You're a Brave Motherf*****

Over a week ago, Michael Richards, was the topic of all conversation. The former Seinfeld star was performing at a comedy club when hecklers apparently broke him down. In the middle of his show, he began yelling back at a black heckler.

This normally would not be a huge ordeal. A heckler at a comedy club, what news. Richards made himself the headline in many online stories when, instead of ignoring the heckler, he allowed himself to be bothered by the comments and he lashed back.

He shouted, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f****** fork up your ass."

Crude comments show what can happen when a comedian loses control on stage. Under normal circumstances, with an unknown comedian, this would not have been an issue. There would be no story because no one would care about a random comedian making a racist comment, I'm sure it happens all the time.

Richards' former co-star Jerry Seinfeld appeared on the Tonight Show with David Letterman a few days after the incident with Richards occured. He encouraged Richards to appear on the show to submit a formal and public apology. It was then that Richards, via satellite, apologized on national television.

Racist statements stem from racist thoughts.

In his apology he stated, "I'm not a racist, that's what's so insane about this."

Or so he says.

The fact of the matter is this; Richards was pissed and in the heat of the moment he made some racial comments. Richards may insist he is not a racist, but for now, until society figures out the truth, I suggest they stick him upside down with a f****** fork up his ass.

Post Black Friday

Black Friday was HELL!!!!

Or at least it was supposed to be.

Can I first say that Thursday night (Friday morning) was probably the coldest of the season up to that point, yet when I came to work at 4:30am, there was still a line all the way around the building and out onto the sidewalk of El Camino Real. My first thought was that these people are insane. I froze my ass off walking into the building so there is no way I could even imagine standing in the freezing cold over night just to get a good deal on a television. Is it really worth it?

Apparently it was, at least to those that were standing in line.

Here’s how it worked at Best Buy.

The most prominent items we had on sale were plasma and LCD televisions and laptops. At 4am we handed out tickets to the people in line that wanted those items (we handed out as many tickets as we had of the items). Once the store opened, the only way to get a television or a laptop was to have a ticket for that specific item, if you didn’t have a ticket, you were shit out of luck.

Now prior to our doors opening at the shinning hour of 5am, we had a staff meeting where our managers explained to us, that the day was about having fun and they told us not to worry if customers complained, because it was going to happen and there was nothing we could do about.

As the doors opened, I prepared myself for a stampede; however, I was in no one’s path to the product that they wanted and to be honest there was no stampede. What I did see was amusing. The first few people through the door walked—really no thrill there. Then the people with carts started coming in. My co-worker and I laughed, because really, why would you take a cart when there is hardly any room to walk in the store let alone bring a cart. Then we saw the funniest thing. A couple had taken a cart and used it to put there blankets and chairs (that they had been using outside) on. They attempted to run while pushing the cart, but each time they hit a corner they had to stop to put their blankets and chairs back on the cart. They wasted more time trying to keep their stuff in the cart then actually shopping.

I must say, I was entertained just watching people come in the door. Then the interesting stuff started. I have no idea how many customers I pissed off that day, but I guarantee that number is high. I did not intentionally piss them off, but as the day went on, it just happened.

I worked Black Friday about 3 years ago and from what I remembered it was so much fun. People were all over the place and product was all over the place, but no one cared, it was a day for wheeling and dealing. It was a blast.

This year, Black Friday was not the thrill that I remembered it to be.

Yes it was busy and yes it was crazy, but not quite what I expected.

Overall, I must say I am very disappointed in Black Friday, because it really was not that bad. I wanted it to be crazy. I got normality. I wanted a stampede. I got a nice stroll. I wanted something different. I got the same every day routine only with more people.

Maybe next year will be different, but at that point, I may not be in retail any more (at least hopefully).

Degrassi

If you have never heard of Degrassi, then I am honestly not suprised.


Degrassi: The Next Generation is a television show which is set in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the story lines focus on the lives of students that attend (originally) Degrassi Junior High and more prominently Degrassi High School.

The show focuses the trials and tribulations of teenagers in school. Although there are many televisions show on tv which ultimately focus on such topics, Degrassi goes beyond traditionally topics to cover school shootings, lesbian relationships, a gay male struggling to come out to his family, and many other very controversial topics, at least here in the United States.

Degrassi airs on CTV (Canadian Television) and is rebroadcast on The-N, a channel in the United States owned by MTV Networks (Viacom).

Although this show focuses on the lives of teenagers in Canada, I have found it to be extremely relevant to situations we have here in the United States. Issues with teenage drinking, pregnancy, bi-polar disorder, and even child abuse are often discussed on this show. And it is their controversial topics and sex appeal on the show that continues to draw in viewers. Teenagers and young adults today seem to be more interested in a more "real" depiction of teenagers and in today's society that means, sex, drugs, and even more sex. Now although the show never actually shows people having sex, it does allude to the idea or more than one occasion.

As mentioned before there have been many episodes in which controversial themes have presented themselves. These themes are realistic and show ALL the angles on a dangerous and controversial situation. When an episode aired involving a school shooting, Degrassi should the events that led up to the shooting, the thoughts in the shooters head, and the dangers and reprecussions that occured becuase of the event.
A number of different episodes aired in which one of the characters was pregnant. The episodes tracked the girl's relationship with her boyfriend building up to the pregnancy and the events that unravel during, and what they ultimately decide to do with the baby in the end and the reprecussions and emotions involved in the entire process.

Some of the episodes are heartbreaking, their messages are so strong and resounding, that it is hard to imagine that things like this happen in high schools every day inside the country, and based off the fact that Degrassi is based in Canada, I would assume these things even occur outside of the country.

This television, although maybe not the only one of its kind, has a strong message to send to its viewers--you are not alone. If you are ever thinking that you are alone in thinking what it is you do, then think again. Wherever you are, whatever you are thinking, someone else is thinking the same thing too.

For me personally, I may be a lot older than the target audience, but I find the show somewhat on point for how high school was. Okay, so maybe I didn't have a school shooting and I didn't know someone that was bi-polar, and I didn't get pregnant in high school, but I will tell you this. I knew someone that shot himself the night of prom, my sister got pregnant in high school, and the star football player died in a car accident the summer before our senior year (and these things are just the tip of the ice berg).

So my theory is--my school my not be nearly as exciting as Degrassi, and Degrassi may be a little over dramatic, but it is as close to real as you can get without having to put a camera inside a highschool. They cover real issues. They cover what for many people is real life.

So the next time you are channel surfing and you see Degrassi stop and take a look, it may over do it just a bit, but you'll laugh, you'll get involved, and you'll understand.

PS3...The Newest High

Before I get too deep into my post, I must first ask a few simple questions.

Have you ever been camping?
Have you ever played a video game?
Have you ever wanted to buy or bought a video game console?

Now, the tricky question...

Have you ever wanted to buy a video game console so badly that you went camping over night just to be the first person in line when the store opens?

If you have, I must say, you are crazy.
Well, maybe not you, but there are some crazy people out there.

As I arrived at work yesterday (remeber I work at Best Buy), I walked around the corner of the building, from my car to the door, and I almost fell over a tent.
YES! A tent!
Random, right?

Why, you ask?
Well in case you have been living in a bubble for the last few weeks, the only way to explain why they were waiting in line is to simply say, IT'S COMING!!!

Yes, PS3 is on its way.

It is set to be released on Friday, November 17, 2006.
Yes, that is this Friday.

So, please enlighten me as to why people are camping out for almost an entire business week just to get one.
The answer:
MONEY!!!

The systems are selling for $500 and $600 the difference in price being the difference in memory of the player.


Why so expensive?
The newest birth of Playstation has actually become part of the next generation DVD family. Capable of playing Blue-Ray discs, it will be the cheapest Blue-Ray player on the market (the rest starting at $999).
The PS3 will be the highest resolution on the gaming market. It will be the only gaming system to harbor 1080p compatiblity (the highest television resolution in the market).
Yet, does that make the system worth camping out for?
Why not wait?
As I said before, the answer:
MONEY!

Money is the answer because I can almost guarantee that every single one of the people waiting in line outside my work are going to purchase the PS3, turn around, and sell it on E-Bay for two if not three times the price they paid for it. It is like having a black market for video games, with many people willing to pay top dollar for the latest high.


You are probably thinking to yourself how I can possibly relate video games and consoles to drugs. It is simple.
They are both ADDICTING.
They truly are.
When I was younger, and sometimes even now, with my old school (Super) Ninentdo, I have found myself, procrastinating homework by picking up the controller and turning the system on. Each time knowing that I had homework that needed to get done. Each time saying only one more level. After each level, I would tell myself only one more level, one more life, one more secret. After each "one more" time goes by.
Life passes you by.
Soon I look out the window and it is dark.
I check my clock and it's past midnight.
Where did the day go?

Now if that can happen to me, with the insanely old graphics that the SuperNintendo has, I can only imagine what will happen to the people who purchase the PS3.
I can only imagine what is already happening to people in this world.
People so consumed with video games and sitting in front of a television to play a virtual reality role playing game (or for those video gamers out there, an RPG) that they miss the world around them.
I do not understand how people can let real life pass them by for video games.
For--VIRTUAL REALITY.
Is reality that bad?

My suggestion...


Get out of line.
Get a job.
Go back to work.
Stay in school.
Get an education.
And maybe, just maybe, one day you will see that there is more to life than video games.
And if you don't see that, then go work for a video game company, and create video games, at least that is ultimately somewhat productive; however you would be contributing to the addiction.
If nothing else, please just stand up and walk away.
It is not hard.
As I said before,
It is actually

VERY SIMPLE.

Chicken Little says, "The Sky is Falling"

Chicken Little is a genius.
An Evil Genius


He predicted our future.

The Sky truly is falling.
But maybe not for the reasons you think.

It is needless to say that the world is coming to an end.

The world's most perfect couple has filed for divorce.

If you are unaware who I am talking about, I ask you this:
Where have you been all week?



The man known as "Mr. Spears" is no more.
On Tuesday, November 7, 2006, Britney Spears filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences." Spears has filed for full custody of her children allowing Federline visitation rights. She is not requesting child support and would like the court to have each party pay their own attorney's fees.

In case you didn't know, the soon-to-be former Mr. Spears, is none other than Kevin Federline, or better known as K-Fed the almost up and coming rapper.
I say almost up and coming, because he is attempting to launch his career, however, in my opinion he is only feeding off of his marriage to pop mogul Britney Spears.


Spears and Federline married in 2004 and their relationship has since been the focus of Hollywood gossip.
Their relationship has been compared to the relationship between Spears' former beau, Justin Timberlake and Cameronn Diaz.
And now the gossip about a possible reconciliation between Spears and Timberlake is the talk of the town.


I am not sure if people realize it, and maybe I am adding to the hype, which I am sure that I am, but do people realize that there are more important things in life than the divorce of a couple that was doomed to dissipate.
When Timberlake was asked if he had anything to say about the divorce of his former Mickey Mouse Clubber, he simply stated:
"Yeah, there's a war going on in Iraq."

Point Taken

Our society has become so engrossed in the lives of celebrities that we have lost sight on what really matters.
More people vote for the next American Idol than vote for the next President of our country.
Is that something that we, as a country, are proud of?
Me, personally, no.

Yes, I am taking the time to write about the divorce of one of Hollywood's hottest couples, but do I do it on a regular basis.
No

My life, or at least this last week, has been overtaken by "news."
I have not been able to turn on the television or the radio in my car with out hearing about the latest divorce in Hollywood.
Is that news?
Again, my answer is No.

In the words of Justin Timberlake, "...There is a war going on in Iraq."
Forget about what is going on in Hollywood.
Step outside the bubble.
Do not be taken over by the "news" we know today.

Stop caring about the insignificant moments, and create significant ones.

As the title of my post says, "The Sky is Falling." It truly is. Today's society is more involved in the goings on of Hollywood, than the reality that is the future of this country.
From war with Iraq to nuclear threats from North Korea, why is it that we find more people reading gossip columns or magazines than the World section of the newspaper.
What is our World coming to?



And so I say again,
The world is ending, not because Spears is filing for a long awaited divorce, not because Benifer has not existed for years, not because Jen and Brad are no longer together, and certainly not because Justin Timberlake will eventually stop bringing "Sexy Back."
The world is ending becaue no one seems to care.

I leave you again with the words of the famous and rather small
Chicken Little,

"THE SKY IS FALLING"

A Day of Giving, Taking, and lots and lots of Waiting

My last post was not exactly related to the media, it involved more venting about society than relating society to the media. So this will be my post. Hopefully I can find something equally entertaining to discuss.

I've got it.

BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!

For those of you who have never worked in retail, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. The day, at least for workers, from HELL!

It is a day, for some consumers, that is anticipated all year long. A day when products are sold well below cost to draw consumers in to meet revenue budgets and find a new consumer base for the holiday shopping season.

For retailers, it is a day that never ends. A day that marks the beginning of the end. It means no more vacations, no more slow days, no more relaxing during the slow season of retail. It also means more customers, more problems, more returns, more rude customers, and more people looking to get a "deal."



Now, I work in retail, I haven't always, but I did once before and I remember Black Friday well. To me, it means long lines, a long day, and a whole bunch of paperwork (my next post will probably be about weekly ads from an advertisers perspective...I have the idea now, we'll see if I remember it for next time).

Am I prepared for it this year, not at all. Am I looking forward to it, hell yes. I will miss having slow days where all we do is watch football all day long (Sunday's in an electronic store are great). But the fun that comes along with long shifts that go by quickly is exciting and something that I look forward too. Yes, I know, I am a dork, and probably one of a kind, but I don't care. I am okay with it.

I look forward to Black Friday, because it brings back memories. I remember when I was younger, going shopping with my mother first thing in the morning, sleeping in the line until my mom woke me up because the line was moving. However, now, with school and work, waiting in line for a sale seems silly.



Black Friday has become something like a holiday in the United States. People camp out at all the hottest stores waiting for the doors to open. Running like a stampede to get the latest and greatest for the lowest price anyone has ever seen.


Families get together on Thanksgiving to enjoy a wonderful turkey dinner and afterwards, at least in my family, we look at the ads. Not because we plan on shopping in the morning, we just want to see what's out there. We got tired of being one of the crazy people getting up at 3am just to go shopping. It doesn't seem worth it anymore.

Being a full-time student and working full-time has definitely made me appreciate my sleep. Not that I could shop if I wanted to, I work at 4:30 in the morning, but even still, would I if I could. Probably not. But it sure is fun just thinking about the day. And even though I know I can't shop, and knowing that I work all day long, I still look forward to seeing the ads, as I am sure millions of other people do too. Are you one of those people?



Each year, Black Friday is getting more and more dangerous. If y ou are one of the people going shopping that day, or even if you are working, be careful. Watch your feet, protect your belongings, and hang on to your kids--or better yet, leave the unnecessary items at home, that includes kids. Put the credit cards, cell phones, and keys in your pockets and leave everything else at home, its the safest place to be on Black Friday.

Look out, the closer it gets to Christmas, the more advertisers attack.

As for me, I like danger, bring it on!!!

1 + 1 = 2, or does it?

My friend and I were walking around campus today, in between classes, and we came across a stand for the San Jose Spartan Cheerleaders. Apparently, they were having a bake sale. Now my initial reaction to cheerleaders, I must say, is not good. I immediately think that they are not that bright, but in today's society, people can surprise you. So lately I have been trying to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that cheerleaders are smarter than I have always stereotyped them to be.

So my friend and I walk over to this stand to check and see if they are selling anything good. It turns out that they had rice krispies treats and my friend wanted a donut too. So we end up getting two rice krispies treats at $.75 each and one donut at $.75 each. Can you do the math? I will tell you one thing, the cheerleader that helped us sure couldn't.

.75 + .75 = 1.50 + .75 = ???? Oh, yeah, $2.25.

My friend hands her a twenty dollar bill and the look on her face was priceless, she froze, it seemed as though she was unable to comprehend the situation.

$20.00 - $2.25 = ????

So my friend tries to help her out. He hands her $.25. Which to most people would make the math easier. But to a cheerleader, apparently it causes even more confusion.

So the math has come down to this...

$20.25 - $2.25 =

In her words..."he gets $18, right?" After saying so, she looked at her fellow cheerleaders trying to find her answer.

My friend and I both looked at her with shame and disgrace.

As we walked away, we couldn't help but laugh. We both felt bad, but as much as we both try to eliminate the stereotypes we place on cheerleaders, it seems as though, whenever we give them the benefit of the doubt, they shoot us down and make the stereotype worse than it already is.

Is it possible for a cheerleader to make it to a California State University and not understand how to make change for a simple transaction. It confuses me, no wait, it completely baffles me. I worked hard to get my Associates Degree to get here, the only public school in California, that at the time of application, to offer Public Relations as a major. But is it so simple to get in to this school that you don't even have to know how to do math? How does it happen? How do they do it? What has the world come to? It is no wonder why the adults of today's society are so concerned for the education of our youth. I am too.

Not My Cup of Tea

So, apparently metablogging is not my cup of tea, I tried, but I failed. I read Scoble's blog about companies blogging and I attempted to write my own blog about it, but honestly, I either don't have much of an opinion about it, or I'm just have blogging block. I'm not quite sure.

Let me try one more time. Company blogging seems to be something that should be determined on a case by case basis. If a company has even one employee that would be interested in blogging, why stop them. In my opinion, stopping them from blogging would make the company appear to be the bad guy, in a sense.

Blogging is all about opinions, sharing them with others or just writing it out for yourself. Sometimes it is venting, sometimes it is based on something seen, read or even heard. But is it harmful if an employee vents or rants about a hard day at work? NO. How could it be? I work for Best Buy and every once in a while I have a bad day at work. If I were to blog about my day and the crappy customers that I had to deal with, do you really think that would effect the company at all? Probably not. There are some days that I have great days at work and I want to come home and tell someone about it, would it be wrong if I decided to blog about it? No. What if I wanted to blog about the goings on at work, the lastest and greatest things happening, would that be bad? No.

So why is it that Apple does not allow their employees to have a company blog? I don't know, but I will say this, I don't understand what the big deal is; if they want to blog, let them blog. It is not going to hurt any one.

And I must say, blogging about blogging is a lot harder than I thought it would be.