Super Sunday in San Diego.
Egad. The Oakland Raiders were handed their asses by the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS?! Who would have thought, 20-odd years ago, that Tampa Bay would even GET to a Superbowl, much less blow out a team like the Raiders? It's a mind-blowing concept similar to the idea of the Los Angeles Clippers winning the NBA title; most folks just shake their heads and say, "it'll never happen."
Tell it to the Raiders fans: it happened. Black and Silver gave up 48 points. The number one rated offense in the world could only manage 21 points. Oh, it was ugly…and beautiful at the same time. I pitied the fools that paid $1,000 a seat, then dressed up in black and silver grease paint.
I watched the first half of the game in a room equally divided by Buc and Raider fans. Early in the game, when the score was tied at 3, those guys and gals were so loud I couldn't hear myself think. One Raider fan had a lot to say about certain Buccaneers:
"Sapp is too fat to do anything"
"Jurevicus had only one good catch in his life"
"Alstott is gonna fumble it away"
"Keyshawn is gay"
On and on it went…until the first Tampa Bay interception. By the time the half rolled around, and the Bucs were up by 17 points (uh, that's two touchdowns and a field goal for those that don't know), the Raider side of the room had quieted considerably.
By the end of the third quarter, it was quite clearly a ridiculous blowout. Oakland had their clocks cleaned, their lunch stolen, they were chumped in front of the second-largest television audience to ever watch a Superbowl.
Ouch.
Well, at least the commercial for the next "Matrix" movie was cool.
More later…
Paul
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Laci Peterson
This story first broke right after Christmas and it was a local (SoCal) story only. Now it has gained National status. The more I watch the media reports surrounding this case, the more I can't believe what I am seeing.
It is a horrible case. A "who-dunnit". Hubby goes fishing on Christmas Eve, by himself, and 180 miles away. While his wife, whom happens to be 8 months pregnant at the time, supposedly sits at home by herself on Christmas Eve. Now normally Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are Holidays that really lean towards family and friends time. Well Mr. Peterson decided to leave his darling, pregnant wife at home...or I guess you could say, Mr. Peterson decided to get out of the house. Either way, the wife is missing, the baby is missing, their house was later broken into, but somehow through all of this, the dog made it back home. Nobody actually witnessed Mr. Peterson at the lake, however, he produced a single receipt from the marina.
Now we are hearing that Mr. Peterson had an affair with another woman. She supposedly didn't know that hubby was married. She claims as soon as he found out that hubby was involved she immediately called Modesto Police. Hubby had both sides of the family supporting him until his fling came out. Now of course the family is evenly divided. But wait just a damn minute...now hubby says that his lovely wife knew of the affair. Wow! This is getting good! We have got ourselves a true movie script in the works! This is prime time 6:00pm "Dirty Laundry" News. The reporters are giddy with the excitement over this case. The Pink Panther himself couldn't ask for a better mystery. Or maybe, just maybe, we could get Thomas Magnum to fly over to the mainland for one last bout with the clues. It makes for great watercooler fodder for sure. Producers are happy, ratings are up, and the newspapers are flying off the shelves. Will Hubby confess? Will the mistress confess? What about the witness that has yet to come forward? And why did someone break into the house in question? Was it staged to throw the police off? Did someone plant something? Will the truth ever surface? I am sitting at the edge of my seat!
In the meantime, there is a beautiful young lady, Laci Peterson, whom may be out there still alive (if she is extremely lucky, and beating all odds and statistics). There is also a beautiful unborn baby that remains unaccounted for. Also left in the wake of this fast moving news story, is Laci's parents. The same parents that raised her from a baby to the beautiful young mother she is today. Their lives are destroyed. I pray for Laci, the baby, and her family, but chances are we will never see Laci or the baby again. Chances are much better that the media circus will continue all of the way through this and eventually into a courtroom. It makes for great TV! I can already see a made for TV starring Kate Jackson and the Life-Time Movie Network in the works. I am sure they have already started pre-production (just as soon as Scott Peterson signs off on his lucrative contract and gives up all rights..of course)
As I wonder, at what point do we ever regain the humanity that we as a people lost forever and a day ago? When is enough, enough?
-WadeMC
This story first broke right after Christmas and it was a local (SoCal) story only. Now it has gained National status. The more I watch the media reports surrounding this case, the more I can't believe what I am seeing.
It is a horrible case. A "who-dunnit". Hubby goes fishing on Christmas Eve, by himself, and 180 miles away. While his wife, whom happens to be 8 months pregnant at the time, supposedly sits at home by herself on Christmas Eve. Now normally Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are Holidays that really lean towards family and friends time. Well Mr. Peterson decided to leave his darling, pregnant wife at home...or I guess you could say, Mr. Peterson decided to get out of the house. Either way, the wife is missing, the baby is missing, their house was later broken into, but somehow through all of this, the dog made it back home. Nobody actually witnessed Mr. Peterson at the lake, however, he produced a single receipt from the marina.
Now we are hearing that Mr. Peterson had an affair with another woman. She supposedly didn't know that hubby was married. She claims as soon as he found out that hubby was involved she immediately called Modesto Police. Hubby had both sides of the family supporting him until his fling came out. Now of course the family is evenly divided. But wait just a damn minute...now hubby says that his lovely wife knew of the affair. Wow! This is getting good! We have got ourselves a true movie script in the works! This is prime time 6:00pm "Dirty Laundry" News. The reporters are giddy with the excitement over this case. The Pink Panther himself couldn't ask for a better mystery. Or maybe, just maybe, we could get Thomas Magnum to fly over to the mainland for one last bout with the clues. It makes for great watercooler fodder for sure. Producers are happy, ratings are up, and the newspapers are flying off the shelves. Will Hubby confess? Will the mistress confess? What about the witness that has yet to come forward? And why did someone break into the house in question? Was it staged to throw the police off? Did someone plant something? Will the truth ever surface? I am sitting at the edge of my seat!
In the meantime, there is a beautiful young lady, Laci Peterson, whom may be out there still alive (if she is extremely lucky, and beating all odds and statistics). There is also a beautiful unborn baby that remains unaccounted for. Also left in the wake of this fast moving news story, is Laci's parents. The same parents that raised her from a baby to the beautiful young mother she is today. Their lives are destroyed. I pray for Laci, the baby, and her family, but chances are we will never see Laci or the baby again. Chances are much better that the media circus will continue all of the way through this and eventually into a courtroom. It makes for great TV! I can already see a made for TV starring Kate Jackson and the Life-Time Movie Network in the works. I am sure they have already started pre-production (just as soon as Scott Peterson signs off on his lucrative contract and gives up all rights..of course)
As I wonder, at what point do we ever regain the humanity that we as a people lost forever and a day ago? When is enough, enough?
-WadeMC
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
Disarm or Destroy?
What do they mean when they say they want to disarm Saddam Hussein?
Think about what would be necessary for someone to disarm YOU. Many of my gun-owning friends subscribe to the phrase "they'll get my gun when they pry it from my cold, lifeless hands" or words to that effect. Okay, so it's pretty clear that we'll need military force to "disarm" the Iraqi dictator, and the buildup of our forces in the Persian Gulf pretty much point to that eventuality. But why the focus on one man?
The president said the other night, "…let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him." The president even made an appeal directly to the citizens of Iraq, saying that the day Hussein is removed from power "…will be the day of your liberation." Those, my friends, are very strong words.
To put my question another way, if Saddam suddenly went into exile in another country, would we no longer be concerned about the thousands of tons of bioweapons supposedly in Iraq's arsenal? Are we really silly enough to believe that the ouster of Hussein will signal the end of the problems in Iraq? Well, of course not. It's the entire government in Iraq and most, if not all, of their military that needs to be replaced, if the claims by Powell and Bush and Cheney are to be believed. My question is, why won't they just come out and say it? "We're taking over Iraq, dammit! It's for their own good!"
Go ahead, call me naïve. I never said I was good at this global diplomacy stuff. The problem is that I'm starting to suspect that the guy who lives on Pennsylvania Avenue is not so good at it, either. You see, I value personal integrity and apparently that's not a good trait for a world leader.
More later…
Paul
What do they mean when they say they want to disarm Saddam Hussein?
Think about what would be necessary for someone to disarm YOU. Many of my gun-owning friends subscribe to the phrase "they'll get my gun when they pry it from my cold, lifeless hands" or words to that effect. Okay, so it's pretty clear that we'll need military force to "disarm" the Iraqi dictator, and the buildup of our forces in the Persian Gulf pretty much point to that eventuality. But why the focus on one man?
The president said the other night, "…let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him." The president even made an appeal directly to the citizens of Iraq, saying that the day Hussein is removed from power "…will be the day of your liberation." Those, my friends, are very strong words.
To put my question another way, if Saddam suddenly went into exile in another country, would we no longer be concerned about the thousands of tons of bioweapons supposedly in Iraq's arsenal? Are we really silly enough to believe that the ouster of Hussein will signal the end of the problems in Iraq? Well, of course not. It's the entire government in Iraq and most, if not all, of their military that needs to be replaced, if the claims by Powell and Bush and Cheney are to be believed. My question is, why won't they just come out and say it? "We're taking over Iraq, dammit! It's for their own good!"
Go ahead, call me naïve. I never said I was good at this global diplomacy stuff. The problem is that I'm starting to suspect that the guy who lives on Pennsylvania Avenue is not so good at it, either. You see, I value personal integrity and apparently that's not a good trait for a world leader.
More later…
Paul
Friday, January 24, 2003
The (oil) Drums of War.
I keep telling people not to believe everything they read, especially in the mainstream press. Why? Well, mostly because I harbor a deep distrust in the motivation of the so-called Fourth Estate, but also because some of the stuff they print is, basically, unbelievable.
Case in point: I fired up my browser this morning to check out the news and the first story I came across is a Reuter's story with the headline "Iraq Intends to Damage Own Oil Fields in War - U.S." The story went on to explain that an "anonymous" Pentagon official has learned that if we go to war with Iraq, they will "cause damage or destruction" to their own oil fields.
More telling is the planned U.S. response to such a move. The source said U.S military planners "have crafted strategies that will allow us to secure and protect those fields as rapidly as possible in order to then preserve those prior to destruction, as opposed to having to go in and clean up after."
What about those alleged weapons of mass destruction? See, if I believed everything I have read so far about this potential war, I would believe that the reason we're sending troops to Iraq is to disarm Hussein and keep him from stockpiling nuclear and biological weapons. Now I read that we have "crafted strategies" to protect the oil fields from sabotage. Hard to believe, isn't it?
Or is it?
Is this war about Iraq's weapons or Iraq's oil? Or, and this is probably more germane to the entire situation, is Iraqi oil their primary weapon? Certainly to a nation addicted to (relatively) low gasoline prices, foreign oil has more of an impact to our day-to-day lives than the implied threat of nuclear weapons that may or may not exist.
And if I were a betting man, I would bet that if YOU grew up in a family that made it's fortune in the petroleum business, the idea that your sworn enemy would torch his own oil fields (to keep them out of your hands?) would probably incite you to action.
We'll soon see if this story can be believed.
More later…
Paul
I keep telling people not to believe everything they read, especially in the mainstream press. Why? Well, mostly because I harbor a deep distrust in the motivation of the so-called Fourth Estate, but also because some of the stuff they print is, basically, unbelievable.
Case in point: I fired up my browser this morning to check out the news and the first story I came across is a Reuter's story with the headline "Iraq Intends to Damage Own Oil Fields in War - U.S." The story went on to explain that an "anonymous" Pentagon official has learned that if we go to war with Iraq, they will "cause damage or destruction" to their own oil fields.
More telling is the planned U.S. response to such a move. The source said U.S military planners "have crafted strategies that will allow us to secure and protect those fields as rapidly as possible in order to then preserve those prior to destruction, as opposed to having to go in and clean up after."
What about those alleged weapons of mass destruction? See, if I believed everything I have read so far about this potential war, I would believe that the reason we're sending troops to Iraq is to disarm Hussein and keep him from stockpiling nuclear and biological weapons. Now I read that we have "crafted strategies" to protect the oil fields from sabotage. Hard to believe, isn't it?
Or is it?
Is this war about Iraq's weapons or Iraq's oil? Or, and this is probably more germane to the entire situation, is Iraqi oil their primary weapon? Certainly to a nation addicted to (relatively) low gasoline prices, foreign oil has more of an impact to our day-to-day lives than the implied threat of nuclear weapons that may or may not exist.
And if I were a betting man, I would bet that if YOU grew up in a family that made it's fortune in the petroleum business, the idea that your sworn enemy would torch his own oil fields (to keep them out of your hands?) would probably incite you to action.
We'll soon see if this story can be believed.
More later…
Paul
Tuesday, December 24, 2002
Long live the King.
The word has spread throughout the motocross industry like a wildfire: the greatest indoor motocross racer that has ever lived, Jeremy McGrath, has decided to retire. This news comes just 12 days before the start of the U.S. indoor motocross championships (known as "Supercross").
Jeremy McGrath was more than a great rider, he was a great person. He was friendly to both the media and his legions of fans worldwide. He brought to Supercross not only his immense skill, but also his winning personality. Fans would line up for hours just to get a glimpse of his bright smile, and perhaps a quick hug or handshake and an autograph. His impact on the sport will last for decades.
He was the first truly marketable Supercross athlete, and proved that by signing endorsement deals with companies like Mazda, Anheiser Busch and Mattel. He opened sponsorship doors so that other riders would be able to benefit as well.
Thank you, Jeremy McGrath, for years of top-notch entertainment. Best wishes with whatever you do.
Paul
The word has spread throughout the motocross industry like a wildfire: the greatest indoor motocross racer that has ever lived, Jeremy McGrath, has decided to retire. This news comes just 12 days before the start of the U.S. indoor motocross championships (known as "Supercross").
Jeremy McGrath was more than a great rider, he was a great person. He was friendly to both the media and his legions of fans worldwide. He brought to Supercross not only his immense skill, but also his winning personality. Fans would line up for hours just to get a glimpse of his bright smile, and perhaps a quick hug or handshake and an autograph. His impact on the sport will last for decades.
He was the first truly marketable Supercross athlete, and proved that by signing endorsement deals with companies like Mazda, Anheiser Busch and Mattel. He opened sponsorship doors so that other riders would be able to benefit as well.
Thank you, Jeremy McGrath, for years of top-notch entertainment. Best wishes with whatever you do.
Paul
Wednesday, December 04, 2002
Motorcycle dealerships?
I am fortunate enough that I rarely have to visit any of my local dealers for too much of anything. I have been involved in the "Industry" since I was old enough to eat out of a Gerbers jar. My family owned a distributorship in the South West. If you rode a KTM, Penton, or wore Hi-Point/Alpinestar boots back in the early 80's, chances are greater than zero, that the product came from us. I have quite literally been around motorcycles my entire life. I manage to get parts and clothing out of the left coast directly, without much hassle.
Therefore it astounishes me everytime I venture into a new dealership. Now sure, I do have a local dealer here that I buy my chemicals, air filters and the like from, but never a great amount of product. On occasion, just for giggles, I'll stop buy a new dealer just to see what they have in stock, and what may or may not be selling. It never fails, there is always some punk asshole kid standing behind the counter, not out racing, that thinks he is the new authority on all things moto. He won't ask you, "hey how's it goin today, need some help with anything?" No, the standard "nod" is about par for course. Then they stand there on the phone, talking about last nights beer bong session- you have all heard the same conversation- and about the girlies they took home. It's mostly b.s. of course, except for the beer part. Anyway, if you ask them if they have a certain part, or product, the get mad because they have to look, or they tell you," man that thing is a p.o.s whattda..ya..want that fer?" I didn't recall asking anyones opinion. These hourly soilders believe that since they are working at a dealer, they must in fact be professional racers. It is amazing that the dealers can sell anything to anyone. It is zero customer service, and that seems to be the norm. I wonder how many people have left their cold hard green in their pockets simply because of the jackass that works the counter. No wonder everyone orders out of magazines and off the internet these days. Not to mention that some dealers are now adding an extra 10 to 15% on top of m.s.r.p. I asked one dealer why they were doing that, and he said, "for shipping and handling charges". He even said it with a straight face.
I swore I wasn't going to write about anything moto related. After saying that, I realized that my life is moto related and at times, I may need to write about it. I hate to slam all dealerships and employees of said dealers, but I am sure that you must know what I am talking about. Next time you visit your local dealer, see if you don't notice the "dealer attitude" that could be in place. I am not sure it would do any good to point the attitude out to anyone in charge. I think when people finally do all of their shopping out of the magazines and internet ( and just as soon as you can order a new bike, delivered to your house) the dealers may decide to put some of their "pro racers" through customer service school.
Here's to great riding, great friends, the 75 minute Sopranos season finale, and Happy Holidays!
-WadeMC
I am fortunate enough that I rarely have to visit any of my local dealers for too much of anything. I have been involved in the "Industry" since I was old enough to eat out of a Gerbers jar. My family owned a distributorship in the South West. If you rode a KTM, Penton, or wore Hi-Point/Alpinestar boots back in the early 80's, chances are greater than zero, that the product came from us. I have quite literally been around motorcycles my entire life. I manage to get parts and clothing out of the left coast directly, without much hassle.
Therefore it astounishes me everytime I venture into a new dealership. Now sure, I do have a local dealer here that I buy my chemicals, air filters and the like from, but never a great amount of product. On occasion, just for giggles, I'll stop buy a new dealer just to see what they have in stock, and what may or may not be selling. It never fails, there is always some punk asshole kid standing behind the counter, not out racing, that thinks he is the new authority on all things moto. He won't ask you, "hey how's it goin today, need some help with anything?" No, the standard "nod" is about par for course. Then they stand there on the phone, talking about last nights beer bong session- you have all heard the same conversation- and about the girlies they took home. It's mostly b.s. of course, except for the beer part. Anyway, if you ask them if they have a certain part, or product, the get mad because they have to look, or they tell you," man that thing is a p.o.s whattda..ya..want that fer?" I didn't recall asking anyones opinion. These hourly soilders believe that since they are working at a dealer, they must in fact be professional racers. It is amazing that the dealers can sell anything to anyone. It is zero customer service, and that seems to be the norm. I wonder how many people have left their cold hard green in their pockets simply because of the jackass that works the counter. No wonder everyone orders out of magazines and off the internet these days. Not to mention that some dealers are now adding an extra 10 to 15% on top of m.s.r.p. I asked one dealer why they were doing that, and he said, "for shipping and handling charges". He even said it with a straight face.
I swore I wasn't going to write about anything moto related. After saying that, I realized that my life is moto related and at times, I may need to write about it. I hate to slam all dealerships and employees of said dealers, but I am sure that you must know what I am talking about. Next time you visit your local dealer, see if you don't notice the "dealer attitude" that could be in place. I am not sure it would do any good to point the attitude out to anyone in charge. I think when people finally do all of their shopping out of the magazines and internet ( and just as soon as you can order a new bike, delivered to your house) the dealers may decide to put some of their "pro racers" through customer service school.
Here's to great riding, great friends, the 75 minute Sopranos season finale, and Happy Holidays!
-WadeMC
Monday, November 25, 2002
Christmas by Thanksgiving!
As I was slowly driving through my suburban Dalls neighborhood last night, I noticed that there were already several houses outlined in festive Christmas (or Holiday) lights. Is it just me, or does it seem that each year the Christmas (or Holiday) season starts just a little earlier? We don't even pull our lights and decor out until sometime after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving use to be its own Holiday. Not any more. Thanksgiving is now the pregame show for the real Holiday season. No time to reflect on anything that we may be thankful for. No sir, must get to the mall for the Holiday sale. You must get your lights and tree up so that you can keep up with neighbor Jones (or Goldstein) next door. I mean you can still do the turkey and football thing on Thursday, just as long as you get it in before heading ot the cinema or club that evening. Reflect on all you're thankful for between trips to the wet bar and the dinner table. I like it like this. Who has time for Thanksgiving anyway? Maybe we should just move it out of the way, and officially start the Christmas (yea or holiday) the day after Labor Day weekend. Come to think of it, who needs Labor Day weekend? What if....
If everyone would just take it easy, and be Thankful and celebrate Thanksgiving for what it is ment for, then maybe we wouldn't all be in such a hurry to get the Gap. That is what I was thinking as I continued my trek home. I couldn't wait to tell my wife how we weren't going to be like everyone else in our little suburbia. As I entered our house, my wife and daughter were proudly hanging lights on our Christmas tree. Oh well, there is always next year. And Happy Thanksgiving!
As I was slowly driving through my suburban Dalls neighborhood last night, I noticed that there were already several houses outlined in festive Christmas (or Holiday) lights. Is it just me, or does it seem that each year the Christmas (or Holiday) season starts just a little earlier? We don't even pull our lights and decor out until sometime after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving use to be its own Holiday. Not any more. Thanksgiving is now the pregame show for the real Holiday season. No time to reflect on anything that we may be thankful for. No sir, must get to the mall for the Holiday sale. You must get your lights and tree up so that you can keep up with neighbor Jones (or Goldstein) next door. I mean you can still do the turkey and football thing on Thursday, just as long as you get it in before heading ot the cinema or club that evening. Reflect on all you're thankful for between trips to the wet bar and the dinner table. I like it like this. Who has time for Thanksgiving anyway? Maybe we should just move it out of the way, and officially start the Christmas (yea or holiday) the day after Labor Day weekend. Come to think of it, who needs Labor Day weekend? What if....
If everyone would just take it easy, and be Thankful and celebrate Thanksgiving for what it is ment for, then maybe we wouldn't all be in such a hurry to get the Gap. That is what I was thinking as I continued my trek home. I couldn't wait to tell my wife how we weren't going to be like everyone else in our little suburbia. As I entered our house, my wife and daughter were proudly hanging lights on our Christmas tree. Oh well, there is always next year. And Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Facelift in progress!
Our regular readers (basically, me!) will have noticed a few changes on the site. We've recently upgraded our server space to allow for multiple pages and images.
This page will be the "home" page, and will contain general comments on the state of life. The other pages will feature topic-driven commentary. Currently there is a Television page and a Politics page. Coming soon: Movies, Sports, Fashion and...? Well, you'll just have to come back and see.
Our team is slowly growing as well. WadeMC, from somewhere deep in Texas (don't mess with 'em!) has posted his thoughts on the HBO series, "The Sopranos". Hopefully we'll soon hear from the other members of the team.
Also note the "ServuStat" logo on the top of the home page. If you click on the logo, you'll be able to see how many visitors we've had, along with a bevy of other information. Try it, it's fun!
Thanks for dropping by, and as always, feel free to tell us what you think...because we're CERTAINLY going to tell you what WE think!
Paul
Our regular readers (basically, me!) will have noticed a few changes on the site. We've recently upgraded our server space to allow for multiple pages and images.
This page will be the "home" page, and will contain general comments on the state of life. The other pages will feature topic-driven commentary. Currently there is a Television page and a Politics page. Coming soon: Movies, Sports, Fashion and...? Well, you'll just have to come back and see.
Our team is slowly growing as well. WadeMC, from somewhere deep in Texas (don't mess with 'em!) has posted his thoughts on the HBO series, "The Sopranos". Hopefully we'll soon hear from the other members of the team.
Also note the "ServuStat" logo on the top of the home page. If you click on the logo, you'll be able to see how many visitors we've had, along with a bevy of other information. Try it, it's fun!
Thanks for dropping by, and as always, feel free to tell us what you think...because we're CERTAINLY going to tell you what WE think!
Paul
Monday, November 18, 2002
File sharing is not theft.
Technology giveth and technology taketh away.
Remember when dual-cassette decks were all the rage? What you might not remember is that just before these devices became popular, the music industry was very concerned about the potential impact on pre-recorded cassette sales…until they realized that the future was in Compact Discs. Indeed, CDs were just starting to rise in popularity when the dual-cassette recorders became a standard fixture in boomboxes and stereos across the nation. So the music industry didn't really care if you borrowed your friend's Steely Dan cassette and helped yourself to a copy. The industry was well aware that an analog dub would be sonically inferior to the original tape, so they weren't too worried.
Now the technology exists to make a virtually identical copy of any CD. So I can have a copy of my friend's AC/DC CD without paying for it. How can this be considered theft? My friend lent me the thing, and I copied it. That's what friends are for!
Now say my "friend" lives in Iceland, and he has the latest Bjork CD, and I want a copy of it (don't ask why). File sharing makes this possible, using the Internet. But is it theft? Of course not, it's the same damn thing! What if it's not really my friend? What if (shudders!) I NEVER MET THE PERSON BEFORE IN MY LIFE…but I can still access their music database and download a copy of, say, Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run"? Should we both be locked up? I think not. But according to many in the music industry, this is a very, very bad thing.
Well, as a businessperson, anything that adversely affects my profits, either real or potential, is a very, very bad thing. And that's the deal with file sharing as we know it.
The real fact of the matter is this: CDs are too damn expensive. You can buy a blank CD for about 50 cents, and you can buy an artist's biography for about $12, so why in hell should the pre-recorded CD cost 20 bucks?
Let me make myself even clearer here. I have yet to download a single music file. I actually prefer to go to traditional record stores like Tower and Virgin, and spend hours at the listening stations, carefully selecting music that appeals to me. Then I silently curse under my breath that I can't afford all the CDs I want to buy, make my selection, and pay the cashier.
I am not the typical music consumer, though. Pre-recorded music sales are driven by adolescents, teenagers and young adults…the same group that is driving the file sharing phenomenon. People with little real income, other than what mommy and daddy give them, or maybe what they earned at part-time, low-paying jobs. They'd rather spend that money on something they CAN'T get for free…like the latest video game cartridge...or gas for their car. This is the market that joins the fan clubs and attends the concerts and calls the radio request lines and BUYS THE OVERPRICED CDs, even after they have downloaded some of the songs for free. The music industry needs these people, so it doesn't make sense to continue to exploit them as badly as they do.
If CDs cost $5, file sharing wouldn’t even be an issue.
More later…
Paul
Technology giveth and technology taketh away.
Remember when dual-cassette decks were all the rage? What you might not remember is that just before these devices became popular, the music industry was very concerned about the potential impact on pre-recorded cassette sales…until they realized that the future was in Compact Discs. Indeed, CDs were just starting to rise in popularity when the dual-cassette recorders became a standard fixture in boomboxes and stereos across the nation. So the music industry didn't really care if you borrowed your friend's Steely Dan cassette and helped yourself to a copy. The industry was well aware that an analog dub would be sonically inferior to the original tape, so they weren't too worried.
Now the technology exists to make a virtually identical copy of any CD. So I can have a copy of my friend's AC/DC CD without paying for it. How can this be considered theft? My friend lent me the thing, and I copied it. That's what friends are for!
Now say my "friend" lives in Iceland, and he has the latest Bjork CD, and I want a copy of it (don't ask why). File sharing makes this possible, using the Internet. But is it theft? Of course not, it's the same damn thing! What if it's not really my friend? What if (shudders!) I NEVER MET THE PERSON BEFORE IN MY LIFE…but I can still access their music database and download a copy of, say, Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run"? Should we both be locked up? I think not. But according to many in the music industry, this is a very, very bad thing.
Well, as a businessperson, anything that adversely affects my profits, either real or potential, is a very, very bad thing. And that's the deal with file sharing as we know it.
The real fact of the matter is this: CDs are too damn expensive. You can buy a blank CD for about 50 cents, and you can buy an artist's biography for about $12, so why in hell should the pre-recorded CD cost 20 bucks?
Let me make myself even clearer here. I have yet to download a single music file. I actually prefer to go to traditional record stores like Tower and Virgin, and spend hours at the listening stations, carefully selecting music that appeals to me. Then I silently curse under my breath that I can't afford all the CDs I want to buy, make my selection, and pay the cashier.
I am not the typical music consumer, though. Pre-recorded music sales are driven by adolescents, teenagers and young adults…the same group that is driving the file sharing phenomenon. People with little real income, other than what mommy and daddy give them, or maybe what they earned at part-time, low-paying jobs. They'd rather spend that money on something they CAN'T get for free…like the latest video game cartridge...or gas for their car. This is the market that joins the fan clubs and attends the concerts and calls the radio request lines and BUYS THE OVERPRICED CDs, even after they have downloaded some of the songs for free. The music industry needs these people, so it doesn't make sense to continue to exploit them as badly as they do.
If CDs cost $5, file sharing wouldn’t even be an issue.
More later…
Paul
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
Using a Geiger Counter to grocery shop.
What do you think about irradiated food? Is this a good way to ensure safe food or another hidden danger, like cancer-causing cellphones? My sister Cortina tells me that a supermarket chain in the Washington, D.C. area is now promoting irradiated beef as being "free from harmful bacteria". But she brings up a good question: will the radiation itself be harmful, especially after years of accumulation?
I have even more questions. Does this mean that the butchers will have to wear tags like they wear in hospital x-ray rooms, that monitor the amount of radiation a worker is exposed to? Will the butchers have to wear lead-lined aprons? Will this result in a butcher shortage, due to increased butcher work-related injuries from wearing the weighty clothing? And why do the call them "butch" anyway?
And where will the radiation process take place? Will the neighborhood store have to be retro-fitted with lead walls and radiation-hazard signs? Will the presence of radioactive material constitute a threat to community-land security? What if the local gang breaks in and steals it? Will the Crips have the Bomb?! Sorry, I got a little carried away there…
I say it's all unnecessary. If you're a die-hard meat eater, you're used to taking chances. Bacteria, schmacteria. If the grill won't kill it, it's probably not supposed to be eaten.
More later…
Paul
What do you think about irradiated food? Is this a good way to ensure safe food or another hidden danger, like cancer-causing cellphones? My sister Cortina tells me that a supermarket chain in the Washington, D.C. area is now promoting irradiated beef as being "free from harmful bacteria". But she brings up a good question: will the radiation itself be harmful, especially after years of accumulation?
I have even more questions. Does this mean that the butchers will have to wear tags like they wear in hospital x-ray rooms, that monitor the amount of radiation a worker is exposed to? Will the butchers have to wear lead-lined aprons? Will this result in a butcher shortage, due to increased butcher work-related injuries from wearing the weighty clothing? And why do the call them "butch" anyway?
And where will the radiation process take place? Will the neighborhood store have to be retro-fitted with lead walls and radiation-hazard signs? Will the presence of radioactive material constitute a threat to community-land security? What if the local gang breaks in and steals it? Will the Crips have the Bomb?! Sorry, I got a little carried away there…
I say it's all unnecessary. If you're a die-hard meat eater, you're used to taking chances. Bacteria, schmacteria. If the grill won't kill it, it's probably not supposed to be eaten.
More later…
Paul
Friday, November 08, 2002
2002 Professional Athlete of the Year.
It's only November, so technically there's still time for somebody to turn in a phenomenal athletic performance and beat everybody else. Barring that, here's my list of nominees for Professional Athlete of the Year. Keep in mind that I'm only picking athletes from the U.S…just because I can.
Tiger Woods - He had everyone believing that he would win the Grand Slam this year, after his dominating performances in the Open and the TPC. His weather-administered British Open comeuppance only made him look human, something none of his competitors have been able to accomplish. On the links, he's the man.
Lance Armstrong - His fourth straight Tour de France win wasn't as exciting as his first and second…but, Good Lord, FOUR STRAIGHT WINS?! He has NO competition. On the road, he's the man.
Serena Williams - This was the year that she fully stepped out of the shadow of her older sister, Venus. Her decisive win over sis at the US Open was only topped by that form-fitting catsuit she wore. On the court, she's the woman.
Ricky Carmichael - He was the absolutely dominating force in the little-known sport of motocross, achieving the unachievable by winning EVERY SINGLE MOTO IN EVERY SINGLE RACE in the Outdoor National Championship series this year. That's 24 races out of 24! To top it off, out of a total of 365 laps run, Ricky led 352! A stunning performance. On the track, he's definitely the man.
And the award goes to…Ricky Carmichael! If you know how I feel about motocross, you probably saw that coming. Let me know who I left out, and maybe I'll post them.
More later…
Paul
It's only November, so technically there's still time for somebody to turn in a phenomenal athletic performance and beat everybody else. Barring that, here's my list of nominees for Professional Athlete of the Year. Keep in mind that I'm only picking athletes from the U.S…just because I can.
Tiger Woods - He had everyone believing that he would win the Grand Slam this year, after his dominating performances in the Open and the TPC. His weather-administered British Open comeuppance only made him look human, something none of his competitors have been able to accomplish. On the links, he's the man.
Lance Armstrong - His fourth straight Tour de France win wasn't as exciting as his first and second…but, Good Lord, FOUR STRAIGHT WINS?! He has NO competition. On the road, he's the man.
Serena Williams - This was the year that she fully stepped out of the shadow of her older sister, Venus. Her decisive win over sis at the US Open was only topped by that form-fitting catsuit she wore. On the court, she's the woman.
Ricky Carmichael - He was the absolutely dominating force in the little-known sport of motocross, achieving the unachievable by winning EVERY SINGLE MOTO IN EVERY SINGLE RACE in the Outdoor National Championship series this year. That's 24 races out of 24! To top it off, out of a total of 365 laps run, Ricky led 352! A stunning performance. On the track, he's definitely the man.
And the award goes to…Ricky Carmichael! If you know how I feel about motocross, you probably saw that coming. Let me know who I left out, and maybe I'll post them.
More later…
Paul
It never rains in Southern California. So why is my driveway wet?
Ah ha! There is life out there. My friend Ondine weighed in on the Ryder case, correctly pointing out that one of the members of the jury panel was former Sony Pictures President Peter Guber. How'd he swing that? Are these Hollywood types so powerful that they can influence jury selection, or was it sheer coincidence?
More later…
Paul
Ah ha! There is life out there. My friend Ondine weighed in on the Ryder case, correctly pointing out that one of the members of the jury panel was former Sony Pictures President Peter Guber. How'd he swing that? Are these Hollywood types so powerful that they can influence jury selection, or was it sheer coincidence?
More later…
Paul
Thursday, November 07, 2002
Get convicted, go to jail.
So Winona "Moustache" Ryder goes shopping one day at Saks, and decides to do a little shoplifting because she was "preparing for a movie role". Okay, whatever. She gets her day in court and gets convicted of grand theft. Now the prosecutor is saying that she doesn't want Winona to go to jail, just a little probation here and a little community service there and Voila! Justice has been served!
Tell it to the kids serving time for stealing food to eat.
Tell it to the mother of three doing LIFE because her "third strike" was lifting a carton of cigarettes.
Here's a list of items Ms. Ryder was convicted of stealing:
* Gucci dress (white): $1,595
* Marc Jacobs thermal top: $760
* Yves Saint Laurent blouse: $750
* Natori handbag: $540
* Dolce & Gabbana handbag: $525
* Eric Javitz hat: $350
* Eric Javitz hat: $225
* Rhinestone hair band (black): $140
* Rhinestone ponytail holder (black): $120
* Rhinestone hairclip (black): $110
* Rhinestone hair bow (black): $110
* Cashmere blend socks (beige): $80
* Beaded purse, two (black): $55 each
* Saks socks, two pair (cream): $38 each
* Donna Karan socks, one pair (brown): $20
* Calvin Klein socks, two pair (gray): $16.50 each
* Calvin Klein socks, one pair (purple): $16.50
The prosecutor says she won't seek jail time because it's a first offense. I understand that, and I hope, if ever I am convicted of a crime, they'll go easy because I have never been convicted of anything before. But in a case that was so ridiculously visible, what type of message are we sending? That rich Hollywood starlets can steal from ritzy department stores and not get sent to jail?
Oh. Message sent and received.
More later...
Paul
So Winona "Moustache" Ryder goes shopping one day at Saks, and decides to do a little shoplifting because she was "preparing for a movie role". Okay, whatever. She gets her day in court and gets convicted of grand theft. Now the prosecutor is saying that she doesn't want Winona to go to jail, just a little probation here and a little community service there and Voila! Justice has been served!
Tell it to the kids serving time for stealing food to eat.
Tell it to the mother of three doing LIFE because her "third strike" was lifting a carton of cigarettes.
Here's a list of items Ms. Ryder was convicted of stealing:
* Gucci dress (white): $1,595
* Marc Jacobs thermal top: $760
* Yves Saint Laurent blouse: $750
* Natori handbag: $540
* Dolce & Gabbana handbag: $525
* Eric Javitz hat: $350
* Eric Javitz hat: $225
* Rhinestone hair band (black): $140
* Rhinestone ponytail holder (black): $120
* Rhinestone hairclip (black): $110
* Rhinestone hair bow (black): $110
* Cashmere blend socks (beige): $80
* Beaded purse, two (black): $55 each
* Saks socks, two pair (cream): $38 each
* Donna Karan socks, one pair (brown): $20
* Calvin Klein socks, two pair (gray): $16.50 each
* Calvin Klein socks, one pair (purple): $16.50
The prosecutor says she won't seek jail time because it's a first offense. I understand that, and I hope, if ever I am convicted of a crime, they'll go easy because I have never been convicted of anything before. But in a case that was so ridiculously visible, what type of message are we sending? That rich Hollywood starlets can steal from ritzy department stores and not get sent to jail?
Oh. Message sent and received.
More later...
Paul
What is the deal with motorcycles in America?
Why are so many people just flat-out against motorcycles? I’m not just talking about casual indifference, or even a well-reasoned preference for 4 wheels. But many people in America harbor an irrational fear of motorcycles that often verges on outright hatred.
It is true that many Americans have been killed and maimed in motorcycle accidents. People who experience, directly or indirectly, any type of tragedy tend to avoid opportunities to repeat the horror. But that’s not always the case, for many more folks are killed and maimed in automobile accidents, bus accidents, train accidents, airline accidents, boating accidents in this country than are injured in motorcycle accidents. Yet they continue to participate in these activities
More people die in their bathtubs each year, than die in motorcycle accidents, but there have been no calls to outlaw bathtubs. More people burn to death in their homes, than die in motorcycle accidents. More people kill other people with blunt instruments, than die in motorcycle accidents. Yet motorcycles have been virtually vilified in this country for over 50 years. And it all started after W.W.II...
So what is the deal with the motorcycle hatred? How is it that General Motors, one of the largest companies in the World, a veritable transportation colossus, maker of cars, trucks, tractors, busses, (fucking satellites, even!), not be a part of the worldwide motorcycle industry? The same question can be asked of that other giant American automaker, Ford. What are they thinking?
This stands in stark contrast to the other worldwide auto companies. Daimler/Chrysler does not make motorcycles, but the guy who founded Daimler/Benz also invented the first motorcycle, so they get an honorable mention. Bayerische Motoren Werken, a.k.a. BMW, is known around the world for their fine cars and motorcycles. And of course Honda, a recognized leader in automobile and motorcycle technology and sales, is often credited for jump-starting the modern American motorcycle industry.
The Europeans, the Japanese, and the rest of the world obviously do not share the American sentiment towards motorcycles. So what is the deal?
Ask yourself. Or let me ask you this: Do you ride? Have you ever been on a bike? Was it fun? Were you scared? Would you do it again?
I can no longer remember exactly how I fell in love with riding, maybe it was a gradual thing but it seems like I’ve always been into bikes. I mean, look at them! How can anyone fix their gaze on a parked, freshly washed motorcycle of any type and not like it? A transportation device of the highest order, nicer than the nicest bicycle, but with the same feeling of being connected with the environment. On a motorcycle, not being closed in a cockpit, you experience moving. You feel the scenery going by, rather than just watch it. You’re not on the road, you’re in the road.
Going down a shady lane on a warm, late Fall afternoon, with the setting sun peeking out between the trees, in a sporty convertible, is a dream. Doing it on a nice motorbike, with your honey snuggled up behind you holding on tight, is almost heaven. Doing it with your significant other riding next to you on his/her own bike is even better. Huh?
Because in order to share the experience, you really have to share it. You both have to ride, in order to know what it’s like to ride. Then you can make those outings on just one bike even more romantic...
You know what, though? A lot of Americans will never experience this because so many Americans have a major problem with the entire concept of rolling down the street on a motorized two-wheeler. And it’s not the bikers, or the Hells Angels or anything like that. What used to be a so-called “bad image” for motorcycling has been it’s fastest growing segment for a while amongst the rich white elite. Think of Jay Leno on one of his Harleys leading the Annual Love Ride in California and you get the picture. Even the late founder of Forbes Magazine, Malcolm Forbes, helped fuel the yuppie demand for the last remaining classic American motorcycle company (Motor Company is what Harley Davidson calls itself).
And it’s a shame, because we are missing out on a great opportunity to be proactive about the environment, without a whole lot of sacrifice. If mass transportation really worked, as a nationwide solution, that might be a great thing. But it doesn’t because most of us highly value our personal freedom to come and go as we please. Personal transportation is the hallmark of freedom in not only this country, but many others as well.
Look no further than Germany and Japan. Relatively small countries where space is at a premium. As mentioned before, they collectively produce the world’s finest cars and bikes. And their citizens regard and embrace motorcycles as the inexpensive and efficient, yet stylishly elegant personal transportation devices that they have become.
And here in America, we can build Cadillacs and Corvettes, supersonic jets and Space Shuttles, but we haven’t some much as squeaked out a decent scooter. Oh yeah, we have Harley, and a couple of very obscure dirt bike companies. But no one really capitalizing on a perfect market opportunity.
Wake up, America! Do us all a favor: go learn how to ride a small motorcycle. Use that for your little errands to the store, for your shorter commutes to work. Use less gas, foul less air, have more fun. Enjoy this world as you travel through it, not just when you get to the destination.
The auto manufacturers are promoting tiny electric cars as “green” personal transportation devices. Same thing as a regular car, only smaller, slower, with a shorter range. Motorcycles are much more practical, and almost as green. And an electric motorcycle will be even more efficient than it’s 4-wheel counterpart.
Is it clear yet? We need to start thinking, seriously, about what we have been, and continue, to do to our world. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Motorcycling is right for our time.
More later…
Paul
Why are so many people just flat-out against motorcycles? I’m not just talking about casual indifference, or even a well-reasoned preference for 4 wheels. But many people in America harbor an irrational fear of motorcycles that often verges on outright hatred.
It is true that many Americans have been killed and maimed in motorcycle accidents. People who experience, directly or indirectly, any type of tragedy tend to avoid opportunities to repeat the horror. But that’s not always the case, for many more folks are killed and maimed in automobile accidents, bus accidents, train accidents, airline accidents, boating accidents in this country than are injured in motorcycle accidents. Yet they continue to participate in these activities
More people die in their bathtubs each year, than die in motorcycle accidents, but there have been no calls to outlaw bathtubs. More people burn to death in their homes, than die in motorcycle accidents. More people kill other people with blunt instruments, than die in motorcycle accidents. Yet motorcycles have been virtually vilified in this country for over 50 years. And it all started after W.W.II...
So what is the deal with the motorcycle hatred? How is it that General Motors, one of the largest companies in the World, a veritable transportation colossus, maker of cars, trucks, tractors, busses, (fucking satellites, even!), not be a part of the worldwide motorcycle industry? The same question can be asked of that other giant American automaker, Ford. What are they thinking?
This stands in stark contrast to the other worldwide auto companies. Daimler/Chrysler does not make motorcycles, but the guy who founded Daimler/Benz also invented the first motorcycle, so they get an honorable mention. Bayerische Motoren Werken, a.k.a. BMW, is known around the world for their fine cars and motorcycles. And of course Honda, a recognized leader in automobile and motorcycle technology and sales, is often credited for jump-starting the modern American motorcycle industry.
The Europeans, the Japanese, and the rest of the world obviously do not share the American sentiment towards motorcycles. So what is the deal?
Ask yourself. Or let me ask you this: Do you ride? Have you ever been on a bike? Was it fun? Were you scared? Would you do it again?
I can no longer remember exactly how I fell in love with riding, maybe it was a gradual thing but it seems like I’ve always been into bikes. I mean, look at them! How can anyone fix their gaze on a parked, freshly washed motorcycle of any type and not like it? A transportation device of the highest order, nicer than the nicest bicycle, but with the same feeling of being connected with the environment. On a motorcycle, not being closed in a cockpit, you experience moving. You feel the scenery going by, rather than just watch it. You’re not on the road, you’re in the road.
Going down a shady lane on a warm, late Fall afternoon, with the setting sun peeking out between the trees, in a sporty convertible, is a dream. Doing it on a nice motorbike, with your honey snuggled up behind you holding on tight, is almost heaven. Doing it with your significant other riding next to you on his/her own bike is even better. Huh?
Because in order to share the experience, you really have to share it. You both have to ride, in order to know what it’s like to ride. Then you can make those outings on just one bike even more romantic...
You know what, though? A lot of Americans will never experience this because so many Americans have a major problem with the entire concept of rolling down the street on a motorized two-wheeler. And it’s not the bikers, or the Hells Angels or anything like that. What used to be a so-called “bad image” for motorcycling has been it’s fastest growing segment for a while amongst the rich white elite. Think of Jay Leno on one of his Harleys leading the Annual Love Ride in California and you get the picture. Even the late founder of Forbes Magazine, Malcolm Forbes, helped fuel the yuppie demand for the last remaining classic American motorcycle company (Motor Company is what Harley Davidson calls itself).
And it’s a shame, because we are missing out on a great opportunity to be proactive about the environment, without a whole lot of sacrifice. If mass transportation really worked, as a nationwide solution, that might be a great thing. But it doesn’t because most of us highly value our personal freedom to come and go as we please. Personal transportation is the hallmark of freedom in not only this country, but many others as well.
Look no further than Germany and Japan. Relatively small countries where space is at a premium. As mentioned before, they collectively produce the world’s finest cars and bikes. And their citizens regard and embrace motorcycles as the inexpensive and efficient, yet stylishly elegant personal transportation devices that they have become.
And here in America, we can build Cadillacs and Corvettes, supersonic jets and Space Shuttles, but we haven’t some much as squeaked out a decent scooter. Oh yeah, we have Harley, and a couple of very obscure dirt bike companies. But no one really capitalizing on a perfect market opportunity.
Wake up, America! Do us all a favor: go learn how to ride a small motorcycle. Use that for your little errands to the store, for your shorter commutes to work. Use less gas, foul less air, have more fun. Enjoy this world as you travel through it, not just when you get to the destination.
The auto manufacturers are promoting tiny electric cars as “green” personal transportation devices. Same thing as a regular car, only smaller, slower, with a shorter range. Motorcycles are much more practical, and almost as green. And an electric motorcycle will be even more efficient than it’s 4-wheel counterpart.
Is it clear yet? We need to start thinking, seriously, about what we have been, and continue, to do to our world. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Motorcycling is right for our time.
More later…
Paul
Wednesday, November 06, 2002
Heard about motocross? Want to know more about it? Check out this article: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/4452199.htm
More later...
Paul
Tuesday, November 05, 2002
In honor of the principle that everyone has opinions about the things they have experienced, we present, for your unhurried scrutiny, ours.
We are The Critics.
Every week, we will offer our individual opinions, by relating our experiences in this world that we share with you. You might share our opinions about a common experience, and you may be entertained by our opinions about things you have yet to experience. Or not. You may become mildly amused, or even vehemently angry with our opinions. That’s okay. We will probably feel the same way about your opinions. And we welcome them.
As The Critics, we intend to cover a wide variety of topics, but no matter what the subject, we intend to honestly convey our true opinions. A new movie out? We’ll tell you what we think. A big sporting event happening? We’ll tell you what we think. A new CD released? We’ll tell you what we think.
But we are not reviewers. We are not journalists. We are not reporters. We are essayists. We are editorialists.
We are The Critics.
We are men and women. Citizens of the U.S. Freedom Lovers. We are just like you. Our families are not famous. We are not rich (yet). Our lives are pretty normal, and as the Web becomes more ubiquitous, we will become even....commonplace.
But we will always have our opinions. And so will you.
We are The Critics. Telling you what we think.
More later...
Paul
We are The Critics.
Every week, we will offer our individual opinions, by relating our experiences in this world that we share with you. You might share our opinions about a common experience, and you may be entertained by our opinions about things you have yet to experience. Or not. You may become mildly amused, or even vehemently angry with our opinions. That’s okay. We will probably feel the same way about your opinions. And we welcome them.
As The Critics, we intend to cover a wide variety of topics, but no matter what the subject, we intend to honestly convey our true opinions. A new movie out? We’ll tell you what we think. A big sporting event happening? We’ll tell you what we think. A new CD released? We’ll tell you what we think.
But we are not reviewers. We are not journalists. We are not reporters. We are essayists. We are editorialists.
We are The Critics.
We are men and women. Citizens of the U.S. Freedom Lovers. We are just like you. Our families are not famous. We are not rich (yet). Our lives are pretty normal, and as the Web becomes more ubiquitous, we will become even....commonplace.
But we will always have our opinions. And so will you.
We are The Critics. Telling you what we think.
More later...
Paul
Here's an example of BAD WRITING (as if there's not enough of it already on the web)...
The bottle was iffy in a crazy sort of way. Plastic, like all the others, but big and not nearly as translucent as it had expected to be. Very silly of me to think that it actually cares, it’s just a 1.5 liter bottle of Aquafina.
Why am I drinking it? Why did I buy it, it’s more expensive than the others? I bought it on the way to the track, and I had stocked up on caffeine and sugar, and thought I should probably get something to drink at the track…duh? So, only a liter and a half for a dusty day riding motocross in the sun and heat. Hmmm, good thinking.
But the bottle’s here now, more than a week, no, almost a week later and still almost half full. Big time drinker, ain’t I? Well, now, after a few days in the fridge, the temp is just about as cool as when I first purchased it, and the taste…just like cold water. Wow.
But why this brand…because of the writing on the label, “Purity Guaranteed”…what the heck does that mean? "We assure you, sir, it’s purely water!!"
Moving to California, I was floored that we were expected to purchase water to drink. My life had not prepared me for that. But as goes California, so goes the nation, or something like that, ‘cause my mother will only drink bottled water in D.C. now…hmmm.
I love it. Buck a gallon or more, get your fresh drinking water, ‘cause the shit coming out of your faucet ain’t no good no mo’. Might as well drink your own piss. But this bottled shit, wellllll, it’s SO GOOD…AND GOOD FOR YOU, TOO!! Why, you need to hydrate more…drink a gallon a day, piss your fat away. Who makes up this stuff? The water industry?
And the water industry, where, exactly, are they getting this stuff they’re selling? From the earth, from the sky, from where it’s supposed to be FREE? Stuff I have every right to, but I just can’t bottle it in tres cool decanters and adorn it with risqué labels, and ship it right to your door, in 5 gallon jugs that the neighborhood tomcat pisses on when you’re at work.
More later....
Paul
The bottle was iffy in a crazy sort of way. Plastic, like all the others, but big and not nearly as translucent as it had expected to be. Very silly of me to think that it actually cares, it’s just a 1.5 liter bottle of Aquafina.
Why am I drinking it? Why did I buy it, it’s more expensive than the others? I bought it on the way to the track, and I had stocked up on caffeine and sugar, and thought I should probably get something to drink at the track…duh? So, only a liter and a half for a dusty day riding motocross in the sun and heat. Hmmm, good thinking.
But the bottle’s here now, more than a week, no, almost a week later and still almost half full. Big time drinker, ain’t I? Well, now, after a few days in the fridge, the temp is just about as cool as when I first purchased it, and the taste…just like cold water. Wow.
But why this brand…because of the writing on the label, “Purity Guaranteed”…what the heck does that mean? "We assure you, sir, it’s purely water!!"
Moving to California, I was floored that we were expected to purchase water to drink. My life had not prepared me for that. But as goes California, so goes the nation, or something like that, ‘cause my mother will only drink bottled water in D.C. now…hmmm.
I love it. Buck a gallon or more, get your fresh drinking water, ‘cause the shit coming out of your faucet ain’t no good no mo’. Might as well drink your own piss. But this bottled shit, wellllll, it’s SO GOOD…AND GOOD FOR YOU, TOO!! Why, you need to hydrate more…drink a gallon a day, piss your fat away. Who makes up this stuff? The water industry?
And the water industry, where, exactly, are they getting this stuff they’re selling? From the earth, from the sky, from where it’s supposed to be FREE? Stuff I have every right to, but I just can’t bottle it in tres cool decanters and adorn it with risqué labels, and ship it right to your door, in 5 gallon jugs that the neighborhood tomcat pisses on when you’re at work.
More later....
Paul
Monday, November 04, 2002
My first incomplete thoughts about something...
Getting something for nothing. The bastardization of the American dream.
We Americans generally want to believe that our future is in our own hands. That if we work hard enough and long enough, we will get what we really want: a comfortable home, enough to eat, leisure time, vacations, the good life. The American Dream.
But we also have another longing, as evidenced by the popularity of multi-million dollar lotteries and insipid TV game shows.…we want to get rich quick. We may believe in the Dream, but we really don't want to work for it.
Insurance companies have long played on this. Life insurance is supposed to be "income protection", a way of providing for the family should the breadwinner die unexpectantly. It's almost like winning the lottery…the family did NOT earn the money that the insurance company pays them; in a perverse way, the "got lucky" by having the coverage. In fact, whole life insurance purports to replace a family's "emergency savings" fund. Why save for a catastrophe when your insurance will cover it? Spend, spend!
Let's look at the flip side of this relationship. A family pays insurance premiums for years and never makes a claim. The insurance company reaps the benefit without doing anything. Something for nothing. Well, piece of mind, maybe.
Health care is the same. We have health insurance because we cannot afford medical care, particularly catastrophic coverage. So if we get very ill when we're covered, again, it's like winning at Las Vegas. That major surgery is covered, even though we've only paid a fraction of its cost in premiums. And the industry promotes this because on the flip side, they stand to make much, much more from the members that have good health, but pay anyway.
The only problem is that Life doesn't work this way. For every Cause, there is an Effect. The effect may be delayed, but it cannot be waived. Something for Nothing is an illusion…someone or something will pay the price, and in the healthcare industry, the chickens are coming home to roost.
In healthcare, there are a lot of healthy people who do NOT utilize the services, and a lesser number of not-so-healthy folks who DO. The non-utilizers, in effect, pay for the health care used by the utilizers. In order for a health care insurer to stay solvent, they must maintain a proper ratio of non-utilizers to utilizers. The problem is that the non-utilizers are starting to understand what their role is in this type of system, and they are now willing to change over to health plans that cost them LESS in premiums, but MORE if they actually had to utilize the service. That skews the profit ratio, as the population of non-utilizers begins to shrink, and that gives the insurer two basic choices: raise rates for the remaining members or reduce the population of utilizers to get the ratio back in order.
What we really need to do is get health care costs under control. The fact that a regular person CANNOT AFFORD to pay his own medical bills without the assistance of health insurance borders on the obscene.
More to come...
Paul
Getting something for nothing. The bastardization of the American dream.
We Americans generally want to believe that our future is in our own hands. That if we work hard enough and long enough, we will get what we really want: a comfortable home, enough to eat, leisure time, vacations, the good life. The American Dream.
But we also have another longing, as evidenced by the popularity of multi-million dollar lotteries and insipid TV game shows.…we want to get rich quick. We may believe in the Dream, but we really don't want to work for it.
Insurance companies have long played on this. Life insurance is supposed to be "income protection", a way of providing for the family should the breadwinner die unexpectantly. It's almost like winning the lottery…the family did NOT earn the money that the insurance company pays them; in a perverse way, the "got lucky" by having the coverage. In fact, whole life insurance purports to replace a family's "emergency savings" fund. Why save for a catastrophe when your insurance will cover it? Spend, spend!
Let's look at the flip side of this relationship. A family pays insurance premiums for years and never makes a claim. The insurance company reaps the benefit without doing anything. Something for nothing. Well, piece of mind, maybe.
Health care is the same. We have health insurance because we cannot afford medical care, particularly catastrophic coverage. So if we get very ill when we're covered, again, it's like winning at Las Vegas. That major surgery is covered, even though we've only paid a fraction of its cost in premiums. And the industry promotes this because on the flip side, they stand to make much, much more from the members that have good health, but pay anyway.
The only problem is that Life doesn't work this way. For every Cause, there is an Effect. The effect may be delayed, but it cannot be waived. Something for Nothing is an illusion…someone or something will pay the price, and in the healthcare industry, the chickens are coming home to roost.
In healthcare, there are a lot of healthy people who do NOT utilize the services, and a lesser number of not-so-healthy folks who DO. The non-utilizers, in effect, pay for the health care used by the utilizers. In order for a health care insurer to stay solvent, they must maintain a proper ratio of non-utilizers to utilizers. The problem is that the non-utilizers are starting to understand what their role is in this type of system, and they are now willing to change over to health plans that cost them LESS in premiums, but MORE if they actually had to utilize the service. That skews the profit ratio, as the population of non-utilizers begins to shrink, and that gives the insurer two basic choices: raise rates for the remaining members or reduce the population of utilizers to get the ratio back in order.
What we really need to do is get health care costs under control. The fact that a regular person CANNOT AFFORD to pay his own medical bills without the assistance of health insurance borders on the obscene.
More to come...
Paul
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