Karl Marx is supposed to have stated, "Religion is the opiate of the masses." While I wholeheartedly agree, I am constantly amazed that so many people around the globe have managed to all find their own flavors of opium, so to speak.
This weekend was a veritable smorgasboard of religious holidays. Between Purim, Easter, and Holi, not many folks were spared. It seems rather coincidental that the three lined up so perfectly, especially given that none of them are affixed to a particular date. I can't help but wonder, what is so special about this time of year that so many people feel the need to celebrate?
3.28.2005
3.25.2005
3.22.2005
testosteroni
The real San Francisco treat.
ahem, now that we've gotten that out of the way.
So apparently, I'm a guy. Err, let me back up.
I picked up my mail today, and as is often the case, there was a new magazine waiting for my perusal. I seem to have gotten on some weird mailing list where they decided I need to be enlightened with new subscriptions from time to time, none of which I've paid for. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I've been able to drool over many pictures in Cooking Light this way. What, you want me to actually *cook* the recipes in there? Pshh. You obviously don't know me very well.
Anyways, back to today's magazine. It's an issue of a magazine I've never heard of, Sync. Ignoring the scantily clad, airbrushed model on the cover (because really, what magazine cover doesn't have one of those?), I zoom in on a few snippets of headlines: "Mind-blowing New Gadgets for 2005!" "Free Gear! Flat Screens, DVD Burners, Digital Cameras..." Woohoo, this sounds right up my alley! Eagerly, I dive in, and start flipping through the pages, and... hello. Something's a bit off, and it takes me a minute to figure out what it is. There seem to be just a few too many pictures of lingerie, women in skimpy bathing suits, and columns with topics like Baby Spice's Top 10 Pink Items, replete with a picture of her in a dress slit up to there and cut down to there. I flip back to the cover, and there it is. The explanation. The subtitle. The mission statement, if you will. There, in a font about a tenth of the size of the title, it says, "Stuff for a Man's Life".
Oh, but why. Why, I ask?? This is clearly a geeky gizmo magazine. The content would have survived on its own. I, for one, loved the short interview with Robert Adler, the guy who invented the tv clicker. And the review on noise-cancelling heaphones? Spot on. Those Bose babies are amazing, it's like your life has been transformed into a movie montage. Things are happening "on the screen in front of you", but all you hear is the music of the soundtrack.
But back to Sync. Why did its creators feel the need to window-dress it with "manly stuff" and lose any chance of a female readership? I'm guessing they read this and decided the gals were a lost cause anyways. Ah well, I guess it's a good thing the mail gods have decided I'm a guy. Where else am I going to find out about things like MP3 vending machines?
ahem, now that we've gotten that out of the way.
So apparently, I'm a guy. Err, let me back up.
I picked up my mail today, and as is often the case, there was a new magazine waiting for my perusal. I seem to have gotten on some weird mailing list where they decided I need to be enlightened with new subscriptions from time to time, none of which I've paid for. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I've been able to drool over many pictures in Cooking Light this way. What, you want me to actually *cook* the recipes in there? Pshh. You obviously don't know me very well.
Anyways, back to today's magazine. It's an issue of a magazine I've never heard of, Sync. Ignoring the scantily clad, airbrushed model on the cover (because really, what magazine cover doesn't have one of those?), I zoom in on a few snippets of headlines: "Mind-blowing New Gadgets for 2005!" "Free Gear! Flat Screens, DVD Burners, Digital Cameras..." Woohoo, this sounds right up my alley! Eagerly, I dive in, and start flipping through the pages, and... hello. Something's a bit off, and it takes me a minute to figure out what it is. There seem to be just a few too many pictures of lingerie, women in skimpy bathing suits, and columns with topics like Baby Spice's Top 10 Pink Items, replete with a picture of her in a dress slit up to there and cut down to there. I flip back to the cover, and there it is. The explanation. The subtitle. The mission statement, if you will. There, in a font about a tenth of the size of the title, it says, "Stuff for a Man's Life".
Oh, but why. Why, I ask?? This is clearly a geeky gizmo magazine. The content would have survived on its own. I, for one, loved the short interview with Robert Adler, the guy who invented the tv clicker. And the review on noise-cancelling heaphones? Spot on. Those Bose babies are amazing, it's like your life has been transformed into a movie montage. Things are happening "on the screen in front of you", but all you hear is the music of the soundtrack.
But back to Sync. Why did its creators feel the need to window-dress it with "manly stuff" and lose any chance of a female readership? I'm guessing they read this and decided the gals were a lost cause anyways. Ah well, I guess it's a good thing the mail gods have decided I'm a guy. Where else am I going to find out about things like MP3 vending machines?
3.18.2005
plunge
"Sellout."
"I knew you'd cave."
"It's about time."
"You've gone over to the dark side."
"Just now? You??"
These were warm words I heard after I shared my news. Such encouraging friends I have.
But it was true, I'd been holding out for what seemed like months, employing my delayed gratification attitude to this just like anything else. My reasoning was simple, if I really wanted it, I would still want it later. If not, impulse averted. It's like the second set of ear piercings that I wanted when I was 16. My mother, wise woman that she is, said I wasn't allowed until I was 18, at which point, she'd no longer hold me back if I was still inclined. A mere matter of months later, they had lost their 'coolness' factor. Today, I'm happy with just the regular one set.
But this was no choice in self-mutilation. This was consumerism pure and simple. To buy or not to buy. Last night, it all came to a head. I finally gave in to the urges and threw caution to the wind...
I am now the happy owner of a 6GB silver ipod mini, the second generation with the famed 18hour battery life and all.
le mini
Ain't she purty? I'm pretty sure that's 90% of why I wanted an iPod so badly. Again, I'm a sucker for good marketing. Check out Apple's final words on the display. I thought they were a charming touch though I know they might start Round 3 of a debate at work :)
"I knew you'd cave."
"It's about time."
"You've gone over to the dark side."
"Just now? You??"
These were warm words I heard after I shared my news. Such encouraging friends I have.
But it was true, I'd been holding out for what seemed like months, employing my delayed gratification attitude to this just like anything else. My reasoning was simple, if I really wanted it, I would still want it later. If not, impulse averted. It's like the second set of ear piercings that I wanted when I was 16. My mother, wise woman that she is, said I wasn't allowed until I was 18, at which point, she'd no longer hold me back if I was still inclined. A mere matter of months later, they had lost their 'coolness' factor. Today, I'm happy with just the regular one set.
But this was no choice in self-mutilation. This was consumerism pure and simple. To buy or not to buy. Last night, it all came to a head. I finally gave in to the urges and threw caution to the wind...
I am now the happy owner of a 6GB silver ipod mini, the second generation with the famed 18hour battery life and all.
le mini
Ain't she purty? I'm pretty sure that's 90% of why I wanted an iPod so badly. Again, I'm a sucker for good marketing. Check out Apple's final words on the display. I thought they were a charming touch though I know they might start Round 3 of a debate at work :)
3.11.2005
eyeroll
Slashdot | Women Leaving I.T.
What a pathetic piece of journalism. And yes, I'm referring not only to the original article but to the buffoon that thought it was worth posting on slashdot. Memo to all aspiring journalists out there: If you really don't have enough numbers and statistics to write a story, Don't Write It! Perhaps you should get off your lazy arse and do some real investigative work before attaching your name to it. Some precious gems from the article:
"For male workers, the challenges inherent in I.T. jobs create a feedback loop -- a balance that must be maintained and managed, but that has basically one dimension. For women, however, the very job qualities that strong I.T. employees crave -- challenging projects and rapid, successive skill acquisition -- are causing even more stress."
Oh poor pitiful me, I can't possibly be challenged, do you actually expect me to acquire new skills? Such nerve.
"In addition, noted Armstrong, many of the networking and training opportunities offered to I.T. professionals occur in the evening hours. Men are much more likely to be able to attend these than women."
Uhh... ok. Apparently I turn into a hideous toad after sundown and couldn't possibly attend to anything other than my knitting. Maybe the author is referring to women with children, you say. Okay, fine, you mean to tell me that the father can't spend some quality time with his offspring for a few hours?
Grr. Obviously things like this make my blood boil. I have no problems when it's stated tongue in cheek. But there's just no excuse for this. Don't forget to check out some of the idiotic comments made by the slashdot community.
What a pathetic piece of journalism. And yes, I'm referring not only to the original article but to the buffoon that thought it was worth posting on slashdot. Memo to all aspiring journalists out there: If you really don't have enough numbers and statistics to write a story, Don't Write It! Perhaps you should get off your lazy arse and do some real investigative work before attaching your name to it. Some precious gems from the article:
"For male workers, the challenges inherent in I.T. jobs create a feedback loop -- a balance that must be maintained and managed, but that has basically one dimension. For women, however, the very job qualities that strong I.T. employees crave -- challenging projects and rapid, successive skill acquisition -- are causing even more stress."
Oh poor pitiful me, I can't possibly be challenged, do you actually expect me to acquire new skills? Such nerve.
"In addition, noted Armstrong, many of the networking and training opportunities offered to I.T. professionals occur in the evening hours. Men are much more likely to be able to attend these than women."
Uhh... ok. Apparently I turn into a hideous toad after sundown and couldn't possibly attend to anything other than my knitting. Maybe the author is referring to women with children, you say. Okay, fine, you mean to tell me that the father can't spend some quality time with his offspring for a few hours?
Grr. Obviously things like this make my blood boil. I have no problems when it's stated tongue in cheek. But there's just no excuse for this. Don't forget to check out some of the idiotic comments made by the slashdot community.
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