JZ Monday Rant About TV commercials

Hi all:

A new feature, probably weekly on my blog, I am going to rant about television and well web commercials I find to be extra lame.

Okay, Snuggie is a pretty lame product to begin with, but singing about a snuggie to the Macarana should really be considered a crime against humanity. Yes this is even worse than putting a snuggie on a pet. If anybody ever really actually showed up to a football game in snuggie I'm pretty sure they would be laughed out of the stands. Nothing says NOT football like a snuggie. But singing about a snuggie to the Macarana my brain is still hurting.

You can see for yourself here....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN_Ml4PKdVU&NR=1 Be warned it's not for the faint of heart.

The other super lame commercial is the one for the McDonalds dollar menu at breakfast. The one where Mark is trying to impress the pretty woman from 3C. Mark has failed to impress the nameless woman before, but now he strikes home by bringing up the McDonald's dollar burrito at breakfast. According to the commercial, "she's interested". Of course what beautiful woman couldn't help but to be impressed with a guy with intimate knowledge of the McDonald's dollar menu? Yes sir, nothing impresses a lady more than saying, "I know how to spend a dollar."

You can view that one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6imn8a77s

Sign Suggestions for the Rally for Sanity

Since I can't go to the rally for Sanity (since well I have work to do, okay I'm not a big fan of big crowds) I am helping contribute my suggesting sign slogans for folks who might need help coming up with slogans. I call these my Sanity Sign Slogans (or SSS's)

Mr President. I know you were born in this country. I know you aren’t a Muslim. I know you aren’t a socialist. I know you can do better.

Disagreeing with something doesn’t make it communist.

Louder isn’t better.

Let’s not take opinions as facts and facts as opinions.

I don’t care whose fault it is. It’s all of our faults if we don’t make it better.

It’s easier to complain about something rather than fix it.

Yea for sanity! The other mental state.

Sanity may not sell in short run but it’s much better for the long run.

This sign made in the USA. (So see we do make stuff.)

Anti-defamatory Pro-Sense.

“We the People” pretty much means everybody.

I’m only here cause there’s nothing good on TV right now.

I’m not angry but I still think things could be better.

Compromise is not a sign of weakness…

I would have been here soon but I’ve been working.

Things I don't understand... (Note not comprehensive)

Why they have to wrap dog chains in tightly sealed plastic containers that I need a knife to open...

Why anybody would want to run for politics?

What makes Jennifer Lopez qualified to be an Idol judge at 12 million dollars?

How could TBS cancel My Boys after not letting two of the stars work on other shows due to contractual agreements?

The Mets...

Why people don't seem to comprehend that if you disagree with an opinion that doesn't make the other opinion wrong?

Calculus... It truly was take it and then forget it.

Carrot Top...

Why did Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds feel the need to take steroids?

The Bills...

A Brief History of Time.

Why do I like pizza but not spaghetti?

Is there really a need to Twitter?

Apple

Okay I admit it. I watched the Apple press event today. I even delayed my lunch so I could eat while watching it. Yes I admit it I am a geek.

My thoughts.

First the negative: I am not impressed with Ping at all. I really don't care what music my friends are downloading. I like music because I like music. I'm glad they didn't end the event with ping because that would have been ending with a ping instead of a bang.

Now some kind of negative: not sure what to think about the new Ipod nano. Sure it's cool being touch and all, but they removed the video. I always thought that was a nice touch.

The complete indifferent: Apple TV. The price is cool. I guess if i didn't have digital cable I would be more excited. It's still not something I want. At least not yet.

The good: IPOD touch. Now we are talking. A great game machine. A nice camera and HD recorder. A beautiful screen. Finally a mic. Lots of memory... Finally a front facing camera. Now they need to make a mac version of facetime. Of course I am still not sure what facetime offers that skype doesn't...

Now if they add all the new Ipod touch goodies to the Ipad-2 we've got a real winner. We've got the product I will replace my macbook with. Yes, yes I will.

Dieting....and more

Well, after seeing my gut in some shots from Cooperstown I have decided I must loose the gut. Therefore I am giving up white foods and trying to increase my exercise. In order to help guilt myself into losing weight I will weekly be posting my weight on my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/john.zakour

Other thoughts:

So Japan has lost track of their two oldest citizens. That seems like something out of a sf novel...

Is Mr. Farve really really really retired? If he comes back now he risks LeBron style scorn.

Forums

Ya know, back in the 1990s I use to love internet forums. The way people from all over could share their opinions with each other with the filter of an editor deciding rather something was worth sharing with the world or not. Now, in 2010 I am starting to rethink all that.

I'm still for free speech and people being able to post whatever they want. The thing is I'm not sure how useful it is. Looking at the comment sections of places like Yahoo and CNN are pretty depressing for me. It's amazing the amount of animosity you see on these boards. There is a lot of US vs THEM attitudes. Be it, Republicans vs Democrats, Real American vs Terrorists, America vs North Korea. It doesn't really matter. There's just a lot of bile being tossed around by both sides.

Part of the problem is, the Internet allows a person to be anonymous therefore they can say whatever they want without fear of reprisal. Plus on the Internet you don't see the consequences your words have on other people which makes it easier for you to insult somebody. I like to think most people are basically good and they don't want to hurt another persons feelings in person. Yet the internet makes insulting somebody else easy as you can't see the hurt or anger in a persons face after you insult them.

I also like to think we're a lot more a like than we are different. That most people have the same common goals and that a lot more good can be done learning how to work towards common goals than looking for issues that separate us. Yet being anonymous on the Internet makes it easily to be belligerent. You don't see who you are dealing with therefore you tend to forget that you are arguing with another person not just a collection of electrons shown on a screen.

So don't get me wrong, I'm a geek. I like the Internet. I just feel it makes it too easy for us all to act like jerks without having to worry about consequences. Finally after 20 years I'm starting to see the value of both face to face communication and editors. Who would have thunk it.

Somebody about the rank.

Thinking

Hi all:

First off, hats off to John Isner and Nic Mahut for their classic, never to be duplicated 70-68 final set at Wimbledon. Wow, 11 hours of playing over 3 days. An amazing match.

Speaking of amazing, it will be amazing if the US can beat Ghana on Saturday to go to the great eight in the World Cup. I can't believe I am looking forward to a soccer match.

I am traveling for the next two weeks, man I miss my 27 inch mac.

Yes I am a geek.

This weeks (and next weeks) Working Daze is very bewitched inspired. What can I say I watched a lot of Bewitched as a kid. Now I even watch the russian version. They actually cloned some of the episodes it is surreal. I may have to have my Russian cowriter (on a hypnosis book) Elena Beloff to translate them for me some day.