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.
Monday, 7 November 2011
...Why Some People Don't Know How To Make Use of Their Resources - It's Like Free Money!
This is going to be a short one - I'm suppose to be studying!
Going on a road trip sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Gather some mates (pre-requisite: friends), preferably one or two with a car, and some money, then work out where you want to go, where you want to stay and how long you'd be there for. Seems fairly simple isn't it? Well it's not.
Looking for holiday accommodation turns out to be a "fjasdfhbjasdhasjhdas" job. The main reason is because no one seems to want to allow a bunch of teenagers/young people to rent their holiday house. They are "suitable for families". Apparently, because of the stereotypes, we are seen as drunken disasters who will smash all the expensive vases and cabinets in their house and then break off the front door to use as a sledge to slide down the nearest hill. At 3am. Well, open your eyes - we won't do such things. Not all teenagers are like that. I guess it's fair though in the sense that they need to be comfortable with whoever is renting out their house.
But think about it economically. Most of the places we applied for aren't full at all. November seems empty. December seems empty, except for the last few important days. So why not just let us stay? It's unlikely that someone else would want to go on the days we're going. We give you a bond for a reason. And no one really likes paying for things they break anyway. Your house is going to be empty. You're not going to open the microwave and see that money as spawned there (unless that is your hiding place... which is really bad). Let us have our fun. And you earn money from it. Deal?
And while we're on about renting, if you have so many "requirements that we did not meet" why the hell don't you state such requirements on the page?
Going on a road trip sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Gather some mates (pre-requisite: friends), preferably one or two with a car, and some money, then work out where you want to go, where you want to stay and how long you'd be there for. Seems fairly simple isn't it? Well it's not.
Looking for holiday accommodation turns out to be a "fjasdfhbjasdhasjhdas" job. The main reason is because no one seems to want to allow a bunch of teenagers/young people to rent their holiday house. They are "suitable for families". Apparently, because of the stereotypes, we are seen as drunken disasters who will smash all the expensive vases and cabinets in their house and then break off the front door to use as a sledge to slide down the nearest hill. At 3am. Well, open your eyes - we won't do such things. Not all teenagers are like that. I guess it's fair though in the sense that they need to be comfortable with whoever is renting out their house.
But think about it economically. Most of the places we applied for aren't full at all. November seems empty. December seems empty, except for the last few important days. So why not just let us stay? It's unlikely that someone else would want to go on the days we're going. We give you a bond for a reason. And no one really likes paying for things they break anyway. Your house is going to be empty. You're not going to open the microwave and see that money as spawned there (unless that is your hiding place... which is really bad). Let us have our fun. And you earn money from it. Deal?
And while we're on about renting, if you have so many "requirements that we did not meet" why the hell don't you state such requirements on the page?
Monday, 31 October 2011
...Why People Sue For The Most Retarded Reasons And Come Up With The Most Absurd Arguments.
We sue people so that we can receive a, usually monetary, compensation for the defamation, libel or what not, which in some way have affected us and what we care about. A person may sue a doctor for neglecting their sick child or an angry husband sues his wife for divorce. Your parents sue your teacher after you tell them that you have been kept in the naughty corner for no reason for nearly three days now and communication directors sue the newspaper for defaming their corresponding political figures. Along with the money, we also gain a sense of pride and social superiority - same as the satisfaction you get when you win an argument about whether a zebra is black with white stripes or white with black stripes.
But, like with most things in life, suing costs money. Depending on the scale of the case, it could range from a few thousands of dollars to numbers much larger than that. It takes time to prepare an argument, it takes time to find and understand evidence and it takes time to make the argument. And sadly, those who are capable of doing all these things charge at an hourly rate. Suing is sort of like gambling - you put your money in the slot and hope to win a lot more back. If you lose, well then you've just chucked a couple of grand down the drain. Most people who sue have a particular motive or know that they are going to have a high chance of winning. I wouldn't risk my money in suing if I thought I'd lose. That's just daft. But it has been brought to my attention that some people sue for the most retarded things.
I heard that this man once sued McDonald's, KFC and Burger King for his obesity. I decided to Google it in order to fill this blog post with some facts. To my surprise, (although I kind of expected it to happen), many other articles on people suing fast food restaurants came up. They claimed that these fast food restaurants were to blame for their weight. But honestly, who are you kidding? No one has forced you to eat McDonald's, KFC or Burger King, nor have they ever been deemed as "healthy" and "nutritious". You made your own choices for your diet and your eating habits. It's like saying "I have bad teeth so I'm going to go sue the chocolate company". I mean, if you're going to do something like this, at least have a logical argument. Amidst these articles I found one about this Brazilian guy who sued McDonald's, and won (even though he isn't that fat). His argument was that because he was a franchisee manager, he was entitled to free lunches from McDonalds. And because of how busy he was and how appealing it all is, he ate a lot of Big Macs and ended up being "fat". His argument makes sense. Bravo.
And while reading Wikipedia about the Lion King (as you do), I saw that there was also a case of hyena scientists suing the people who made the movie for defaming hyenas. Apparently, they were portrayed as evil and vicious when they are not like that at all. It's a cartoon for goodness sake. There's got to be a bad guy in any sort of movie or TV series. Why don't you also sue all the other movies that portray the bad guys as a certain race or type? The evil person in that movie is a woman - it must mean that this movie is defaming woman, let's go sue them! - that's basically the same concept. Would it be just as justified to sue all cartoons for teaching children that animals can speak human languages?
And why Lion King? I'd say Pokemon (no offence) has taught children more "wrong" things in the past. Let's just begin with the elements. Ever since Pokemon, every time I think of a certain common element, such as electric, my brain would tell me WATER: Super Effective! and GRASS: Not Very Effective! But if you really think about it, who would win? A lightning bolt or the shrub it hits? Even if it was a big gigantic tree, it'd set on fire and die. Furthermore, Pokemon has taught us that no matter how evil you are and how much electrocution you endure, you'd just end up being sent into the sky and be still alive after falling like metres and metres down to the ground. I'm not saying that Pokemon was a bad influence or anything (if everything was 100% factual and correct, children wouldn't be able to watch any cartoons) but people suing directors and producers for things like that are just absurd.
Indeed there are certain movies where racism has been identified and people have managed to sue and win, but at least their arguments and reasons made sense. Otherwise you're just wasting time and money. I'm sorry scientists who study hyenas, you'll just have to get over yourselves.
But, like with most things in life, suing costs money. Depending on the scale of the case, it could range from a few thousands of dollars to numbers much larger than that. It takes time to prepare an argument, it takes time to find and understand evidence and it takes time to make the argument. And sadly, those who are capable of doing all these things charge at an hourly rate. Suing is sort of like gambling - you put your money in the slot and hope to win a lot more back. If you lose, well then you've just chucked a couple of grand down the drain. Most people who sue have a particular motive or know that they are going to have a high chance of winning. I wouldn't risk my money in suing if I thought I'd lose. That's just daft. But it has been brought to my attention that some people sue for the most retarded things.
I heard that this man once sued McDonald's, KFC and Burger King for his obesity. I decided to Google it in order to fill this blog post with some facts. To my surprise, (although I kind of expected it to happen), many other articles on people suing fast food restaurants came up. They claimed that these fast food restaurants were to blame for their weight. But honestly, who are you kidding? No one has forced you to eat McDonald's, KFC or Burger King, nor have they ever been deemed as "healthy" and "nutritious". You made your own choices for your diet and your eating habits. It's like saying "I have bad teeth so I'm going to go sue the chocolate company". I mean, if you're going to do something like this, at least have a logical argument. Amidst these articles I found one about this Brazilian guy who sued McDonald's, and won (even though he isn't that fat). His argument was that because he was a franchisee manager, he was entitled to free lunches from McDonalds. And because of how busy he was and how appealing it all is, he ate a lot of Big Macs and ended up being "fat". His argument makes sense. Bravo.
And while reading Wikipedia about the Lion King (as you do), I saw that there was also a case of hyena scientists suing the people who made the movie for defaming hyenas. Apparently, they were portrayed as evil and vicious when they are not like that at all. It's a cartoon for goodness sake. There's got to be a bad guy in any sort of movie or TV series. Why don't you also sue all the other movies that portray the bad guys as a certain race or type? The evil person in that movie is a woman - it must mean that this movie is defaming woman, let's go sue them! - that's basically the same concept. Would it be just as justified to sue all cartoons for teaching children that animals can speak human languages?
And why Lion King? I'd say Pokemon (no offence) has taught children more "wrong" things in the past. Let's just begin with the elements. Ever since Pokemon, every time I think of a certain common element, such as electric, my brain would tell me WATER: Super Effective! and GRASS: Not Very Effective! But if you really think about it, who would win? A lightning bolt or the shrub it hits? Even if it was a big gigantic tree, it'd set on fire and die. Furthermore, Pokemon has taught us that no matter how evil you are and how much electrocution you endure, you'd just end up being sent into the sky and be still alive after falling like metres and metres down to the ground. I'm not saying that Pokemon was a bad influence or anything (if everything was 100% factual and correct, children wouldn't be able to watch any cartoons) but people suing directors and producers for things like that are just absurd.
Indeed there are certain movies where racism has been identified and people have managed to sue and win, but at least their arguments and reasons made sense. Otherwise you're just wasting time and money. I'm sorry scientists who study hyenas, you'll just have to get over yourselves.
Monday, 24 October 2011
...Why It Seems That Society Approaches Issues The Wrong Way
Murder. Rape. Robbery. Theft. Assassination. We hear or read at least one of these words on the news every day. They happen all around the world and they are things that should ideally be stopped. No one likes to be murdered or assassinated, raped, robbed or stolen from. And we try our best to prevent these things from happening. Notice I used the word "prevent" rather than "stop". To me, there's a fine difference:
"Stop" (institutional protection) would imply that we take action and put a halt to the schemes plotted by all the potential murderers, robbers etc. It is the active solution. We enforce laws about firearms and weaponry. We get them to talk to professionals and we keep an eye on them. We educate them and we may even keep them confined. We tell them that they can start fresh, and whether they choose to follow that path is up to them.
"Prevent' (private protection) is simply the passive action. The actions we do in order to stop it happening to us. We own large dogs to guard the house, we lock our doors, we don't go walking down a creepy alley at 3am in the morning. We protect ourselves from imminent danger and we do what we can to keep safe in case something does happen.
"Stop" (institutional protection) would imply that we take action and put a halt to the schemes plotted by all the potential murderers, robbers etc. It is the active solution. We enforce laws about firearms and weaponry. We get them to talk to professionals and we keep an eye on them. We educate them and we may even keep them confined. We tell them that they can start fresh, and whether they choose to follow that path is up to them.
"Prevent' (private protection) is simply the passive action. The actions we do in order to stop it happening to us. We own large dogs to guard the house, we lock our doors, we don't go walking down a creepy alley at 3am in the morning. We protect ourselves from imminent danger and we do what we can to keep safe in case something does happen.
There is nothing wrong with taking precautions but it just seems to me that society is focussing more on preventing these issues from happening rather than actually stopping it, focussing on what the victims can do, rather than what the criminal can't do. In New Zealand, I swear a robber has more rights than the person who he or she is robbing. We can't hit them unless they attack us first or something ridiculous like that. When we got robbed, the police told us that the solution is installing an alarm and getting insurance. Like honestly? It makes it seem like it's our fault that these people broke into our house through a locked window and took our stuff.
And it's not just the authorities, it's people in general too. You know, when you're a girl and you try to go out in a mini-skirt at 11pm on a Friday night, your Dad tells you to change because you look like a whore and that you shouldn't wear something that attracts so much attention. If that is the case, why don't we also tell our children before they go out not to rob, to stab or to rape? How is it fair that the potential victims have to do everything to protect themselves when it isn't their fault to begin with? We don't have signs on our head that say "steal from me please" or "attack away". Like I said, no one likes to be murdered or assassinated, raped, robbed or stolen from. Precautions are certainly important, but I just wish that the attention and focus of these problems would shift a little.
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The overall purpose of the blog is to say that I think that there should be just as much attention on "institutional prevention" as there is on "private protection". I know currently both exist in New Zealand, don't get me wrong. But I just want it to be more equal in terms of focus. That is all.
And it's not just the authorities, it's people in general too. You know, when you're a girl and you try to go out in a mini-skirt at 11pm on a Friday night, your Dad tells you to change because you look like a whore and that you shouldn't wear something that attracts so much attention. If that is the case, why don't we also tell our children before they go out not to rob, to stab or to rape? How is it fair that the potential victims have to do everything to protect themselves when it isn't their fault to begin with? We don't have signs on our head that say "steal from me please" or "attack away". Like I said, no one likes to be murdered or assassinated, raped, robbed or stolen from. Precautions are certainly important, but I just wish that the attention and focus of these problems would shift a little.
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The overall purpose of the blog is to say that I think that there should be just as much attention on "institutional prevention" as there is on "private protection". I know currently both exist in New Zealand, don't get me wrong. But I just want it to be more equal in terms of focus. That is all.
Monday, 17 October 2011
...W@t H@s H@Pp3n3d 2 Da 3nG L@nGU@g3. ROFLMAO LOL KTHXBAI.
I know. I'm sorry. That must have been extremely painful to read - it was just as painful to type out as well. From a quick glance, I don't even know what it says. Sadly, there are people who type and talk like that. Like seriously. Why can't you just write normally?
The first thing I don't get is why people alternate their capital letters and their lower-case letters, for instance (I apologise in advance this time): Yo bRo wAts Up DIs weEknd? Those random big letters just make it so much harder to read. And what do they actually mean? Are we suppose to read it as if you emphasised on every capital letter? You don't talk like that in real life (oh I'm sorry, I mean "irl") so it is completely unnecessary here.
The second thing is what is with the shortcuts and the missing letters (let's just use that previous example because I really can't be bothered (oh I'm sorry again, I mean "cbb") to put myself through that pain again. I mean, yes, it is very convenient to just miss out letters when you're in a hurry to text or whatever but there's no need for you to take out a letter from each word. Misinterpretation might occur - "I love this track, makes me want to groove" turns into "I lv ths trck mks m wnt 2 grv" (you know, the comma disappears since no one cares about those either), which may potentially turn into "I live thus truck mikes my wont 2 grave" (No, it's not meant to make sense). Confusing? I think so. It's like Chinese Whispers. Except not fun and rather infuriating.
And even if you use 3's, @'s and 1's to substitute for e's, a's and i's respectively, what is the point? You spent just as long trying to type those symbols and numbers than you would have if you just used the normal letter. It doesn't look cool. It looks retarded (refer to title of post).
And finally, what is with all these abbreviations and acronyms? I understand that text language is efficient and some of them are quite straight forward, for example "lol" and "brb" (please, do not say these in person, that's just sad). But what the hell are stuff like NIMBY and NSFW? Who the hell goes around saying "Not In My Backyard!" and "Not Safe For Work"? And do they really need to be abbreviated? Have people become that lazy? If everything was like that, TIHNIWTHPATTD. (If you didn't get that acronym, it stood for Then I Have No Idea What The Hell People Are Thinking These Days. Obviously I didn't need to tell you. It must have been really simple to understand.)
And no, there is no need for you to put "lol" in every sentence - "I just had breakfast lol" and "my dog just died lol". Was having breakfast, or even your dog dying, that funny?
The first thing I don't get is why people alternate their capital letters and their lower-case letters, for instance (I apologise in advance this time): Yo bRo wAts Up DIs weEknd? Those random big letters just make it so much harder to read. And what do they actually mean? Are we suppose to read it as if you emphasised on every capital letter? You don't talk like that in real life (oh I'm sorry, I mean "irl") so it is completely unnecessary here.
The second thing is what is with the shortcuts and the missing letters (let's just use that previous example because I really can't be bothered (oh I'm sorry again, I mean "cbb") to put myself through that pain again. I mean, yes, it is very convenient to just miss out letters when you're in a hurry to text or whatever but there's no need for you to take out a letter from each word. Misinterpretation might occur - "I love this track, makes me want to groove" turns into "I lv ths trck mks m wnt 2 grv" (you know, the comma disappears since no one cares about those either), which may potentially turn into "I live thus truck mikes my wont 2 grave" (No, it's not meant to make sense). Confusing? I think so. It's like Chinese Whispers. Except not fun and rather infuriating.
And even if you use 3's, @'s and 1's to substitute for e's, a's and i's respectively, what is the point? You spent just as long trying to type those symbols and numbers than you would have if you just used the normal letter. It doesn't look cool. It looks retarded (refer to title of post).
And finally, what is with all these abbreviations and acronyms? I understand that text language is efficient and some of them are quite straight forward, for example "lol" and "brb" (please, do not say these in person, that's just sad). But what the hell are stuff like NIMBY and NSFW? Who the hell goes around saying "Not In My Backyard!" and "Not Safe For Work"? And do they really need to be abbreviated? Have people become that lazy? If everything was like that, TIHNIWTHPATTD. (If you didn't get that acronym, it stood for Then I Have No Idea What The Hell People Are Thinking These Days. Obviously I didn't need to tell you. It must have been really simple to understand.)
And no, there is no need for you to put "lol" in every sentence - "I just had breakfast lol" and "my dog just died lol". Was having breakfast, or even your dog dying, that funny?
Monday, 10 October 2011
...What Has Happened to Manners and Basic Social Customs
I thought about this actually a while ago, but I never really got around to writing it. Nor did I have enough things to talk about to make it worth while. Until the other day. So, without further delay...
Most of us have grown up in households where it is customary to try and be polite to everyone - your narcissistic mother, your lazy father, your shrill sister, your druggie brother, your strict teachers, your evil neighbours, your questionable family friends etc. You greet them with warmth when you see them and you say goodbye with a smile on your face. You say "please" when you want something and you say "thank you" when you receive it. You hold the door open for someone walking behind you and you say "sorry" when you accidentally slam it in their face. You don't point at people across the street and nor should you look down at the ground when talking to someone. These actions however are not set in stone. You are not forced to follow them. It's just social customs.
But just because there is nothing forcing you to do it doesn't mean you shouldn't. I've grown up all my life knowing that "please", "thank you" and "sorry" are very important words. These words do miraculous things (behold!) - "pass the salt" and "bring me my tea" just makes you sound like a demanding bitch but adding a "please" at the end of either of them makes you sound like a nicer person/demanding bitch. Small things like these make a dramatic difference. Maybe you don't believe in the power of these words yourself, but the rest of us do. It doesn't kill you to say them - after a while they just naturally tag along at the end of sentences. By using these sort of words and following basic social customs, people are more willing to do things for you or perceive you as a nicer person (it's something that reciprocates too). Through them, you show gratitude and sincerity. Those words could be what gets you a job at your favourite clothes store, a new car for your birthday or just a cup of freshly made coffee by your mother. Useful words - use them.
What annoys me the most (that has been recently drawn to my attention by a discussion in a car) is when someone doesn't or refuses to talk to another person when they try to make conversation, especially in person. You may not like this person or you may think that there is no need to talk to him or her because you'll never see them again, but it doesn't give you the right to ignore them. They are still human beings, just like you (hopefully). The fact that they are there and trying to engage in a talk with you means that you should at least have the courtesy to say something back. Who cares if they are bragging about how good their grades are or how their boyfriend or girlfriend is so hot. Who cares if they're your mate's date that you'll probably never see them again. You still need to show some respect, even if you don't actually respect or care about them. There are a few people that I don't particularly like or know that I won't see them again in the future, but I still make an effort to (or at least try) listen to and talk to them. If you really didn't like them that much, you probably shouldn't be hanging out together in the first place.
No one expects you to learn every well-mannered action like it is some chore or task. Just at least use the common ones that you yourself would like people to use with you.
Most of us have grown up in households where it is customary to try and be polite to everyone - your narcissistic mother, your lazy father, your shrill sister, your druggie brother, your strict teachers, your evil neighbours, your questionable family friends etc. You greet them with warmth when you see them and you say goodbye with a smile on your face. You say "please" when you want something and you say "thank you" when you receive it. You hold the door open for someone walking behind you and you say "sorry" when you accidentally slam it in their face. You don't point at people across the street and nor should you look down at the ground when talking to someone. These actions however are not set in stone. You are not forced to follow them. It's just social customs.
But just because there is nothing forcing you to do it doesn't mean you shouldn't. I've grown up all my life knowing that "please", "thank you" and "sorry" are very important words. These words do miraculous things (behold!) - "pass the salt" and "bring me my tea" just makes you sound like a demanding bitch but adding a "please" at the end of either of them makes you sound like a nicer person/demanding bitch. Small things like these make a dramatic difference. Maybe you don't believe in the power of these words yourself, but the rest of us do. It doesn't kill you to say them - after a while they just naturally tag along at the end of sentences. By using these sort of words and following basic social customs, people are more willing to do things for you or perceive you as a nicer person (it's something that reciprocates too). Through them, you show gratitude and sincerity. Those words could be what gets you a job at your favourite clothes store, a new car for your birthday or just a cup of freshly made coffee by your mother. Useful words - use them.
What annoys me the most (that has been recently drawn to my attention by a discussion in a car) is when someone doesn't or refuses to talk to another person when they try to make conversation, especially in person. You may not like this person or you may think that there is no need to talk to him or her because you'll never see them again, but it doesn't give you the right to ignore them. They are still human beings, just like you (hopefully). The fact that they are there and trying to engage in a talk with you means that you should at least have the courtesy to say something back. Who cares if they are bragging about how good their grades are or how their boyfriend or girlfriend is so hot. Who cares if they're your mate's date that you'll probably never see them again. You still need to show some respect, even if you don't actually respect or care about them. There are a few people that I don't particularly like or know that I won't see them again in the future, but I still make an effort to (or at least try) listen to and talk to them. If you really didn't like them that much, you probably shouldn't be hanging out together in the first place.
No one expects you to learn every well-mannered action like it is some chore or task. Just at least use the common ones that you yourself would like people to use with you.
Monday, 3 October 2011
...Why People, Mainly Teenagers, Are Not Close With Their Parents - They Are, After All, Your Own Parents.
Parents. Well, they can be rather annoying can't they? Most of us have one or two, some of us have three and some even have four or more! They're always telling you to do your homework, forcing you to do some manual chores, embarrassing you around your mates and grounding you for not doing as you're told. They keep preaching to you how lucky you are to live in the 21st century, yelling at you when you let the cat inside the house, hog the phone for hours and hours because the insurance company overcharged your family around $2 in the last monthly bill and smashing pots and pans till you wake up at 8am on a Sunday when you're busy dreaming about a nice holiday in Hawaii. One minute you're checking people out on the beach. The next you're awake and there's a ringing noise in your head.
But parents do other things too. Nice things. Like do your washing if you live at home or bring you some homemade lasagna when you're living on your own. They provide for you, they care for you and they "put their best interests at heart" when they tell you off or guide you. They raised you. They watched you grow up. They drove you to all the sports games or the swim meets. They taught you how to do basic maths (since you only knew how to count with apples and when the teacher started using eggs instead, it just became too confusing). They are your parents. Yours and no one else's (apart from siblings).
But parents do other things too. Nice things. Like do your washing if you live at home or bring you some homemade lasagna when you're living on your own. They provide for you, they care for you and they "put their best interests at heart" when they tell you off or guide you. They raised you. They watched you grow up. They drove you to all the sports games or the swim meets. They taught you how to do basic maths (since you only knew how to count with apples and when the teacher started using eggs instead, it just became too confusing). They are your parents. Yours and no one else's (apart from siblings).
So why hide from them? Why shun them from your world? Why limit the amount of communication between yourself and them? If you just keep your distance like you are now, the gap is just going to get bigger and bigger and by the time you move out, things become more and more awkward to fix in the future - the longer it takes, the harder it gets. Parents are essential for our own individual growth. They can show you what you want to become in the future and what you don't want to become. If you're living at home, why don't you put in that effort and talk to them? Tell them your stories, your interests and your thoughts. Let them know what you like and what you don't like. They are your parents. They will love you unconditionally (unless you poured acid on Mum's beloved roses or threw rocks at your Dad's Porsche when you were young) and they will listen to your problems. Trust me, you're missing out on a very important relationship.
So unless you're parents are hostile towards you, toxic to your personality, mentally unstable or -insert many other rather unusual, non-typical things that could be wrong with your parents-, you should make use of your time and opportunity and become close with them. I mean, if you were a parent, wouldn't you like to understand your own children? How would it make you feel if you couldn't even name a few things that your son or daughter likes? You don't have to tell them everything - just enough to have some kind of connection that will last when you do move out.
Monday, 26 September 2011
...Why People Are All Slowly Becoming Inconsiderate and Rather Anti-Social. To a Certain Point.
Ever since phones became affordable and internet became available to the common household, society has slowly changed even more from what it used to be. We no longer rely so much on "snail-mail" and stamps (gosh, who buys those anymore?) and now we rarely hog up the phone line by making hourly-long phone calls to our best friends (or even by using dial-up internet - oh good times) and telling them about how icky dinner was, what sleepover was lame and how the new Twilight movie is so good (my apologies, I attempted to channel my inner typical teenage girl - the other day I heard some of them talking on the bus and I really wanted to hit them with... the HOP card in my hand. I know it's not as dramatic as it was suppose to be. But usually people don't hold clubs or bats on the bus.) Instead we text, we instant message, we call on our own little phones (or via Skype etc) and we Facebook-wall post (now, with that new stalk bar there, I don't even think we need to ask what people are up to.)
But what are things that shouldn't be done by technology and actually done in person? Where do you draw that line? Texting, calling and talking over the internet is so much more handy and efficient, accessible and popular and you don't even need to leave the house - you can just find all this out sitting in your room. But what happened to good old conversations in the park? What happened to just hanging out for the sake of having a real life person there with you? Through technology, most people (even including me, sometimes) have lost the ability to have an actual deep, emotion conversation in person. It's so much easier doing it through a device that doesn't show you their real reactions and allows you time to think about your answers. But is that necessarily a good thing? Proper face-to-face conversations are so much more valuable than a long string of texts (with "lol" inserted every now and then for no reason). Texts, phone calls and what not may be efficient, but they are not capable of capturing the emotion, the connection and the meaningfulness of a real conversation.
And while we're on this, why have people become so inconsiderate? I hear frequently that people break up with their boyfriends/girlfriends over emails or text (or even Facebook messages). I even heard on the radio the other day this guy got fired by text. What the hell is up with that? Just because you can avoid their anger/sadness and get it over and done with in a simple message doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. It may be easy for you, but think of them. Think how they would view it, knowing that you don't even have the courtesy of telling them its over in person, or even on the phone. Have some respect people. Please step closer to the line where you can at least see it.
But what are things that shouldn't be done by technology and actually done in person? Where do you draw that line? Texting, calling and talking over the internet is so much more handy and efficient, accessible and popular and you don't even need to leave the house - you can just find all this out sitting in your room. But what happened to good old conversations in the park? What happened to just hanging out for the sake of having a real life person there with you? Through technology, most people (even including me, sometimes) have lost the ability to have an actual deep, emotion conversation in person. It's so much easier doing it through a device that doesn't show you their real reactions and allows you time to think about your answers. But is that necessarily a good thing? Proper face-to-face conversations are so much more valuable than a long string of texts (with "lol" inserted every now and then for no reason). Texts, phone calls and what not may be efficient, but they are not capable of capturing the emotion, the connection and the meaningfulness of a real conversation.
And while we're on this, why have people become so inconsiderate? I hear frequently that people break up with their boyfriends/girlfriends over emails or text (or even Facebook messages). I even heard on the radio the other day this guy got fired by text. What the hell is up with that? Just because you can avoid their anger/sadness and get it over and done with in a simple message doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. It may be easy for you, but think of them. Think how they would view it, knowing that you don't even have the courtesy of telling them its over in person, or even on the phone. Have some respect people. Please step closer to the line where you can at least see it.
Monday, 19 September 2011
...Why People Like to Leave Things to the Last Possible Moment, Panic, and then Say Goodbye to Sleeping For a Few Days
We all understand that procrastination is, well, a bitch. It is one of the things that everyone ends up doing. You know, we've all been there - you open up the browser to research for your assignment and before you know it, you've commented on three statuses, stalked seven of your friends' friends and moved up six ranks in Tetris on Facebook, bought some t-shirts online and taught yourself Spanish via YouTube videos (with the occasional video in between of some person failing and hurting themselves). The things we do just to not have to do that god-awful assignment or -insert equally painful thing here-. Heck, I'm doing it right now - I've got things in front of me to colour in and yet I'm typing this.
In my defense, this is a weekly thing so I want to get it done - although I'm rather overly excited about colouring in! (Don't judge me).
A little procrastination is normal. We all need breaks and distractions to make a study/work session more tolerable. But why would you keep putting something off till like one or two days before it is due? You get stressed, you don't sleep, you panic and you end up doing things in a rush. This isn't a cooking competition - your assignment doesn't need to be hot and sizzling when you hand it in. Nor is this the sprints - you don't get more points for finishing your assignment in the shortest amount of time. You're given the question or topic in advance for a reason and that is to give you sufficient time to complete it.
If you think about it, the logical option would be to complete your assignment and then relax afterwards, knowing that you're all done. If that's too difficult then your other option would be to do a set amount of work and that way when you do end up procrastinating, you won't feel as bad. Furthermore, finishing early would also give you the time to review what you have done and see if you can make it any better. I personally cannot really enjoy anything knowing that there is an assignment looming over my head or when I haven't done as much as I would have liked. I don't think you would like to miss out on your sleep and pull all-nighters so why not just spread the work-load out? Time management is the key and it's probably a good time to start effectively using it.
Yeah, I'm done with my procrastinating. Time to colour in some boxes!
In my defense, this is a weekly thing so I want to get it done - although I'm rather overly excited about colouring in! (Don't judge me).
A little procrastination is normal. We all need breaks and distractions to make a study/work session more tolerable. But why would you keep putting something off till like one or two days before it is due? You get stressed, you don't sleep, you panic and you end up doing things in a rush. This isn't a cooking competition - your assignment doesn't need to be hot and sizzling when you hand it in. Nor is this the sprints - you don't get more points for finishing your assignment in the shortest amount of time. You're given the question or topic in advance for a reason and that is to give you sufficient time to complete it.
If you think about it, the logical option would be to complete your assignment and then relax afterwards, knowing that you're all done. If that's too difficult then your other option would be to do a set amount of work and that way when you do end up procrastinating, you won't feel as bad. Furthermore, finishing early would also give you the time to review what you have done and see if you can make it any better. I personally cannot really enjoy anything knowing that there is an assignment looming over my head or when I haven't done as much as I would have liked. I don't think you would like to miss out on your sleep and pull all-nighters so why not just spread the work-load out? Time management is the key and it's probably a good time to start effectively using it.
Yeah, I'm done with my procrastinating. Time to colour in some boxes!
Monday, 12 September 2011
...What The Hell Rich Parents Are Thinking.
So, this morning on the radio I heard about some preschool. Not just any preschool. A very prestigious preschool. Want to send your children to it when you start a family? Well, you probably can't. If I remember correctly, it's acceptance rate is like 2.6% (compared to that of Harvard, which is 6.2%). Plus, you also need the money - it's annual fee is like $2000 higher than the school fees of Harvard too. That's around US$32,000 per year. Confused? So am I.
Sadly, I forgot the name of this place and therefore failed to find sufficient information to back up all the data that I had provided above. However, I did manage to do some snooping and I found a school called Ethical Culture Fieldston School Lower School
What is the difference really between a normal kindergarten and this one? Probably not much. So what if those kids get to play with golden play-doh? It's still just play-doh - it can't make your child fly or what not. So what if those kids get to have amazing preschool teachers who can recite A-Z backwards in under 3 seconds? Children at that age can't even learn that much, (nor adults, I'm pretty sure my example is an impossible feat... oops) - well there's definitely a limit as to what they will be able to take in. So what if those kids get to go on miraculous field trips that involve human sized Barbie dolls and life-sized HotWheels cars? Most kids won't even remember that experience. Want to keep your child confined to a snobby rich atmosphere where their only friends each have a herd of ponies and their own little mansion? That's the way!
I can understand if the rich sent their children to prestigious primaries, middle/intermediate, high schools and universities. That's acceptable - children need a good academic basis/beginning to develop, they need a good environment to learn and they need opportunities and advice for growth. But seriously, paying that much for your child to go to pre-school is just illogical.
Plus, since you barely even know what your child is good at and how academically capable they are, you might be even setting them up for failure - think how angry you will be if your child, whom you spent over $100,000 on preschool education, turns out to be an average or difficult student. You're technically pressuring them. Money does not assure success. That money could probably be used much more efficiently. I would choose to give a handful of deprived children an opportunity of proper education over one single preschooler having quality naps in a bed made from the best silk in the world (after having taken a trip to the Grand Canyon of course).
Monday, 29 August 2011
...Why Vegetarians Eat Vegetarian Meat Even When They Don't Like Killing Animals For Food.
We all have our own tastes and preferences. Some of us like sweet, some of us like sour. Some of us like light, some of us like salty. Some of us like it fried, some of us like it grilled. There are so many different choices out there. And as expected, some of us like meat while some others don't. People usually choose to be vegetarians because they either dislike the taste of meat, the idea that it had come from an once-living animal, or because of cultural or religious purposes (or even for just plain health reasons). And because vegetables cannot provide all the daily nutrients human require, it's just perfectly logical to use vegetarian ingredients, such as soy products, to create food that is high in protein.
But why do some of these products end up being vegetarian meat? There are two things that seem rather odd:
1. If you're vegetarian by choice, and dislike the taste of real meat, why would you eat something that is made to taste like it then? It's like saying "I'll just cut down on my sugar intake and drink some aloe vera juice with fructose instead." - therefore, these meats should only be targeted at the remaining vegetarians.
But 2. If you're a vegetarian by choice, and dislike the idea of killing animals for meat, why would you eat something that imitates it? I quote from David, "IT'S OK. I'M ONLY PRETENDING TO KILL THIS COW". If you can make tofu and what not into "sausages" or "chicken", surely you can make it taste like something else other than meat. Why would you want to envision eating meat when you're against it in the first place?
I guess people with the other two reasons are exempt from this question - they eat things that mimic meat to satisfy their craving of real meat since they can't have any due to beliefs or healthy determination. But why the two groups mentioned above eat these vegetarian meats is beyond me. Especially the second group.
It's just the concept that is beyond me. It's a rather irrelevant topic, considering how little people it actually affects but you know me - don't really care about numbers. I have nothing against vegetarians. It's just odd to me that's all.
But why do some of these products end up being vegetarian meat? There are two things that seem rather odd:
1. If you're vegetarian by choice, and dislike the taste of real meat, why would you eat something that is made to taste like it then? It's like saying "I'll just cut down on my sugar intake and drink some aloe vera juice with fructose instead." - therefore, these meats should only be targeted at the remaining vegetarians.
But 2. If you're a vegetarian by choice, and dislike the idea of killing animals for meat, why would you eat something that imitates it? I quote from David, "IT'S OK. I'M ONLY PRETENDING TO KILL THIS COW". If you can make tofu and what not into "sausages" or "chicken", surely you can make it taste like something else other than meat. Why would you want to envision eating meat when you're against it in the first place?
I guess people with the other two reasons are exempt from this question - they eat things that mimic meat to satisfy their craving of real meat since they can't have any due to beliefs or healthy determination. But why the two groups mentioned above eat these vegetarian meats is beyond me. Especially the second group.
It's just the concept that is beyond me. It's a rather irrelevant topic, considering how little people it actually affects but you know me - don't really care about numbers. I have nothing against vegetarians. It's just odd to me that's all.
Monday, 22 August 2011
...Girls. And Their Retarded, Odd, and Rather Illogical Behaviour.
My apologies in advance for those girls who do not do any of the following things - I'm afraid you're a rare breed.
Women. Girls. Ladies. The female version of a man. Whatever you want to call them. We are equal and we are technically the same - we all breathe, talk, eat, sleep... -insert 2342934823 more verbs here-. But there are just some things that some of you girls do that I don't understand (and as for I, I mean most guys). Let's just point out some simple ones:
1. Why girls seem to always go to the toilet as a pack, mainly in public areas - if you think about it, this is rather disturbing isn't it? You stand up and go to the toilet and suddenly another three girls stand up and decide to go with you. Peeing isn't a group activity. You do not need assistance to go to the toilet (well, most people don't anyway). Why do you all have to go together? Is it because when someone says "I need to go to the bathroom" your bladder instantly fills up and you decide it's time to go too? Do you get discounts when you go as a group? Is the nearest toilet 60kms away and you need someone to cling onto in case you get lost? I would understand if it was a foreign place, or at a place with bad lighting/dangers etc. But in broad daylight, with a decent of people around you, there's no need for this kind of behaviour. You don't hear us guys volunteering to go to the bathroom with one another. That's just weird.
2. Why girls complain that the toilet seat isn't down after someone uses it - you wash your hands after going to the bathroom right? So what's the difference if you just put down the lid yourself and then do your routinely wash afterwards? The toilet seat isn't made of fire - or you'd be burnt already. Touching the toilet seat doesn't give you weird diseases that turn you into a size 32 (God forbid!) or chip your nail. It's just the toilet seat. Calm down girls. And what about us guys? Do we have special immunities that protect us? No. You don't see us complaining. That's just weird.
3. Why girls constantly say "nothing's wrong" or "I'm okay" when they're obviously upset because their mascara is running down their face, there are three strands of hair out of place and (I just realised face and place rhymed so... I bring you...) they've been screaming and whining like a total nut case - is it that difficult to say "no, it's not okay" or "yes, something's wrong"? Oh good god, I just said it to myself to make sure humans can do it (and surprise, we can!) You expect honesty from us. And yet you're lying straight to our faces. How do you think this make us feel? You're undermining your own argument. That's just weird.
4. Why girls spend 213918343 years to take a shower, decide what to wear, put on their make up, realise that the eye liner doesn't go with the skirt, spend more time deciding what to wear, spray on perfume, realise that there are no shoes that match the current outfit, change again and then step outside the front door, decide it's too cold, change again and finally leave the god damn house - I think that long winded sentence is rather self explanatory. It's better to wear something that doesn't perfectly match than arriving somewhere late, or worse, wasting so many hours of your life worrying about your appearance. Last time I checked there were no fashion police stations around your house, or paparazzi chasing you. Unless you think there are. That's just weird.
(And, what's with you girls having 24234234 pairs of shoes? You're not a millipede, centipede, or even a spider. We don't continuously stare at your shoes when we hang out either.)
5. Why girls constantly ask whether they're fat when trying on clothes - think about the situation you put us in. If we say "yes, you look like a total pig", you're gonna get all angry and then do 3. (see above). Therefore the only option is to say "no, absolutely not!" - whether it's the truth or just a plain lie. You know it's a default answer. And you know you don't look fat anyway. So stop asking redundant questions you know the answer to. That's just weird.
And there you have it. Five little things that some girls do that confuse many. Y U NO MAKE SENSE?
Women. Girls. Ladies. The female version of a man. Whatever you want to call them. We are equal and we are technically the same - we all breathe, talk, eat, sleep... -insert 2342934823 more verbs here-. But there are just some things that some of you girls do that I don't understand (and as for I, I mean most guys). Let's just point out some simple ones:
1. Why girls seem to always go to the toilet as a pack, mainly in public areas - if you think about it, this is rather disturbing isn't it? You stand up and go to the toilet and suddenly another three girls stand up and decide to go with you. Peeing isn't a group activity. You do not need assistance to go to the toilet (well, most people don't anyway). Why do you all have to go together? Is it because when someone says "I need to go to the bathroom" your bladder instantly fills up and you decide it's time to go too? Do you get discounts when you go as a group? Is the nearest toilet 60kms away and you need someone to cling onto in case you get lost? I would understand if it was a foreign place, or at a place with bad lighting/dangers etc. But in broad daylight, with a decent of people around you, there's no need for this kind of behaviour. You don't hear us guys volunteering to go to the bathroom with one another. That's just weird.
2. Why girls complain that the toilet seat isn't down after someone uses it - you wash your hands after going to the bathroom right? So what's the difference if you just put down the lid yourself and then do your routinely wash afterwards? The toilet seat isn't made of fire - or you'd be burnt already. Touching the toilet seat doesn't give you weird diseases that turn you into a size 32 (God forbid!) or chip your nail. It's just the toilet seat. Calm down girls. And what about us guys? Do we have special immunities that protect us? No. You don't see us complaining. That's just weird.
3. Why girls constantly say "nothing's wrong" or "I'm okay" when they're obviously upset because their mascara is running down their face, there are three strands of hair out of place and (I just realised face and place rhymed so... I bring you...) they've been screaming and whining like a total nut case - is it that difficult to say "no, it's not okay" or "yes, something's wrong"? Oh good god, I just said it to myself to make sure humans can do it (and surprise, we can!) You expect honesty from us. And yet you're lying straight to our faces. How do you think this make us feel? You're undermining your own argument. That's just weird.
4. Why girls spend 213918343 years to take a shower, decide what to wear, put on their make up, realise that the eye liner doesn't go with the skirt, spend more time deciding what to wear, spray on perfume, realise that there are no shoes that match the current outfit, change again and then step outside the front door, decide it's too cold, change again and finally leave the god damn house - I think that long winded sentence is rather self explanatory. It's better to wear something that doesn't perfectly match than arriving somewhere late, or worse, wasting so many hours of your life worrying about your appearance. Last time I checked there were no fashion police stations around your house, or paparazzi chasing you. Unless you think there are. That's just weird.
(And, what's with you girls having 24234234 pairs of shoes? You're not a millipede, centipede, or even a spider. We don't continuously stare at your shoes when we hang out either.)
5. Why girls constantly ask whether they're fat when trying on clothes - think about the situation you put us in. If we say "yes, you look like a total pig", you're gonna get all angry and then do 3. (see above). Therefore the only option is to say "no, absolutely not!" - whether it's the truth or just a plain lie. You know it's a default answer. And you know you don't look fat anyway. So stop asking redundant questions you know the answer to. That's just weird.
And there you have it. Five little things that some girls do that confuse many. Y U NO MAKE SENSE?
Monday, 15 August 2011
...Why Cords/String/-Insert Similar Object Here- Seem To Always Tangle Even When You've Taken So Many Precautions For Them Not To
Okay so I'm going to admit that I'm gonna cheat today's post. I just got home. I'm tired and since I have this little case of OCD, I refuse to postpone my post till tomorrow (it will ruin my Monday streak!). Therefore, I am going to have a short, scientific post today.
We all have cords or cord-like objects. Have you ever wondered why they always seem to bunch together? Like I would leave my cables and stuff on the carpet and when I come back they're like all tangled up. Even though I (obviously) did not purposely do it myself. It's either a knot has formed or two or more cords have just decided to entwine and make your life miserable.
So, in my speedy preparation for this scientific topic, I've found some evidence that may help solve this mystery that we're all dying to figure out (well, at least I am).
Scientific experiments have shown that cords between a specific length are more prone/guaranteed to be tangled after being tumbled or moved. According to livescience.com, "digital photos and video of the tumbling strings revealed: Strings shorter than 1.5 feet (.46 meters) didn't form knots; the likelihood of knotting sharply increased as string length went from 1.5 feet to 5 feet (.46 meters to 1.5 meters); and beyond this length, knotting probability leveled off."
Because cords are round-shaped (unless you're special with cuboid-like cords - no idea how that works), there's also something about them having less friction control. So, just like the idea that if you shake something in a box, the contents will move, parts of the cords move and then end up tangling around each other. And then you take your earphones out of your bag or pocket to find that they are all tangled up and you spend a good old 30 seconds to 15 minutes (depending on your cord-untangling speed) trying to make it straight and usable again.
However what I have found does not explain how the cords in my room decide to make my life difficult. I don't have pets. I may have dragged one by accident when pulling my phone from the charger but that's it. AJDshafksdfhaskd. It's okay. I'll let you know when I've found where the little cruel cord dwarfs have been hiding in my house.
We all have cords or cord-like objects. Have you ever wondered why they always seem to bunch together? Like I would leave my cables and stuff on the carpet and when I come back they're like all tangled up. Even though I (obviously) did not purposely do it myself. It's either a knot has formed or two or more cords have just decided to entwine and make your life miserable.
So, in my speedy preparation for this scientific topic, I've found some evidence that may help solve this mystery that we're all dying to figure out (well, at least I am).
Scientific experiments have shown that cords between a specific length are more prone/guaranteed to be tangled after being tumbled or moved. According to livescience.com, "digital photos and video of the tumbling strings revealed: Strings shorter than 1.5 feet (.46 meters) didn't form knots; the likelihood of knotting sharply increased as string length went from 1.5 feet to 5 feet (.46 meters to 1.5 meters); and beyond this length, knotting probability leveled off."
Because cords are round-shaped (unless you're special with cuboid-like cords - no idea how that works), there's also something about them having less friction control. So, just like the idea that if you shake something in a box, the contents will move, parts of the cords move and then end up tangling around each other. And then you take your earphones out of your bag or pocket to find that they are all tangled up and you spend a good old 30 seconds to 15 minutes (depending on your cord-untangling speed) trying to make it straight and usable again.
However what I have found does not explain how the cords in my room decide to make my life difficult. I don't have pets. I may have dragged one by accident when pulling my phone from the charger but that's it. AJDshafksdfhaskd. It's okay. I'll let you know when I've found where the little cruel cord dwarfs have been hiding in my house.
Monday, 8 August 2011
...Why Mainstream Music Has Been Taken Over By 348594395 Songs About Finding Girls in Clubs or Telling You to Dance on the Floor (As If There's Nothing Else to Do).
Many "cool" people frown upon mainstream music - you know, 'cos what they're listening to is so much better. You hear those people complain "Oh, drats, -insert some band name here- has sold out and gone mainstream. That sucks". I never really understood why mainstream was so bad. It consisted of a relatively wide range of genres, although mostly it's just pop or rock. It never really bothered me that much - I listen to what I like, a bit of this and a bit of that. But it's starting to bother me, for a variety of reasons.
Why has almost everything turned electropopy? What happened to good old normal, instrumental music where hardly anyone relied on auto tune or excessive track editing? Now almost everything you hear on the radio is just some sort of dance number with synthetic beats and music. And with these comes the shocking and uninspiring lyrics. They're all about clubs, finding someone who's DTF and drinking until you see stars, during the day. I swear originality has decreased by like 500% (Where Them Girls At?, Who's That Chick?, Who's That Girl? for example). I'm pretty sure there's other things to sing about.
Furthermore, why has everyone turned so electropopy? Remember the good old days where Enrique Iglesias sung "Hero" and touched everyone's hearts with it's great lyrics? Now he's going around telling girls that "tonight, I'm f*cking you". Remember when Christina Aguilera sung ballads with her powerful voice? "Not Myself Tonight" was just an appalling song about a good girl being bad for one night. Yeah yeah, they might be just trying to go with the flow but seriously, stay true to who you are and what type of music you sing. That way your nice RnB track or power ballad stands out among the crowd of idiotic dance music. Look how well Adele is doing. She doesn't need the bass to drop or sample a song from 1984 - she just uses her voice and sings.
What Adele also does not need is to wear something which we can barely call clothes and dance promiscuously in her music videos either (although I'm not sure I would want to see that). A lot of mainstream music videos now are full of hot girls in skimpy outfits, dancing around poles or in some sort of situation which allows them to be sprayed by water and what not. Okay, it is enticing for a while but not really worth all the respect you lose.
And what has happened to all the good, meaningful music? Where's all the "You and Me's" or "Here Without You's"? I'm guessing they have been muffled and drowned out in the craze of dance music. There's only a few good alternative rock song that becomes popular every now and then. What we are mostly being exposed to now are songs with meaningless lyrics, sung by people who can barely sing without some sort of electronic alteration - and the only reason they're popular is because people mindlessly enjoy it and let it get overplayed on the radio (seriously, what the hell is wrong with radio stations? I swear, if I hear the words "I heard your heart singing love, love, love", I'm going to stab the radio with a pen. That is blue. Made out of plastic. Half melted in the sun. And then chuck it out the window (an open window of course, I don't want to break glass))
I must admit some songs are rather catchy and there's definitely a few dance songs that stand out due to their amazing lyrics or due to their originality. But if I were to choose to listen to music from this decade or from the last decade, I'd definitely choose the music from last one. You can listen to whatever you want - just bear in mind that music is not what it used to be. I mean, if even Rebecca Black or T Pain can get famous, it's quite clear that the music industry has obviously gone mad.
Why has almost everything turned electropopy? What happened to good old normal, instrumental music where hardly anyone relied on auto tune or excessive track editing? Now almost everything you hear on the radio is just some sort of dance number with synthetic beats and music. And with these comes the shocking and uninspiring lyrics. They're all about clubs, finding someone who's DTF and drinking until you see stars, during the day. I swear originality has decreased by like 500% (Where Them Girls At?, Who's That Chick?, Who's That Girl? for example). I'm pretty sure there's other things to sing about.
Furthermore, why has everyone turned so electropopy? Remember the good old days where Enrique Iglesias sung "Hero" and touched everyone's hearts with it's great lyrics? Now he's going around telling girls that "tonight, I'm f*cking you". Remember when Christina Aguilera sung ballads with her powerful voice? "Not Myself Tonight" was just an appalling song about a good girl being bad for one night. Yeah yeah, they might be just trying to go with the flow but seriously, stay true to who you are and what type of music you sing. That way your nice RnB track or power ballad stands out among the crowd of idiotic dance music. Look how well Adele is doing. She doesn't need the bass to drop or sample a song from 1984 - she just uses her voice and sings.
What Adele also does not need is to wear something which we can barely call clothes and dance promiscuously in her music videos either (although I'm not sure I would want to see that). A lot of mainstream music videos now are full of hot girls in skimpy outfits, dancing around poles or in some sort of situation which allows them to be sprayed by water and what not. Okay, it is enticing for a while but not really worth all the respect you lose.
And what has happened to all the good, meaningful music? Where's all the "You and Me's" or "Here Without You's"? I'm guessing they have been muffled and drowned out in the craze of dance music. There's only a few good alternative rock song that becomes popular every now and then. What we are mostly being exposed to now are songs with meaningless lyrics, sung by people who can barely sing without some sort of electronic alteration - and the only reason they're popular is because people mindlessly enjoy it and let it get overplayed on the radio (seriously, what the hell is wrong with radio stations? I swear, if I hear the words "I heard your heart singing love, love, love", I'm going to stab the radio with a pen. That is blue. Made out of plastic. Half melted in the sun. And then chuck it out the window (an open window of course, I don't want to break glass))
I must admit some songs are rather catchy and there's definitely a few dance songs that stand out due to their amazing lyrics or due to their originality. But if I were to choose to listen to music from this decade or from the last decade, I'd definitely choose the music from last one. You can listen to whatever you want - just bear in mind that music is not what it used to be. I mean, if even Rebecca Black or T Pain can get famous, it's quite clear that the music industry has obviously gone mad.
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