Friday, July 31, 2009
Blogs as mainstream..
Blogs have come a long way since the early days just 7-8 years ago. Last year, the Talking Points Memo became the first blog to receive a major journalism award when it won a George Polk award for its coverage of the firing of eight US attorneys. Even Time magazine has taken to compiling an annual Top-25 list. The picks for 2009!? Here.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
40 years on from the moon landings..
As someone that blogs myself, you might think that I read a lot of other blogs as well. I wish that were true, but unfortunately, in between working a job, trying to develop a business, blogging and just the everyday nitty-gritties of single life, I just don't have the time. I'm working on it though. Trying to shift from newspapers and TV to more internet-based news sites and blogs.
That said, one of my few guilty pleasures is reading Prem Panicker's blog. This post in particular, on the 40th anniversary of the moon landings, has some interesting links that make for thought-provoking reading.
You might also get a laugh or two. Ever wonder how the mass media would cover the moon landings if they happened today!? Check it out. Personally, I think Slate underplayed it a touch, but it's still hilarious.
That said, one of my few guilty pleasures is reading Prem Panicker's blog. This post in particular, on the 40th anniversary of the moon landings, has some interesting links that make for thought-provoking reading.
You might also get a laugh or two. Ever wonder how the mass media would cover the moon landings if they happened today!? Check it out. Personally, I think Slate underplayed it a touch, but it's still hilarious.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
How do you top a Charles Barkley!?
I saw an ad on tv the other day. Magic Johnson pitching Rent-a-Center. Have a LOT of respect for the guy. Primarily for his strength and courage in dealing with his own HIV, and his advocacy and activism on HIV/AIDS. Not to forget his legendary basketball career.
And so it was with a twinge of sadness and disbelief that I watched this ad. The ad actually looks good, talking about shared values between Magic's life, and the values that the company represents. It sounds like a good ad campaign, except the company he represents. I mean, RENT-A-CENTER!?
If you look at the values that Magic Johnson promotes through his philanthropy and through his Magic Johnson Foundation, it is obvious that the focus is on empowering and supporting disadvantaged, ethnically diverse urban communities. And if there is one company that takes advantage of such disadvantaged people it would be RAC. Hello!? Shared Values!?
Here is one consumer's grievance about R-A-C listed on ConsumerAffairs.com:
Dee of South Easton, MA July 10, 2009
In February of 2009 I rented a laptop computer from Rent A Center in Brockton MA. When I contracted with them, they gave me a computer that worked for a few weeks and then started to overheat and shut down. I took the computer back -got a loaner - ended up keeping the loaner after I had reloaded all of my business applications on it. I am on unemployment and attmepting to establish myself as a real estate agent so my computer is paramount to my success.
In early June, I had a financial issue. When I required an unemployment extension my payments lapsed for a week. I called Rent A Center immediately when I knew this and tried to make a payment arrangement. It was granted. I payed two weeks as soon as my unemployment was reinstated. The week after, I had a family emergency and my payment would have been four days late. I called to pay it and was told I couldn't pay just one week due to the upcoming holiday (July 4th). I was told that I couldn't make any payment under 2 weeks.
I called the district manager and left a message. I did not receive a call back until Tuesday of the next week. The manager told me to make a two week payment and he would work with my account to get it up to date. When I called the store to do so, they refused the payment again, saying the Distrcit Manager never told them I coudl do that..now I was up to three weeks, according to the store - that I had to pay. During all of this - the store left numerous phone messages not only for myself but my family and friends that I used ONLY for references to open my account. They were not honest during these calls either, saying that I hadn't contacted them in over two weeks, that I was unreliable, that I was stealing the merchandise!
I was completely embarassed by this and humiliated. Not only am I hurting during these economic times financially but I am a survivor of Domestic Violence and have ongoing cases in court against my abuser. Just last week, Rent A Center started coming to my home, terrorizing my son who was home with a friend while I was out. They were banging on the door very aggressively and yelling in windows as well as trying to open doors that thankfully were locked! This behavior is aborehent and criminal!
Now the last conversation I have had with the company, they stated that I was being taken to court and they were going to file criminal charges against me! This was after I stated that I wanted someone else to bring in the merchandise. I don't feel safe going into the store - They are bullies and from I have heard from other people there is system is as follows: After a certain amount of payments have been made - they aggressively look for ways to reposess the merchandise in order to have the ability to rerent it another customer. This lowers their inventory costs and they can make THOUSANDS on one product by continually recycling it and re-renting it! Horrid!
Read more consumer experiences with RAC from ConsumerAffairs.com here.
While I personally don't have any experience with RAC, never having even gone into one, I do have an interesting story.
A couple of months ago, I saw a friend at a barbeque at my ex-gf's. And she had her newish laptop with her. Since I dabble in that field myself, I was interested and curious, and in the course of the conversation, it came up that she had bought it very recently at RAC. "Really!? Wow. I didn't know RAC had laptops.." For around $1400. *GASP* That was me.
A very quick, cursory lookup on the internet showed me that laptop was available for as low as $550 online, brand spanking new. And even if I had sold that laptop for profit, at $700, it would have still been only half the price of what she was going to pay on the laptop. And maybe it's ok if it's a smaller dollar amount, like maybe $50 or so. But she was paying $850 more for her laptop than it was worth. She was paying more than double the cost of the laptop.
That prompted an internal debate. Should I tell her, should I not!? I didn't want to brag and I certainly didn't want to embarrass her. In the end though, I didn't have to make that choice. She saved me the trouble and asked me herself. So I told her.
Here was an educated black woman, 32 years old, computer literate, and otherwise very street-smart I would guess. She put on a brave front, but I wish I had a picture of her face. Her eyes told their own story. It's the story of poor, disadvantaged people everywhere.
I understand Magic Johnson is just a pitchman at best, and a spokesperson at worst. This is a classic case of a celebrity lending their name to any cause. R-A-C as a cause is unworthy at best, and sleazy at worst.
I'm not going to flog Magic Johnson. Enough others have done that already. Here and here, for example, and I'm not joining that band-wagon.
As an active philanthropist, and through his Magic Johnson Foundation, he's done a lot more already than most people hope to in a lifetime. But he's still only human. And we all make mistakes occasionally. It is my fervent hope and desire that he corrects this mistake sooner than later.
And so it was with a twinge of sadness and disbelief that I watched this ad. The ad actually looks good, talking about shared values between Magic's life, and the values that the company represents. It sounds like a good ad campaign, except the company he represents. I mean, RENT-A-CENTER!?
If you look at the values that Magic Johnson promotes through his philanthropy and through his Magic Johnson Foundation, it is obvious that the focus is on empowering and supporting disadvantaged, ethnically diverse urban communities. And if there is one company that takes advantage of such disadvantaged people it would be RAC. Hello!? Shared Values!?
Here is one consumer's grievance about R-A-C listed on ConsumerAffairs.com:
Dee of South Easton, MA July 10, 2009
In February of 2009 I rented a laptop computer from Rent A Center in Brockton MA. When I contracted with them, they gave me a computer that worked for a few weeks and then started to overheat and shut down. I took the computer back -got a loaner - ended up keeping the loaner after I had reloaded all of my business applications on it. I am on unemployment and attmepting to establish myself as a real estate agent so my computer is paramount to my success.
In early June, I had a financial issue. When I required an unemployment extension my payments lapsed for a week. I called Rent A Center immediately when I knew this and tried to make a payment arrangement. It was granted. I payed two weeks as soon as my unemployment was reinstated. The week after, I had a family emergency and my payment would have been four days late. I called to pay it and was told I couldn't pay just one week due to the upcoming holiday (July 4th). I was told that I couldn't make any payment under 2 weeks.
I called the district manager and left a message. I did not receive a call back until Tuesday of the next week. The manager told me to make a two week payment and he would work with my account to get it up to date. When I called the store to do so, they refused the payment again, saying the Distrcit Manager never told them I coudl do that..now I was up to three weeks, according to the store - that I had to pay. During all of this - the store left numerous phone messages not only for myself but my family and friends that I used ONLY for references to open my account. They were not honest during these calls either, saying that I hadn't contacted them in over two weeks, that I was unreliable, that I was stealing the merchandise!
I was completely embarassed by this and humiliated. Not only am I hurting during these economic times financially but I am a survivor of Domestic Violence and have ongoing cases in court against my abuser. Just last week, Rent A Center started coming to my home, terrorizing my son who was home with a friend while I was out. They were banging on the door very aggressively and yelling in windows as well as trying to open doors that thankfully were locked! This behavior is aborehent and criminal!
Now the last conversation I have had with the company, they stated that I was being taken to court and they were going to file criminal charges against me! This was after I stated that I wanted someone else to bring in the merchandise. I don't feel safe going into the store - They are bullies and from I have heard from other people there is system is as follows: After a certain amount of payments have been made - they aggressively look for ways to reposess the merchandise in order to have the ability to rerent it another customer. This lowers their inventory costs and they can make THOUSANDS on one product by continually recycling it and re-renting it! Horrid!
Read more consumer experiences with RAC from ConsumerAffairs.com here.
While I personally don't have any experience with RAC, never having even gone into one, I do have an interesting story.
A couple of months ago, I saw a friend at a barbeque at my ex-gf's. And she had her newish laptop with her. Since I dabble in that field myself, I was interested and curious, and in the course of the conversation, it came up that she had bought it very recently at RAC. "Really!? Wow. I didn't know RAC had laptops.." For around $1400. *GASP* That was me.
A very quick, cursory lookup on the internet showed me that laptop was available for as low as $550 online, brand spanking new. And even if I had sold that laptop for profit, at $700, it would have still been only half the price of what she was going to pay on the laptop. And maybe it's ok if it's a smaller dollar amount, like maybe $50 or so. But she was paying $850 more for her laptop than it was worth. She was paying more than double the cost of the laptop.
That prompted an internal debate. Should I tell her, should I not!? I didn't want to brag and I certainly didn't want to embarrass her. In the end though, I didn't have to make that choice. She saved me the trouble and asked me herself. So I told her.
Here was an educated black woman, 32 years old, computer literate, and otherwise very street-smart I would guess. She put on a brave front, but I wish I had a picture of her face. Her eyes told their own story. It's the story of poor, disadvantaged people everywhere.
I understand Magic Johnson is just a pitchman at best, and a spokesperson at worst. This is a classic case of a celebrity lending their name to any cause. R-A-C as a cause is unworthy at best, and sleazy at worst.
I'm not going to flog Magic Johnson. Enough others have done that already. Here and here, for example, and I'm not joining that band-wagon.
As an active philanthropist, and through his Magic Johnson Foundation, he's done a lot more already than most people hope to in a lifetime. But he's still only human. And we all make mistakes occasionally. It is my fervent hope and desire that he corrects this mistake sooner than later.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
A deep sense of guilt!? WHY!?
When you consider the brief history of man, change, progress and development has always moved glacially. But think of all that we have achieved in the last century alone. The world today is vastly different from anything one could have possibly imagined just a century ago.
Case in Point:
Attitudes towards sex at the turn of the 20th century!
http://www.themediadesk.com/newfiles2/youngbride.htm
Crazy!? Yes! Unbelievable!? Not really!
It was only 115 short years ago, but thankfully, mankind has come a long long way in the last century or so. I am leaning towards the belief that this may be an extreme example of ignorance and stupidity, even for that day and age. I could be wrong however, and it may well have been very typical for that period. I hope not, but thankfully, men and women survived it, and here we are today!
Frankly, I have no desire to go back in time and research the subject. There is plenty to look at even today. While attitudes towards sex are slowly changing world-wide, most of the change is concentrated in some areas, mostly in the developed world. And some parts of the developed world are more liberated, sexually and otherwise, more progressive if you will, than others.
For all the image of Americans across the globe, most of it derived from Hollywood, Europe is a lot more progressive than America. (Any arguments!? Two words. Nude beaches.) And even in America, some parts are more forward-leaning than others. It is accepted as fact that the NorthEast, New York for example, is a more progressive state, than the Bible Belt, Alabama for example.
You don't have to be extra-ordinarily astute to notice that the more progressive a people are, the less influence organized religion carries with them. Some might think that this is a coincidence, but this is no fluke.
One of the common themes across most if not all major organized religions is that sex is perverse, dirty and ungodly. Something to be indulged in, only to procreate, in secret, in the dark. Something you don't talk about. Something to feel guilty about.
We each have our own opinions on the subject of sex. And to each his own. Live and let die, as the Bond movie title says.
For today, the big question is, what place does organized religion have in sexuality?
Disclaimer:
I'm no hater of spirituality, but spirituality and organized religion are not one and the same. In the interest of full disclosure, I was born Hindu, but I claim no religion today. In other words, personally I'm spiritual, but I belong to no one religious faith.
Case in Point:
Attitudes towards sex at the turn of the 20th century!
http://www.themediadesk.com/newfiles2/youngbride.htm
Crazy!? Yes! Unbelievable!? Not really!
It was only 115 short years ago, but thankfully, mankind has come a long long way in the last century or so. I am leaning towards the belief that this may be an extreme example of ignorance and stupidity, even for that day and age. I could be wrong however, and it may well have been very typical for that period. I hope not, but thankfully, men and women survived it, and here we are today!
Frankly, I have no desire to go back in time and research the subject. There is plenty to look at even today. While attitudes towards sex are slowly changing world-wide, most of the change is concentrated in some areas, mostly in the developed world. And some parts of the developed world are more liberated, sexually and otherwise, more progressive if you will, than others.
For all the image of Americans across the globe, most of it derived from Hollywood, Europe is a lot more progressive than America. (Any arguments!? Two words. Nude beaches.) And even in America, some parts are more forward-leaning than others. It is accepted as fact that the NorthEast, New York for example, is a more progressive state, than the Bible Belt, Alabama for example.
You don't have to be extra-ordinarily astute to notice that the more progressive a people are, the less influence organized religion carries with them. Some might think that this is a coincidence, but this is no fluke.
One of the common themes across most if not all major organized religions is that sex is perverse, dirty and ungodly. Something to be indulged in, only to procreate, in secret, in the dark. Something you don't talk about. Something to feel guilty about.
We each have our own opinions on the subject of sex. And to each his own. Live and let die, as the Bond movie title says.
For today, the big question is, what place does organized religion have in sexuality?
Disclaimer:
I'm no hater of spirituality, but spirituality and organized religion are not one and the same. In the interest of full disclosure, I was born Hindu, but I claim no religion today. In other words, personally I'm spiritual, but I belong to no one religious faith.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)