Bacardi wants us women to look better by standing near a less appealing woman, an ugly girlfriend. They have given us four choices of ugly girlfriends, from which to choose, they even put their pictures up on Facebook.
Honestly, I’m not all that mad at Bacardi. Of course it’s mean, and rude, and insulting to all of us. It defines all women as either having ugly looks, or ugly personalities. Dismissing all of the personal elements of style that make each of us more interesting. That said, they’re just trying to get their name out, and if they can get us women fighting amongst ourselves, well they probably consider that a turn on.
I’m upset with the old white women, who rail against commentators and comedians under the guise of protecting the pampered, privileged and already over protected. They come out in force when a politician’s daughter is slighted, why wouldn’t they come out in force for everyone’s daughters? This was a perfect opportunity. I don’t know if they kept silent because they are not tech savvy, or because it was in fact all women who were insulted. But I do know that it obligates me to make snide remarks over their constant clamp of The Feminine Mystique, and their hyper underscoring of The Scum Manifesto.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Comments
Just so you know, I am glad to get your comments, I really, really am. But there are ways to make your comment more likely to get posted. Just so you know, it is possible for me to post things that include sharp language. It's possible, but it's also unlikely. If you'd like to increase your chance of getting your point posted, particularly if you disagree with my point, may I suggest that you count the ways.
A simple categoric condemnation will not do. Defend your position, attack mine, fine. Just please, up your game. I've put thought into the things I've posted, I ask that you, please do the same.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ensign Resigns
So John Ensign resigned a leadership position and publicly admitted an affair. An affair he had while separated from his wife, with an adult woman whose husband was away, and for this he’s being publicly admonished. He’s said to be a hypocrite. I’m still surprised at the sheer number of hypocrites who condemn hypocrisy.
Bill Clinton pressed his advantage with vulnerable women. When he was finished, he threw those women to the wolves, aided of course by his wife and their many "feminist" friends. No hypocrisy there?
I don’t agree that somebody who tries to live his life morally (even though failure happens) is somehow less moral than somebody who never gave it a thought. Life is long, everybody blows it, most of us more often then we’d like, but that shouldn’t mean that we don’t try. If we give ourselves the chance, we just might surprise even ourselves.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Palin v Letterman
Was David Letteman’s joke out of line? I don’t think so. It certainly wasn’t nice, or classy, of course it was tacky, but is that his fault? It was Sarah Palin who paraded her children, and their imperfections into the spotlight when it suited her. All of the elements of the joke were brought to the table, courtesy of Sarah Palin.
Does that mean she forfeits her right to object? I don’t think so. I do think that Sarah Palin, anybody in such a situation, needs to be aware of her own responsibilities in such matters.
I was also struck by the absence of Alex Rodriguez in all of this. Why didn’t Sarah Palin pick up the phone, and call the slugger? Imagine, how much more effective it would have been if A-Rod had simply mentioned that he was the father of daughters himself, and that the girl, was just a girl?
Is David Letterman a dirty old dinosaur whose best is behind him? Sure. But he wasn’t trying to do anything other than be funny. Being funny is hard for anyone; it’s especially hard when you’re David Letterman.
Every woman, no matter her age or imperfections, is on the list of women that men would like to have every one of us is on that list. Men will always want to have sex with women, it’s neither a compliment, nor an insult, it’s just a given. It’s not going to change.
We do live in this world, as imperfect as it is, it’s home.
Does that mean she forfeits her right to object? I don’t think so. I do think that Sarah Palin, anybody in such a situation, needs to be aware of her own responsibilities in such matters.
I was also struck by the absence of Alex Rodriguez in all of this. Why didn’t Sarah Palin pick up the phone, and call the slugger? Imagine, how much more effective it would have been if A-Rod had simply mentioned that he was the father of daughters himself, and that the girl, was just a girl?
Is David Letterman a dirty old dinosaur whose best is behind him? Sure. But he wasn’t trying to do anything other than be funny. Being funny is hard for anyone; it’s especially hard when you’re David Letterman.
Every woman, no matter her age or imperfections, is on the list of women that men would like to have every one of us is on that list. Men will always want to have sex with women, it’s neither a compliment, nor an insult, it’s just a given. It’s not going to change.
We do live in this world, as imperfect as it is, it’s home.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Farce
James Carville, a guy who made his name by calling other people names, is making the rounds, hawking a book entitled “40 More Years, How Democrats will Rule the Next Generation.” He’s photoshopped on the cover with his arm around Barrack Obama. The whole thing is a farce. James Carville did everything he could to prevent Barrack Obama from becoming president, and now he wants ride his popularity all the way to the bank. Shameful.
The premise of this silly book is that because the Democrats have the young voters, they will keep them. This is a fallacy. Everybody is a liberal when they’re young. When you’re in your twenties, the world is a place where advantages shouldn’t matter, where there should be compensations for disadvantages. Everything is supposed to be fair.
When you get a little older, and your parents begin to retract that amazing safety net you’d so long enjoyed, your ideas begin to evolve. Now you’re paying all your own bills, you’ve got a mortgage, and you’ve probably got people counting on you.
People will age into a more conservative set of ideals when they have more responsibilities, just as they always have before. It isn’t dependant on their religion, or the color of their skin, it never has been. It’s always about what’s best for your family.
Carville is using this book to promote his polling firm. The numbers are useless. So the proportion of white married Christians has changed, so what? Everybody wants a nice home, in a good neighborhood, where their children can grow up safe, and advantaged. To say that is the exclusive aspiration of white married Christians is to play the race card, rather sloppily.
People are still crediting Carville for “It’s the economy, stupid.” The truth is, people have been voting their wallets since people have been voting. James Carville didn’t come up with the concept, he was simply more rude when he said it.
By the way, the dingy duo, James Carville and Mary Matlin are once again trying to do for Crystal Cruises what Kathy Lee Gifford did for Carnival, the Fun Ships! Actually, what they’re really trying to do is get a discount rate for their own $40,000 vacation. Just saying.
The premise of this silly book is that because the Democrats have the young voters, they will keep them. This is a fallacy. Everybody is a liberal when they’re young. When you’re in your twenties, the world is a place where advantages shouldn’t matter, where there should be compensations for disadvantages. Everything is supposed to be fair.
When you get a little older, and your parents begin to retract that amazing safety net you’d so long enjoyed, your ideas begin to evolve. Now you’re paying all your own bills, you’ve got a mortgage, and you’ve probably got people counting on you.
People will age into a more conservative set of ideals when they have more responsibilities, just as they always have before. It isn’t dependant on their religion, or the color of their skin, it never has been. It’s always about what’s best for your family.
Carville is using this book to promote his polling firm. The numbers are useless. So the proportion of white married Christians has changed, so what? Everybody wants a nice home, in a good neighborhood, where their children can grow up safe, and advantaged. To say that is the exclusive aspiration of white married Christians is to play the race card, rather sloppily.
People are still crediting Carville for “It’s the economy, stupid.” The truth is, people have been voting their wallets since people have been voting. James Carville didn’t come up with the concept, he was simply more rude when he said it.
By the way, the dingy duo, James Carville and Mary Matlin are once again trying to do for Crystal Cruises what Kathy Lee Gifford did for Carnival, the Fun Ships! Actually, what they’re really trying to do is get a discount rate for their own $40,000 vacation. Just saying.
Monday, April 27, 2009
American as Capitalism
So Mike Piazza caught another ceremonial pitch from Tom Seaver. They played up their bromance at Citifield for all to see. Piazza was protected from the big bad media. He claims that he is a private person. Well if he wants to be a private person, let another of the Mets catchers, Carter, or Grote or somebody else, catch the ceremonial first pitch.
I remember, 1998, at Shea, when Piazza first arrived he’d step to the plate, and the home crowd would boo. After a few times, the Mets would instigate a chant. A drumbeat would sound, to drown out the booing masses and up on the big screen, the “Let’s go Mets” would flash, and parts of the crowd only saw the Diamond Vision, joined in the chant, in short, it worked. You see, Mike Piazza had a big contract with the Mets, although his ego dwarfed his contract, Piazza was the ninth highest paid player in the league. The Mets didn’t (still don’t) want to lose their investment.
This crowd manipulation was particularly cumbersome at the time. The Mets’ production crew was running on a linear system that had only two playout channels, two options of what they were going to show on the big screen. (They upgraded in 2002, lots of goodies, including an instant clip management system, and 19 channels, 19 options, sweet!) By requiring the “Let’s Go Mets” chant in one of its two channels, it divided by half, the options of the technical director. Whether he went to a live shot, or a replay, or a clip or pre-edited sequence from long ago, a decision had to be made, in advance, and stuck with. There was no switching on the fly. The only other channel wasn’t available.
The Mets protected Piazza, they always have. Mike Piazza did not want to answer the steroid question, so the Dwight Gooden graffiti scandal was born. Yes, a successful attempt to control the story, to stop the media griping about the snubbing Piazza gave them.
Why are they still protecting Piazza? Surely they can’t believe that he’s going into the Hall under a Mets cap. He’s not going into the Hall under anybody’s cap. Reporters may not report of his off field antics, due to the need for access, or ethics about deep backgrounds, but they know. (I wouldn’t know they story about the live rat being sent to a reporter, had the Sicilian princess not had my name inscribed on the package’s return address.) The media also know that he was an incomplete player. A DH, with an impressive publicist, and enough family connections to get him in the game.
When Mike Piazza began playing professional baseball, in September of 1992, he was rumored to be a 62nd round draft pick, only chosen as a favor to his brother’s Godfather, Tommy Lasorda. (Also, we’re supposed to believe that Lasorda had only enough juice for a 62nd round draft pick, but whatever.)
And now Tommy Lasorda is vouching for Piazza, big deal. So what else would he do? Tommy Lasorda began playing professional ball in 1945. He is not an innocent; he knows everything there is to know about the game. (In unrelated news, it was 1941, when Steve Rogers was injected with a super-solider serum, thus becoming, Captain America.) There isn't anything new under the sun.
In 1994, an extended baseball strike began which eventually cost the league upwards of $600 million dollars, and the goodwill of the public. People had become disenchanted with the game they felt angry and betrayed. Plus, as they didn’t have baseball to spend their time and money, they got used to spending their time and money on other things. When the strike did finally end, the players were not field fit. The small crowds resented the poor performance, and the clubs weren't making any money. The game needed something to juice it up, and a handful of players were eager to take the juice. They wanted to be rich, and famous, the owners wanted the media to focus on something positive, to lure back the crowds and their money.
Steroids seemed perfect. All gain, and no pain. Nobody had a way of testing for steroids, and if you couldn't prove steroid use, you could profit from it, which is what many decided to do. Steve Phillips, who acquired Mike Piazza for the Mets, is using that as a non-defense defense. He's protecting himself; sort of admitting he turned a blind eye, but not quite. He's a member of the media now, and he still needs access. Without it he doesn't have any story to tell. Without a story to tell, how's he supposed to fulfill his contract, and collect his money? It's a circle. Baseball, as American as capitalism.
I remember, 1998, at Shea, when Piazza first arrived he’d step to the plate, and the home crowd would boo. After a few times, the Mets would instigate a chant. A drumbeat would sound, to drown out the booing masses and up on the big screen, the “Let’s go Mets” would flash, and parts of the crowd only saw the Diamond Vision, joined in the chant, in short, it worked. You see, Mike Piazza had a big contract with the Mets, although his ego dwarfed his contract, Piazza was the ninth highest paid player in the league. The Mets didn’t (still don’t) want to lose their investment.
This crowd manipulation was particularly cumbersome at the time. The Mets’ production crew was running on a linear system that had only two playout channels, two options of what they were going to show on the big screen. (They upgraded in 2002, lots of goodies, including an instant clip management system, and 19 channels, 19 options, sweet!) By requiring the “Let’s Go Mets” chant in one of its two channels, it divided by half, the options of the technical director. Whether he went to a live shot, or a replay, or a clip or pre-edited sequence from long ago, a decision had to be made, in advance, and stuck with. There was no switching on the fly. The only other channel wasn’t available.
The Mets protected Piazza, they always have. Mike Piazza did not want to answer the steroid question, so the Dwight Gooden graffiti scandal was born. Yes, a successful attempt to control the story, to stop the media griping about the snubbing Piazza gave them.
Why are they still protecting Piazza? Surely they can’t believe that he’s going into the Hall under a Mets cap. He’s not going into the Hall under anybody’s cap. Reporters may not report of his off field antics, due to the need for access, or ethics about deep backgrounds, but they know. (I wouldn’t know they story about the live rat being sent to a reporter, had the Sicilian princess not had my name inscribed on the package’s return address.) The media also know that he was an incomplete player. A DH, with an impressive publicist, and enough family connections to get him in the game.
When Mike Piazza began playing professional baseball, in September of 1992, he was rumored to be a 62nd round draft pick, only chosen as a favor to his brother’s Godfather, Tommy Lasorda. (Also, we’re supposed to believe that Lasorda had only enough juice for a 62nd round draft pick, but whatever.)
And now Tommy Lasorda is vouching for Piazza, big deal. So what else would he do? Tommy Lasorda began playing professional ball in 1945. He is not an innocent; he knows everything there is to know about the game. (In unrelated news, it was 1941, when Steve Rogers was injected with a super-solider serum, thus becoming, Captain America.) There isn't anything new under the sun.
In 1994, an extended baseball strike began which eventually cost the league upwards of $600 million dollars, and the goodwill of the public. People had become disenchanted with the game they felt angry and betrayed. Plus, as they didn’t have baseball to spend their time and money, they got used to spending their time and money on other things. When the strike did finally end, the players were not field fit. The small crowds resented the poor performance, and the clubs weren't making any money. The game needed something to juice it up, and a handful of players were eager to take the juice. They wanted to be rich, and famous, the owners wanted the media to focus on something positive, to lure back the crowds and their money.
Steroids seemed perfect. All gain, and no pain. Nobody had a way of testing for steroids, and if you couldn't prove steroid use, you could profit from it, which is what many decided to do. Steve Phillips, who acquired Mike Piazza for the Mets, is using that as a non-defense defense. He's protecting himself; sort of admitting he turned a blind eye, but not quite. He's a member of the media now, and he still needs access. Without it he doesn't have any story to tell. Without a story to tell, how's he supposed to fulfill his contract, and collect his money? It's a circle. Baseball, as American as capitalism.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Off the mark
So Ralph Alter is upset with Susan Estrich, but for all the wrong reasons. He totally misunderstood the meaning of Susan Estrich’s Mr. Cool piece. He doesn’t seem to realize that the entire piece was designed to undermine the president, towards the end of elevating her friend, Hillary Clinton.
In the first paragraph, she suggests that Obama might be nervous and insecure, and then lists the reasons why nobody would blame him for feeling nervous and insecure.
Second paragraph; everybody makes mistakes, Obama’s already making mistakes, but as he doesn’t seem fazed by it, he’s either already out of touch, or misleading everybody, and that makes him dishonest.
After that, there are three paragraph-type things, dismissing his smarts, and emphasizing how articulate he is, and the superficiality of his style. The line “President Barrack Obama is in charge” really does read as a temporary surrender, an explanation for bidding one’s time.
She then proceeds to define the role of president, and let us know that she doesn’t know if his policies are good ones, (which is odd, because according to Estrich, she really is an expert on seemingly everything) but she knows he’s got the theater down, so that’s all we can expect.
She others him by declaring the nation scared, insecure, and him confident. Then reduces the value of confidence, by contrasting its definition with the definion of competence.
By repeatedly claiming that the Obamas are young, she is parroting Bill Clinton’s point, when on the campaign trail he called Barrack Obama a kid.
Ralph Atler is off the mark.
In the first paragraph, she suggests that Obama might be nervous and insecure, and then lists the reasons why nobody would blame him for feeling nervous and insecure.
Second paragraph; everybody makes mistakes, Obama’s already making mistakes, but as he doesn’t seem fazed by it, he’s either already out of touch, or misleading everybody, and that makes him dishonest.
After that, there are three paragraph-type things, dismissing his smarts, and emphasizing how articulate he is, and the superficiality of his style. The line “President Barrack Obama is in charge” really does read as a temporary surrender, an explanation for bidding one’s time.
She then proceeds to define the role of president, and let us know that she doesn’t know if his policies are good ones, (which is odd, because according to Estrich, she really is an expert on seemingly everything) but she knows he’s got the theater down, so that’s all we can expect.
She others him by declaring the nation scared, insecure, and him confident. Then reduces the value of confidence, by contrasting its definition with the definion of competence.
By repeatedly claiming that the Obamas are young, she is parroting Bill Clinton’s point, when on the campaign trail he called Barrack Obama a kid.
Ralph Atler is off the mark.
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