* Steve Jobs is equally responsible. But my own personal conundrum leads to my inability to say anything negative about him or his corporate army.
Eventually I found what I was looking for, and here you are witness to the rebirth of myself from the dark ages. The whole experience taught me a lot about myself.
1) I should be better about writing things down when Jesse tells me things.
2) Contrary to my previous beliefs, I probably won't survive a zombie attack
3) I will not die from facebook withdraws
4) I'm blessed to have Sweetass as a friend
5) I should create to-do lists that do not depend on the forces of machines to be completed
I would highly recommend that others consider how much they rely on technology for every day tasks. It is meant to enhance our life, not rule it. I'm curious how many others would be able to go do anything without first consulting a computer/smart phone. Feedback people.
My mission: go to Discount Electronics and buy a new charger for the laptop so that I might continue on my life. Problem: where the hell is Discount Electronics? Of course Jesse told me where it was before he left, but did I actually remember? Ha! That's so cute of you to think so.
So it has happened. Technology has taken over. The phone book has become obsolete, and I have unconsciously become dependent on machines to run my errands. The only logical deduction is that the consumption of our human race by technology can only lead to one thing: zombieland. My next thought is that I need to get in touch with Chris Pavolich aka Sweetass for a crash course in zombieland survival.
Really though, I was a complete mess. Ironically the only thing keeping me in this downward spiral of no communication with the outside world is the same thing that I needed to bring me out of the darkness: the internet, or lack thereof.
So as the good consumer I am, I headed straight to Best Buy to ask someone where Discount Electronics was. Best Buy has two things, high prices and credit cards, a true perpetuater of consumerism (and now I think they might have something to do with this whole technology take-over). The conspiracy theorist inside of me kicked into overdrive. Discount Electronics has electronics at a discounted price, that is why they call it that. They're here to help, they're the guys that will survive the zombie attack (those in charge of BB will be eventually overtaken by the monster that they created).
*Side Bar* Steve Jobs is equally responsible. But my own personal conundrum leads to my inability to say anything negative about him or his corporate army.
Eventually I found what I was looking for, and here you are witness to the rebirth of myself from the dark ages. The whole experience taught me a lot about myself.
1) I should be better about writing things down when Jesse tells me things.
2) Contrary to my previous beliefs, I probably won't survive a zombie attack
3) I will not die from facebook withdraws
4) I'm blessed to have Sweetass as a friend
5) I should create to-do lists that do not depend on the forces of machines to be completed
I would highly recommend that others consider how much they rely on technology for every day tasks. It is meant to enhance our life, not rule it. I'm curious how many others would be able to go do anything without first consulting a computer/smart phone. Feedback people.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
How Republicanism Exists
Quite simply: continuing cutting funds towards education.
Uneducated people make uneducated decisions. The media has done more than enough to dumb down the masses (case and point: Jersey Shore has 3.2 million viewers). Uneducated decisions lead to electing politicians that have the sole duty of expanding on their own personal wealth, and the wealth of those whom contributed to their campaign (or whose business contributed). Translation: the person that couldn't afford to go to college because Perry cut all of the funding is now working at Hobby Lobby = not the person the government is working for.
More on this to come. Homework for next time:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20110118-public-schools-college-students-medicaid-hammered-in-texas-house-budget-plan.ece
Uneducated people make uneducated decisions. The media has done more than enough to dumb down the masses (case and point: Jersey Shore has 3.2 million viewers). Uneducated decisions lead to electing politicians that have the sole duty of expanding on their own personal wealth, and the wealth of those whom contributed to their campaign (or whose business contributed). Translation: the person that couldn't afford to go to college because Perry cut all of the funding is now working at Hobby Lobby = not the person the government is working for.
More on this to come. Homework for next time:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20110118-public-schools-college-students-medicaid-hammered-in-texas-house-budget-plan.ece
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Bulldogs
According to Jesse, the way that you breed bulldogs is to strap the female down so the big fat male can do her. One would help mount the male onto the female, and once he has "mounted and attached," instinct will take over. Apparently they can't do it on their own and this has allegedly been going on for a long time. Do we know that she even wants it?
This my friends would be a prime example of interfering with evolution. Obviously, Jesus wanted these guys to no longer be around. The reason there is no cure for cancer, is because these fatties are being put together like Lego's for some overpriced pups. (Consumerism strikes again!) It's in their poop or something.
Upon hearing this information I've decided that I am no longer down to get a bulldog. Which is a shame because they are super cute. No consuming products of dog rape for me.
This my friends would be a prime example of interfering with evolution. Obviously, Jesus wanted these guys to no longer be around. The reason there is no cure for cancer, is because these fatties are being put together like Lego's for some overpriced pups. (Consumerism strikes again!) It's in their poop or something.
Upon hearing this information I've decided that I am no longer down to get a bulldog. Which is a shame because they are super cute. No consuming products of dog rape for me.
Monday, January 17, 2011
An Introduction
I have long been deciding whether or not I would actually ever do this. Congratulations, you figured out that I chose to go ahead. The only intention I have for this blog is to enhance my writing skills. So please, feedback will always be welcome.
My life consists of a plethora of annoying and trivial occurrences, accompanied by the only thing keeping me sane, while simultaneously driving me insane: my family. This family, at the core, consists of my husband Jesse, daughter Shayne Elizzebeth, and dog Sir Steven Quincey (Q daddy for short). Do not be mislead to believe that insane and annoying means discontent. I love them all very much, despite my regular campaign to skin the dog.
My current situation: student/stay-at-home-mom/graphic artist/searching for a bit of extra duckets to contribute to my families 5 year plan. Some people think I'm funny, others think I'm a bitch, but we all tend to agree that I'm pretty crazy. My thought process is rarely linear, I articulate those thoughts in my own whimsically loose version of the English language, and I've got huge balls. Or at least I used to, before I became a mom and transformed into a whole new type of crazy.
I am very opinionated and a part of me feels like the world would be a better place if more people knew what I thought about things. Call me narcissistic, but my upbringing in rural, conservative, super scary Republican west Texas (my grandparents are active members of the Tea Party) one would think my salvation hopeless. Rebirthed into a place where trees grow tall and water sightings are opposite of rare I was plucked from a potentially bland fate. Combining this place of open mindedness with a dash of some hazy college days I have developed a unique perspective of this map that we live in.
The other part of me knows that this is true. So for starters, I present to you my company boycott list. Feel free to join the cause.
1) WalMart: I'm pretty anti-corporations exploiting cheap labor to make cheap things; and those that perpetuate hyperconsumerism, all the while treating their employees incredibly poorly. Not to mention they destroyed small town USA and caused thousands of locally owned places to go out of business despite the many years they had spent serving their community, resulting in an even further economically crippled rural society. I could go on, but I won't. Nazi's.
2) Time Warner Cable: charging more for less with crap customer service while attempting to obtain a monopoly of media in Central Texas. AT&T is cheaper, and they have fabulous customer service. If you find yourself to be a TWC customer, never fear! Chances are you are not under contract and you can drop 'em!
3) Bank of America: anything they can do for a dollar. Like withdraw surprise fee's (after speaking to a representative and a branch manager whom ensured the fee would not post) leaving your account negative and all of your bills to bounce, ending up in hundreds of dollars in overdraw fees and return check fees, and then making you pay it all back with interest. In 2009 45% of my income brought home was spent on BOA fees and accrued interest- my account had overdrafts in only 4 of the 12 months. Thieves.
4) Sprint: selling crappy phones, charging $14/mo insurance to cover the crappy phones (that have since been discontinued because they suck so bad) but forcing you to pay $100 each time you want to replace your phone if "you" break it, and then $50 each time to replace it even when it is a known manufacturer's error (the reason it was discontinued). THEN, sending you a replacement phone that is a rebuilt same phone that sucks worse than your last one rather than the upgrade of the phone that you payed $400 for in the first place! We are on phones 3&4 (and both are already malfunctioning) in 5 months. Thieves.
I'm sure the list will grow as our economy continues the downward spiral into the kingdom of ripped-off-over-exposed desensitized consumers. Ahhhh America.... we suck.
end.
My life consists of a plethora of annoying and trivial occurrences, accompanied by the only thing keeping me sane, while simultaneously driving me insane: my family. This family, at the core, consists of my husband Jesse, daughter Shayne Elizzebeth, and dog Sir Steven Quincey (Q daddy for short). Do not be mislead to believe that insane and annoying means discontent. I love them all very much, despite my regular campaign to skin the dog.
My current situation: student/stay-at-home-mom/graphic artist/searching for a bit of extra duckets to contribute to my families 5 year plan. Some people think I'm funny, others think I'm a bitch, but we all tend to agree that I'm pretty crazy. My thought process is rarely linear, I articulate those thoughts in my own whimsically loose version of the English language, and I've got huge balls. Or at least I used to, before I became a mom and transformed into a whole new type of crazy.
I am very opinionated and a part of me feels like the world would be a better place if more people knew what I thought about things. Call me narcissistic, but my upbringing in rural, conservative, super scary Republican west Texas (my grandparents are active members of the Tea Party) one would think my salvation hopeless. Rebirthed into a place where trees grow tall and water sightings are opposite of rare I was plucked from a potentially bland fate. Combining this place of open mindedness with a dash of some hazy college days I have developed a unique perspective of this map that we live in.
The other part of me knows that this is true. So for starters, I present to you my company boycott list. Feel free to join the cause.
1) WalMart: I'm pretty anti-corporations exploiting cheap labor to make cheap things; and those that perpetuate hyperconsumerism, all the while treating their employees incredibly poorly. Not to mention they destroyed small town USA and caused thousands of locally owned places to go out of business despite the many years they had spent serving their community, resulting in an even further economically crippled rural society. I could go on, but I won't. Nazi's.
2) Time Warner Cable: charging more for less with crap customer service while attempting to obtain a monopoly of media in Central Texas. AT&T is cheaper, and they have fabulous customer service. If you find yourself to be a TWC customer, never fear! Chances are you are not under contract and you can drop 'em!
3) Bank of America: anything they can do for a dollar. Like withdraw surprise fee's (after speaking to a representative and a branch manager whom ensured the fee would not post) leaving your account negative and all of your bills to bounce, ending up in hundreds of dollars in overdraw fees and return check fees, and then making you pay it all back with interest. In 2009 45% of my income brought home was spent on BOA fees and accrued interest- my account had overdrafts in only 4 of the 12 months. Thieves.
4) Sprint: selling crappy phones, charging $14/mo insurance to cover the crappy phones (that have since been discontinued because they suck so bad) but forcing you to pay $100 each time you want to replace your phone if "you" break it, and then $50 each time to replace it even when it is a known manufacturer's error (the reason it was discontinued). THEN, sending you a replacement phone that is a rebuilt same phone that sucks worse than your last one rather than the upgrade of the phone that you payed $400 for in the first place! We are on phones 3&4 (and both are already malfunctioning) in 5 months. Thieves.
I'm sure the list will grow as our economy continues the downward spiral into the kingdom of ripped-off-over-exposed desensitized consumers. Ahhhh America.... we suck.
end.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)