Web 2. woah?

This handy article tells us that Web 2.0 is creating a sea of mediocrity. Sometimes I agree that this is quite accurate. As much as I've found cool stuff on Youtube, I feel that this is the norm rather than the exception with most things on there. There's too much stupid shit from too many stupid people, myself included.

But I fear this article takes the wrong approach to the argument. The fact that wikipedia is so popular has nothing to do with the fact that it can be run by all, but because its free and easy to use. Britannica requires a subscription to view all of its content, and I really don't feel like paying for it. And please don't tell me I'm being lazy and greedy; I'm still the type of person who would gladly go to the library to find books for my research. It was Britannica that decided to move all of their content online. If they're wallowing because of it, they should have realized there was still a demand for regular books.

Memorial Day

I'm not going to lie; I shed a bit of tears for Memorial Day. I always do. Even if I haven't lost anyone close in my life to combat, I've studied history and read the stories of too many veterans to live this day and not think of those who answered the call of duty.

But there was something else that almost made me cry. It can be summed up in this handy image.



If you're in my circle of friends, chances are you don't think there's a god. Sometimes I wish that wasn't the case, because every day I wonder if there is anything that can save this good nation.

Satruday Morning

What does a bored college graduate do on with his spare time while waiting to hear back from employers? For the first time in a long time, I channel surfed this morning, which leads to today's topic: Saturday Morning Cartoons.

We used to watch this shit all the time as children, and when I say "we", I mean anyone who grew up in the 60's-80's. For me, the 'toons of the 80's were classics, stuff I'd still rather watch even now than what usually gets aired on TV. What better way to waste one of two weekend mornings as a child than with mind rotting junk like GI Joe and Transformers?

Apparently a lot, because Saturday Morning is all but dead these days. I mean, it still apparently exists, but it looks so different than what I was used to as a kid that I dare not even consider it to be in the same league. I looked into the subject, and found the usual culprits; video games, cable television, and internet activities now dominate children's activities. Loss of ad revenue has lead to less quality programming. Yada Yada Yada

But there's more to it than just new forms of time killers. Saturday morning is dead thanks to the touchy feely, everyone is a winner world of bad parenting that seemed to sprout up when my brother was growing up. It seems that my favorite decade was a dark period, when children were raised on violence and shameless toy marketing on Saturday mornings. Of course stupid parents didn't realize this until after the supposed damage was done, and decided to change things. They wanted kids to watch educational programming. They realized that families might benefit from genuine quality time. And maybe they should get these kids outside (lot of good that one's doing).

So what are we left with? Discovery Kids for one, which seems to think educational cartoons are actually hip and clever. Oh wait- most of the programs look like reality shows. What better thing to replace brain rotting children's programming than with brain rotting adult programming. And don't forget ABC Kids, which is trying its goddamn hardest to make a mockery of classic Saturdays with a horrible facsimile of programming. Perhaps worst of all is the Secret Slumber Party courtesy of CBS. The last decade has done just about everything to reaffirm to us that its okay to ignore an entire gender on a national level, so long as that gender is not female. At least the 80's had Rainbow Bright and Gem right alongside The Thundercats! By the way, that one's sponsored by AOL. What progress we've made.

I'm sure there's bias coming out here, but I really don't see how this is any better than what the 20-somethings grew up with. My parents never had a problem with my brother's and I watching those old shows; in fact they love them too! (they almost went to see TMNT this year. Almost) They were like that because they never let the TV raise their children. It was a treat among schoolwork, outdoor play, and whatever we did back then. That seems to be a foreign concept to folks these days. Modern kids' programming will teach them, empower them, and occupy them for as long as its on. Did parents really push for this change to better their children, or simply to make their own lives even easier?

Give me Starscream or give me nothing.

Done

Four years and its done. We gave them hell.

Dear god did we give 'em hell.

The Time Warp

Dammit I've been caught in the Time Warp again. You know, that phase you get into in life every so often where time goes so fast, you stare at a textbook for a few moments and all of a sudden eight minutes has gone by. Its frustrating as hell; I'm not sure what it is about college, but its impossible for me to get into a routine. Simple things like checking baseball scores or my fantasy team at a fixed point in the day is something I can only do when holding down a job. College, even with its fixed classtimes, seems to keep me from doing this. Maybe its the many things I have to take care of during the day, or maybe I really do waste too much time. All I know is that it takes time away from the blog :(

Actually, I think I've figured it out; lack of sleep. You get to that point at the end of the semester where you're taking not one but two small naps a day, and when you're sitting on the computer you're too beat to do something as simple as type up a post. Again, I think that goes away once you get back into routine.

In other news, still no job. I'm crossing my fingers and I keep trying. I just wish some employers would be kind enough to reply to my initial emails. Am I really that crummy?

Wind Down

This weekend was Accepted Students weekend at the college. I have no idea how it went or what the incoming class looks like, though in the case of the latter it doesn't take much imagination to imagine the typical wide-eyed Loyola prince or princess. Instead I spent much of my weekend off campus, catching up with alumni friends, and actually going house hunting with one of them. I learned routes to areas in and around Baltimore that I have always known of, but never been to. I got a better understanding of how the city fits together, and what to expect of life when I'm out on my own. Combined with my recent job interviews, the last month has been like a small step towards the door that opens up to that so-called "Real World", and should I be hired by someone in the next month, the door is going to fly open, and there will be no turning around to go home.

Its curious to have these thoughts at the same time that teenagers not much younger than me are starting their own new chapter in life, the same chapter I'm just finishing up. All of the experience they've yet to have, while the things I'll soon encounter haven't even dawned on most of them. I talk to my 18 year old brother, and it never feels like we're that far apart in terms of maturity and responsibility. Yet there he is running around figuring out his high school graduation, while I'm looking to pay for the rent and get my own insurance. I've met many good freshman during this year, and as said year winds down I find myself spending my time around other seniors, people in the same boat as me. For those freshman, the end of spring requires no more hassle than to pick classes and find some girlfriends to live with. Meanwhile I know others looking to buy their own house.

Only a week a ago I visited the doctor for a physical, and in our discussion she mentioned how the difference between 18 and 22 may only be four years, but really it feels like ten. I laughed at the time, but already I feel I agree (though I'd add that it goes by like it was only two). And still, how wided eyed and excited I've been these last few weeks. The changes may be different, the responsibilities greater, but ultimately this was my own version of Accepted Students Weekend (let's call it "close to accepted" for now).

Funny how time works.

American Dad

I'm still of the opinion that Futurama is one of the best comedies of the last decade. Yes, its true that you have to be a real geek to understand all of the jokes, but even then they are often so clever as to make the braniest of the bunch have to think a bit to see what's going on. The "simpsons wannabe" was in truth anything but, and it still saddens me to see that it never got a second chance (I'm not waiting out for those rumored movies).

Now most Futurama fans would continue this tirade by complaining about how wrong it was Family Guy that got renewed instead. As much as I dislike that show, I can understand the reasoning - ratings numbers are very easy to read after all. Instead I'm going to ponder an even worse show; American Dad.

I just watched a full episode last week, and I'm left simply puzzled. There is so much wrong with the show I often wonder if it is serious. It takes the same setup as Family Guy - crazy father and talking nonhuman pal on wild adventures - and takes it even further by making the rest of the characters even more worthless. The jokes are the scraps of pop culture quibbles that weren't good enough for Family Guy, and the "crazy ignorant American" schtick that the show seemed to be based upon was hardly in effect that night. It quite literally feels like the dumping ground for all the bad ideas Seth McFarlane throws away, and despite what some TV critics might say, that's not at all better than the output from other shows.

Let's put it this way - American Dad reminds me of the show "That's my Bush", a show made from the South Park fellas for shits and giggles, not to shake the ratings world by storm. It got canceled, and somehow I believe that was the whole damn point. How American Dad avoided this fate is a mystery.