Monday, November 27, 2006

Christmas Music

Thanksgiving is over. You know what that means? It isn't just time to do Christmas shopping: no, its also time for Christmas music.

I realize that for years, our economy has made us pretty much accept the fact that Christmas preparations can and will begin before Thanksgiving, to the piotn where Turkey Day has become marginalized to pretty much everyone but Macy's, grocery stores and the NFL. But this phenomenon with Christmas music came about even faster. A few years ago it used to just be that a few radio stations would play some holiday tunes around midnight after Thanksgiving as a joke, and then go back to their regular programming. Now we've got stations playing the stuff 24/7. This wouldn't be too shocking if it was December 20th, but when you start hearing this shit on November 20th, something is definitely wrong.

I actually like a lot of Christmas tunes, especially some of the classics from the 50's. The problem is that when you're playing them every hour for a month straight, you're going to run out of good stuff to play. Thus they subjugate listeners to really obscure (and really horrible) modern junk, as well as attrocious covers. I'll say it again: I don't want to hear any version of Jingle Bell Rock other than the original. Every schmuck who has tried it since puts in way too much fake flair and pizzazz that make it sound like crap. A lot of songs have been written for the season, but not enough to last for such an incredible length of time, and when the covers end up getting more play time, you begin to wonder who the hell is in charge.

Another reason why its such a stupid idea is that no one wants to listen to Christmas music so early. How can anyone get in the "holiday spirit" less than three weeks after Halloween? I just get the impression that they're really just trying to say "We're going to pound this shit into your mind until you have no choice but to force yourself into the mood, so then you go buy lots of stuff and our advertisers are pleased". I can't stadn seeing good music become whored out for the sake of another buck.

My final complaint is the most personal; Christmas music has never been the same since they destroyed 101 CBS FM in New York. The greatest oldies station always picked the classiest songs to play, and waited until just the right time. Now we'll never hear them again, now that JACK-FM has come along and killed good music.

Good thing the only Baltimore stations I know play classic rock, so the only time I have to be subjugated to the holiday sludge is on my way home. Still, I wonder when the Christmas rush will begin in full force before the end of October. At this point it isn't a matter of if, but when.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

An Observation

Today I walked into Gamestop to pick up something cheap and used. Usually its dead quiet at my local store, but this time there was a cute little mob of 3 boys. They were likely middle school aged, and completely unsupervised, as is the case with most children these days. While I hate to sound crass and stereotypical, I wasn't shocked to find all three of them to be rather overweight. They were clamoring around the used games section, one trying to find Gamecube versions of a few titles, the other ones oggling some brand new 360 games while raving about how violent they were. One of them finds his purchase, but of course he doesn't quite have enough money for it, so he tries to peddle a few bucks from his friends. It isn't over then however, since the cashier tell him he can't buy this M rated game without an ID.

I have no idea what happened after that scene. It seems that they left (either with or without a purchase) while I was physically stunned at the $70 price tag on a new copy of Disgaea. I bought my own copy of Tony Hawk Underground and left. As usual, I inspeted the disc on my way out and found the bottom absolutely manhandled. It actually won't play right now, meaning I have to go back tomorrow and point out no employees asked me to pay for their little disc protection racquet and hope they have another copy. I thought my disks were sometimes in bad shape, but this thing makes them look immaculate. The first thing I thought about were those kids. "Someone like those punks probably owned this once. Why the hell can't they keep their shit in good order?"

Every serious gamer on the Internet thinks that the rest of the world is just like them. They think that all the bad press, all the political crackdown from Congress is completely unfounded and undeserved. After all, isn't the average gamer in their mid 20's? I'm starting to belive those reports are as accurate as the ones that claim more women play beause the researchers included Bejewled and Solitaire. I think the truth may really lie in those Gamestop kids. People who's parents can't bother to watch them, spending money they don't earn on games they shouldn't be playing, and treating delicate electronic equipment like playground equipment. The politicians always scream "Think of the Children!", and maybe they should, because for whatever reason, today's youth are an absolute embarassment. For every 15 year old I'd trust with GTA3, there are twenty I wouldn't even give a Sonic game to.

No wonder our industry is in so much constant heat. Young gamers are fucking morons.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Rant Space

I really don't like using my blog for discussing college related topics and opinions. While the internet, or at least this blog, isn't censored, the more I hear stories about employers and administrators scouring the 'web for opinions they don't want to hear, the more I worry. But this is just some plain discussion on a topic, throwing ideas around and whatnot. I think I'm safe this time.

The new issue of the school newspaper has a few articles on the possible smoking ban that may come to Baltimore. Its a hot topic to be sure, but so far I haven't been terribly impressed with the arguments laid out by anti-smokers. I understand their side, and their concerns, and of course a ban wouldn't make smoking illegal. Should it pass, people will just cope with it. What bothers me is the way they argue, the high and mighty stance the writers often take. For example, one writer states that "if you wish to fill your lungs with God knows what, then that is your choice". A good part of that sentence could have been removed, and the point would still have been made, in a much more civil way at that. But instead, they chose to insert that little extra bit of smarminess (I wont' say malice, because that seems far too strong a word) into it. I just can't see myself ever getting into a worthwhile discussion with this kind of person, one that seems to take a fair and balanced approach, yet make sure to throw in just enough words and phrases to give a clear indication as to what they feel, and more importantly, how they feel about their opposition. It is very easy to be objective and fair with a debate, but its even easier to be just a little nasty, and thus screw up your argument. Believe me, I've done it before, and have regretted it.

My other issue is with the complaints about how smoking causes some people to have be disturbed while going out to bars. I completely understand why a non-smoker is disturbed by a haze of smoke in their face. But I'll throw out this proposition; bars have been around a long, long time. Quite frankly, a lot of times they're pretty seedy places, where people drink, smoke, and indulge in vice. It seems odd to take that kind of avenue away from people. Why not just support the creation of clubs or bars that have no smoking, instead of wiping it out everywhere? I just think about these princesses that complain about smoking, and then dress up real fancy and take a cab down York Road to go to Craig's of all places. If they expect a clean and sanitary place to get shitfaced - no, wait, that's an oxymoron. Unless they want to go so some fancy and trendy club. That's an option too.

Smoking should go away from restaurants. It should probably be eliminated from sporting events. But bars? It just seems strange to me, and coming from Loyola students, it just seems like the voice of spoiled kids who expect everything to be nice and neat and on a platter for them, and get upset when this is not the case when they visit America's watering holes. If you don't like it, find somewhere else to drink. Same argument they used, reversed. Seems just as plausible too.

So there we have it. In the end, the ban will certainly come about. And smokers will just do what they can.

And god forbid anyone decry these people for their excessive drinking habits, and how I've seen this cause excessive noise, violence and property damage.