Monday 13 February 2012
Monday 19 December 2011
...Why Customers Love To Be Difficult. As Well As Be Extremely Rude.
We have all been customers at least *insert large number here* times in our lives. Whether at a clothes store, at a fast food outlet or for some sort of servicing company. Hell, I'm a fellow customer myself right now for having Telstra Clear as my internet provider and Mercury Energy as my electricity provider. We, as customers, expect such people who provide services to us to have good manners and carry out tasks efficiently. We also expect them to listen to our demands and fulfill our needs. The customer is always right, right?
Well, that's technically wrong.
If you think about it, the people who provide these services are trying to help you. A gardener assists you as you pay him or her to fix your garden since you're so goddamn lazy yourself. A store clerk does you a favour by pointing out which dresses look hideous on you and which help conceal your tummy fat. It is their job to make sure their services are done correctly and in an orderly fashion. It is your job as a customer to make sure your demands are plausible and your attitude polite.
You get much help or assistance when you yell at someone who is rather eager to helping you out. That gardener has feelings too. And so does that store clerk. Those people are not robots. They are just like you. Just playing a different part in society. You have a right to be angry when something goes wrong but even you make mistakes. You complain when something dreadfully complicated occurs in your work life, so why make it difficult for others?
Appreciate what those people have done for you. Make the effort of saying something polite or kind. Or at least bother to smile. Unless you really are a robot.
Monday 12 December 2011
...Why Parents Lie To Their Children About People Who Don't Exist!
"Eating carrots would make your eyesight better, and then you'll be able to see in the dark!"
"If you don't eat your greens, the big bad wolf is going to come and have you for breakfast!"
"If you don't make Mommy a card for Mother's Day, you will be forever alone and no one will ever love you!"
We've all heard lies like these before (though I sincerely hope that none of you have heard the third one). Parents lie to their children all the time, mostly to get their children to do what they want them to do. As a child, you are incapable of knowing what is best for you and therefore it is your parents job to decide what you should be doing or eating. If such lies didn't exist, half of us wouldn't be eating spinach, the other half would have super weird sleeping habits and I think brussels sprouts would have become extinct by now.
Parents also lie to protect themselves from having extremely awkward and unnecessary conversations with their children - "oh no dear, Daddy is sleeping on the sofa because that way he can talk to the magical elves at night". I once read that there was this kid who was watching TV with his dad and an ad about condoms came on. As inquisitive as children are, she asked what those rubbery things were and her dad told her they were used to protect cow's udders. This is all so very understandable - children at that age do not need to know about the birds and the bees and what not.
However, there is an aspect of lying to children that confuses me. After viewing this matter in a strictly logical point of view, I question why it is that parents lie to their children about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and all the other famous fictional characters. Aren't you basically setting them up to fall? Do you know how devastated some children are when they find that it's just their dad stuck in the chimney? That it was their mother who drank all the milk and ate all the cookies? That the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist? Dreams are shattered. Trust is broken. Life is never the same. And for what? Nothing. You may as well nip the bud instead of letting your children be immersed in these lies.
Although it is impossible to eradicate this sort of behaviour, nor is it ethical and acceptable to ban these figures from a child's life, just take a moment and think - can't we just tell our kids the truth about Santa etc. to begin with? I never believed in any of these figures and I've had a wonderful childhood.
"If you don't eat your greens, the big bad wolf is going to come and have you for breakfast!"
"If you don't make Mommy a card for Mother's Day, you will be forever alone and no one will ever love you!"
We've all heard lies like these before (though I sincerely hope that none of you have heard the third one). Parents lie to their children all the time, mostly to get their children to do what they want them to do. As a child, you are incapable of knowing what is best for you and therefore it is your parents job to decide what you should be doing or eating. If such lies didn't exist, half of us wouldn't be eating spinach, the other half would have super weird sleeping habits and I think brussels sprouts would have become extinct by now.
Parents also lie to protect themselves from having extremely awkward and unnecessary conversations with their children - "oh no dear, Daddy is sleeping on the sofa because that way he can talk to the magical elves at night". I once read that there was this kid who was watching TV with his dad and an ad about condoms came on. As inquisitive as children are, she asked what those rubbery things were and her dad told her they were used to protect cow's udders. This is all so very understandable - children at that age do not need to know about the birds and the bees and what not.
However, there is an aspect of lying to children that confuses me. After viewing this matter in a strictly logical point of view, I question why it is that parents lie to their children about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and all the other famous fictional characters. Aren't you basically setting them up to fall? Do you know how devastated some children are when they find that it's just their dad stuck in the chimney? That it was their mother who drank all the milk and ate all the cookies? That the Tooth Fairy doesn't exist? Dreams are shattered. Trust is broken. Life is never the same. And for what? Nothing. You may as well nip the bud instead of letting your children be immersed in these lies.
Although it is impossible to eradicate this sort of behaviour, nor is it ethical and acceptable to ban these figures from a child's life, just take a moment and think - can't we just tell our kids the truth about Santa etc. to begin with? I never believed in any of these figures and I've had a wonderful childhood.
Monday 5 December 2011
...Why I'd Post Something When I'm Leaving In The Morning
Yeah, I'm going away for a few days so no post today!
Monday 28 November 2011
...Why There's Such Prejudice Against Certain Artists In The Music Industry
Well, a while back I discovered that there seems to be a strong hate towards certain artists or bands. Almost every day you can hear a Bieber joke, how Lady GaGa is a man, how Britney's time in music industry has expired and how there are programs to block Nickelback from the web and pretend that they never existed. I even heard that people paid to go to a Nickelback concert to throw rocks at them on stage.
So let's just test this all out and evaluate with Nickelback as an example: Why is Nickelback so bad? I Googled for some negative ammunition, and I found heaps...
Apparently all their songs sound the same, which, I must say, is rather true. There's a few songs that they have that stand out in terms of type and progression, but overall there seems to be a lack of diversity and change - every song is just Chad droning on with his coarse voice about either sex or love. If you're annoyed at this, fair enough, but this reason alone does not mean you should throw stones at them.
Apparently all their songs sound the same, which, I must say, is rather true. There's a few songs that they have that stand out in terms of type and progression, but overall there seems to be a lack of diversity and change - every song is just Chad droning on with his coarse voice about either sex or love. If you're annoyed at this, fair enough, but this reason alone does not mean you should throw stones at them.
Then there's the part where people claim all their lyrics are cheesy and awful. One person pointed out this line from Someday: "Someday, somehow, I'm gonna make it alright but not right now". I must admit, that's pretty bad lyrics right there. But at least they write their own lyrics with their own intended meaning (they seem to really want the world to change for the better). At least their songs are actually their own. I agree, almost all alternative/rock bands write their own lyrics, but it's still better compared to artists of other genres who just sing what's given to them (or rather, purchased). Just slightly more inspirational than the multiple club songs that talk about girls in a club.
And then there's the argument that they are not even producing rock music, but rather sold-out generic garbage without any guitar riffs or solos or anything. That, to an extent, is true. I don't think I've ever heard a solo or whatever in any song by them (although I haven't heard that many). But, they are still a band correct? A plausible reason they don't do stuff like that is maybe because they target mainstream audiences and such people don't want to hear such things. You know, no one adds a dubstep breakdown in a metal song - it's all about the audience. If you don't like it, they obviously didn't aim it at you.
So I don't see where all this hate is coming from. They actually perform live and they try their best to continue their musical career. They deserve to be famous just as much as the rest. Sure, Chad's voice can be annoyingly country, but that doesn't mean the band sucks. The hate has escalated and accumulated because it's totally the thing right now to hate on them. It's just unfortunate that they are the main targets in the spotlight.
Don't hate artists because they aren't your thing. Music is subjective. Justin Bieber, despite his voice and all his would-die-to-meet-him-fans, worked his way to where he is now. I may not like him, but I can agree that he has some talent - it was just lucky for him to be found, rather than all the other talented teenagers around. Lady GaGa, despite her weirdness, has become one of the most different and inspirational figures. And although you may dislike her music, you can surely agree that she's rather good with lyrics and singing. As for Britney, oh Britney - despite her lip-syncing and personal drama, she is still an important figure in the music industry. Finally, although I'm not the biggest fan of Nickelback, I still appreciate their music. It's not like they sing off key and use auto-tune all the time (cough T-Pain).
Monday 21 November 2011
...Why People Do These Things In Public
I'm just going to start listing them. There is no need for an introduction. These things are just plain annoying.
1. Littering. So like, you finish your cheeseburger from McDonald's and then you realise you still have the wrapper in your hand. Unfortunately for you, it's not edible. So what do you do? Do you burn off all the calories you just ate by walking to the nearest bin (I mean, you can actually see it, it's right there) or just casually throw it on the ground, hoping that no one sees? We do see you. Plastic bags and beer bottles are not decorative items. Unless you throw your food scraps and glad wrap onto your floor at home, then there is no reason why you are doing this outside.
2. Spitting spit (how redundant) or gum. Just like how you squirm when a bird defecates on you, we squirm when we step in your spit or your chewed gum. Our shoes do not like it. And it's rather gross. And, as expected, we don't want to see you doing this either. There are bins and tissues for a reason. Gum also usually comes with packaging - use that. Or otherwise, we'll have to take action and raid your home and spit on your carpet. Exciting.
3. This is one isn't even going to have a title. I hope this explains what I mean - in the men's changing room at the Newmarket Pools there are multiple signs above the hair-dryers saying "these hair-dryers are only to be used on the hair on your head". Gross.
4. Talking extremely loudly or even shouting at each other across the road. "Oh my God Daisy, I haven't seen you in like forever! -weird hand gesture-. What have you been up to?! Did you know Sandra got knocked up by a homeless man and had a baby?!" We don't care. And I don't think Sandra wants everyone to know that either. We certainly do not want to hear it being yelled across over a street. And then, you might even look disgusted at us for eavesdropping on your conversation. Your shrill, annoying voice is pretty hard to ignore. Sorry.
5. Playing music really loudly in your car as you drive with the windows down. We don't want to hear your s%^& music. And plus, you'll probably go deaf. Really, we have your best interests at heart.
6. Groups of people walking in a horizontal line on the footpath. So, we're in a hurry to get somewhere and you walk at like 2km/hour in front of us. And to make it worse, you and your three other friends are walking side by side so there is no way for anyone to pass you. We then have to risk our lives to pass you by walking on the car lane for a while. You don't need to hold hands to walk down a street (although I do admire the fact that all four of you can walk at the same speed).
7. Making out and groping. Get a room. Please.
1. Littering. So like, you finish your cheeseburger from McDonald's and then you realise you still have the wrapper in your hand. Unfortunately for you, it's not edible. So what do you do? Do you burn off all the calories you just ate by walking to the nearest bin (I mean, you can actually see it, it's right there) or just casually throw it on the ground, hoping that no one sees? We do see you. Plastic bags and beer bottles are not decorative items. Unless you throw your food scraps and glad wrap onto your floor at home, then there is no reason why you are doing this outside.
2. Spitting spit (how redundant) or gum. Just like how you squirm when a bird defecates on you, we squirm when we step in your spit or your chewed gum. Our shoes do not like it. And it's rather gross. And, as expected, we don't want to see you doing this either. There are bins and tissues for a reason. Gum also usually comes with packaging - use that. Or otherwise, we'll have to take action and raid your home and spit on your carpet. Exciting.
3. This is one isn't even going to have a title. I hope this explains what I mean - in the men's changing room at the Newmarket Pools there are multiple signs above the hair-dryers saying "these hair-dryers are only to be used on the hair on your head". Gross.
4. Talking extremely loudly or even shouting at each other across the road. "Oh my God Daisy, I haven't seen you in like forever! -weird hand gesture-. What have you been up to?! Did you know Sandra got knocked up by a homeless man and had a baby?!" We don't care. And I don't think Sandra wants everyone to know that either. We certainly do not want to hear it being yelled across over a street. And then, you might even look disgusted at us for eavesdropping on your conversation. Your shrill, annoying voice is pretty hard to ignore. Sorry.
5. Playing music really loudly in your car as you drive with the windows down. We don't want to hear your s%^& music. And plus, you'll probably go deaf. Really, we have your best interests at heart.
6. Groups of people walking in a horizontal line on the footpath. So, we're in a hurry to get somewhere and you walk at like 2km/hour in front of us. And to make it worse, you and your three other friends are walking side by side so there is no way for anyone to pass you. We then have to risk our lives to pass you by walking on the car lane for a while. You don't need to hold hands to walk down a street (although I do admire the fact that all four of you can walk at the same speed).
7. Making out and groping. Get a room. Please.
Monday 14 November 2011
...Why Are The Birds So Angry?! And Why Are The Pigs Green?!
Angry Birds. So addictive and so frustrating (especially for people like me who like need to get three stars before moving onto the next level). Each level you launch birds at structures with different materials in order to kill green pigs who just happen to be sitting on top, within or right next to the building. Nope, no guns, no knives, no lasers - just angry birds who want to plummet to their deaths in order to kill those horrid pigs.
Therefore it is perfectly logical for me to question why these birds are so angry. I remember watching the intro and I saw the green pigs had stolen their eggs. That is something to be angry about for sure - how would you like it if someone stole your unborn children? You would want to do all that you can to seek revenge and get them back. You might poison their tea or steal their children. You might want to hit them with your car or beat them up in an alley. There are countless ways to do so.
But these birds take a totally different approach - instead, they sacrifice themselves in order to get the eggs back. Now... why on earth would you do that? Congratulations, you've saved your own unborn children... except when they hatch they will be orphans since the whole village catapulted themselves into the enemy. Unless they have spare family members to bombard the pigs with, it just doesn't make any sense.
Then again, maybe they're just blind with rage. I went to Google some other reasons why they are angry and here's what I found:
1. Existential, doomed struggle for survival - Fail survival strategy
2. Smugness of pigs - That is a valid reason. Those smug bastards.
3. Genetics - I'm surprised they had a chance to breed
4. The Economy - It affects birds too!
5. Daddy Issues - Well, presumably they died the same way
6. Bitterness over marriage - Parents blaming each other over who lost the eggs of course
7. Being used as projectiles - That is also a valid reason. If I'm being used as a projectile, I may as well be angry about it
8. Have no arms or legs - Frustrating
9. Student loans - Also, frustrating. The amount of interest on the berries are just getting higher and higher.
Although these do provide an insight as to why they are angry, it still doesn't really make sense. It therefore shall continue to be a game that I enjoy while driving me nuts, not only because what they're doing is illogical, but also because I'm so bad at it.
P.S. I didn't find out why the pigs are green. Nor how they managed to steal the eggs - last time I checked, pigs can't climb trees. And furthermore, what is with those white birds? In order to save eggs you're going to lay more eggs on the pigs? I think a big dump would be sufficient.
P.S.S. I really really hate the yellow one.
Therefore it is perfectly logical for me to question why these birds are so angry. I remember watching the intro and I saw the green pigs had stolen their eggs. That is something to be angry about for sure - how would you like it if someone stole your unborn children? You would want to do all that you can to seek revenge and get them back. You might poison their tea or steal their children. You might want to hit them with your car or beat them up in an alley. There are countless ways to do so.
But these birds take a totally different approach - instead, they sacrifice themselves in order to get the eggs back. Now... why on earth would you do that? Congratulations, you've saved your own unborn children... except when they hatch they will be orphans since the whole village catapulted themselves into the enemy. Unless they have spare family members to bombard the pigs with, it just doesn't make any sense.
Then again, maybe they're just blind with rage. I went to Google some other reasons why they are angry and here's what I found:
1. Existential, doomed struggle for survival - Fail survival strategy
2. Smugness of pigs - That is a valid reason. Those smug bastards.
3. Genetics - I'm surprised they had a chance to breed
4. The Economy - It affects birds too!
5. Daddy Issues - Well, presumably they died the same way
6. Bitterness over marriage - Parents blaming each other over who lost the eggs of course
7. Being used as projectiles - That is also a valid reason. If I'm being used as a projectile, I may as well be angry about it
8. Have no arms or legs - Frustrating
9. Student loans - Also, frustrating. The amount of interest on the berries are just getting higher and higher.
Although these do provide an insight as to why they are angry, it still doesn't really make sense. It therefore shall continue to be a game that I enjoy while driving me nuts, not only because what they're doing is illogical, but also because I'm so bad at it.
P.S. I didn't find out why the pigs are green. Nor how they managed to steal the eggs - last time I checked, pigs can't climb trees. And furthermore, what is with those white birds? In order to save eggs you're going to lay more eggs on the pigs? I think a big dump would be sufficient.
P.S.S. I really really hate the yellow one.
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