Fickel Rich Bitches

So, the latest stupid news is that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are "reuniting" for another compelling edition of "The Simple Life." Back in April 2005, we heard that the "honeymoon" was over, when Paris dumped Nicole for another dumb blonde. Fox thinks they can get some great TV by putting the two feuding friends together. Will it be a boon or a bomb? What do you think?

I think:
Aside from my utter disgust with both of these "women" and the Fox Network, I'll try to look at this from the perspective of pure entertainment. I watched "The Simple Life" once, and that was enough for me. It was a montage of a bunch of shows from the second edition. There was only one part when I totally cracked up and that was when Paris was riding a horse and fell off on her ass, getting a bunch of burrs stuck in her back. Now, that was funny! The rest was just plain annoying. Personally, I think this kind of show contributes to the stupidity epidemic in America today.

Glorifying Bad Writing

Clicking around the Internet this morning, I found this little ditty about San Jose State University's Bulwer-Lytton Writing Contest. The guy who won wrote about checking out a chick's boobs then fantasizing about a Triumph Spitfire. He compared her honkers to a carburetor then extended his sexual innuendos to the manifold and oil caps. Blech! The contest's namesake is none other than the Victorian writer who coined the phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night." What do you think?

I think:
I love parodies. Who doesn't? Anything that makes people think and write is okay in my book. So much of our culture is about spoon-fed media crap, which appeals to our inner lazy asses. We don't have to think because someone does it for us. How convenient. And writing, forget it! Too much effort in that whole endeavor. This is why I think blogs are wonderful. People are thinking--and writing!! I found this site where someone has taken corporate logos and given them a twist. One is for Starbucks and the tagline reads, "Drink our coffee or we'll break your legs." Hilarious!

Euphemism: Global Struggle Against Extremism

I have to admit that I get my "fake news" from The Daily Show. While watching it tonight something very interesting made me crack up, and think. Now, anything that makes me laugh and think at the same time always gets my attention. Jon Stewart was talking about the move to "Phrase II" in the "Global War on Terror", which has surreptitiously been rephrased as the "Global Struggle Against Extremism." What do you think about this new euphemism?

I think:
Funny how this euphemism takes the severity off the words "war" and "terror" at a time when people are starting to put more pressure on the current U.S. administration about our presence in Iraq, and when the recent terrorist bombings in London and Sharm el-Sheik have us all feeling vulnerable. Kind of puts a damper on the legacy President Bush wants to leave for his second term. Coincidence? I think we've all seen that there is no such thing as a coincidence when it comes to politics. Personally, I subscribe to George Carlin's view on euphemisms: they're a bunch of crap--that includes this one!

Calling all real people! Start thinking!

I got this idea to start a blog about what real people think. It's kind of a large topic but it occured to me that too many people make assumptions about what real people think based on crap we see in polls conducted by stupid people with agendas.

So my proposal is this: Send your friends, family, co-workers, bosses, and whomever else you think would be willing the link to this blog and start thinking. Think about what you think on the various topics we'll bring up here and let's talk (well, more like type about it). I'll also provide links to other forums like this and we can talk about those topics.

Let's set up some rules and guidelines so no one gets offended or whatever:
1. Talk about your thoughts on the topic. Don't edit yourself or this won't be interesting or even fun.
2. Don't disparage, defame, or diss anyone. Simply state your thoughts and try to back them up with solid evidence why you think whatever it is you think.
3. I do not subscribe to or endorse anyone's thoughts but my own, unless I say otherwise. This should be true for you too.
4. We're not trying to convert anyone to any ideology, philosophy, religion, or political point of view here. We're simply just telling each other (and cyberspace) what we "as real people" think.
5. Please send me your thoughts on any other guidelines we should include to: drleipold@yahoo.com.

Here's our first topic:
There's a big whoop-la going on right now about whether or not it is prudent to allow people the "right" to use cell phones during flight while on a commercial airline. What do you think?

I think:
It's stupid that the government has to get involved in these mundane decisions. Are we so in need of help that we can't figure this out on our own? Why can't the airlines offer "cell phone" or "non-cell phone" seating sections? And people who want to use cell phones get stuck in the back by the toilets. I personally don't want to hear the overly loud conversations of narcissistic people during a 5-hour flight but I also don't want to be told I can't use my cell phone if I need or want to. I guess there is no REAL reason why cell phone can't be used on planes. So what's the big deal? Give us a choice and we'll decide. Don't set up panels or committees that use my tax dollars (which could be used for more urgent services) to figure out something that will have no bearing on the people who sit on those committees. Come on! Those people probably haven't taken a commercial airline in years! Let US, the consumers who have to live with those decisions, figure it out.