How Gory Is That Game?

An MSN article calls into question the severity of video game violence:

The report goes on to criticize the ratings system devised by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to label potentially objectionable games, saying the system is too vague and enforced haphazardly at best by retailers.

The fact is, we have more free time available to us now than in the histroy of human existence. We are able to indulge in fantasy and live vicariously through movies, television, books, music and video games. Parents use anything interactive as the catch-all babysitter, but let me ask you this, would you hire a babysitter without checking his or her past credentials? You wouln't want a hooker babysitting your children anymore than you'd want your 8-year old grabbing a shotgun and running down the street shooting people and taking their money.

It's time to start taking responsibility in the fact that NOT EVERYTHING makes a good babysitter. Would you rather sit your child down in front of Barney, or Andrew Dice Clay? I know it might take a minute or two for you to think about the correct answer, but in the end I know you'll make the right choice.

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Game Break

Just been thinking about being a kid and when I used to spend hours upon hours playing video games in my room.

Here's a screenshot. Who remembers this game?

You're Still A Pain In The Ass, Mimi

Mariah Carey has decided to "[let her] guard down and [invite her] fans to be that much closer to [her]…" Apparently, now we are supposed to call her, "Mimi."

“Mimi is a very personal nickname only used by those closest to me..." she claims. Seems no one cares about her anymore, so she's inventing a new reason to buy her latest CD: A look inward to who she REALLY is, on the INSIDE.

Guess what, MARIAH... We still don't care.

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McCartney To Head Super Bowl Halftime Show, Won't Show Nipple

From IMDB.com:

Paul McCartney, who, unlike many teen idols of his time, was never known to shed his shirt for a publicity photo -- and is unlikely to do so now at the age of 62 -- has been signed to head the lineup at the Super Bowl halftime show next year. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy promised that there would be no repeat of the controversy that erupted this year when Janet Jackson's breast was bared for an instant during the show. In an interview with Reuters, McCarthy said, "We're very cognizant we'll be under spotlight with this year's halftime show and we've looked at all facets of the show including talent selection, song selection and costume selection, to ensure we wouldn't have a repeat of what happened last [February]."

Jesus, I hope so! The last thing I need to see is Paul McCartney's bare chest. Do we honestly believe that he is going to drop trow and moon the American public? "This is what happens when you break away from the regality of the Queen! We should never have let go of the colonies! Bloody Americans! Oh, and um....Stop world hunger and meat is murder."

Followup: Bullshit Controversy (Part 2 - Towelgate Boosts 'Housewives' Ratings)

From IMDB.com:

Demonstrating once again that there's nothing like a bit of controversy to boost ratings, ABC's Desperate Housewives delivered its biggest audience yet Sunday night as it recorded a 17.5 rating and a 24 share in the 9:00 hour, delivering the worst defeat ever to NBC's competing Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which settled for a 9.7/14. CBS's movie, Back When We Were Grownups, placed third with a respectable 8.3/12. But Fox's My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss trailed with a skinny 2.9/4. Housewives created a national brouhaha last week when, during a cross promotion, one of the show's stars turned up in a Monday Night Football teaser, wearing only a towel and seducing a player. Overall, ABC averaged a 9.8/15 for Sunday night and held a comfortable lead over CBS's second-place 8.9/14. NBC placed third with a 7.3/11, while Fox wound up with a 5.0/8.

I don't want to say, "I told you so," but I will say, "What did I tell you?"

My girlfriend had this to say, "And yet they almost sound surprised.  Anyone with half a brain knows that was going to happen.  They couldn't have planned it any better."

Normally I'd have more to say about this, but 1) I've said it all before, and 2) I'm living on about 11 hours of sleep for the last 60 hours. My flight was delayed out of Las Vegas last night due to, get this, RAIN. A little rain on the runway and suddenly Southwest pilots forget how to fly a plane.

Here's how my trip went:

I left Los Angeles at 10pm on Friday night. Arrived in Las Vegas at 11pm and took a cab to the MGM hotel. By 12:30pm I was in the casino gambling and drinking to my liver's lament. I finally took a nap in the room at 4pm. Woke up at 6:30pm because my roommates were making a ruckus about getting dinner (they hadn't been up all night and all morning like I had. They actually got sleep while I was gambling). 7:30pm and I'm alone in the room to get more sleep. 11:30pm I wake up, grab a quick shower and am back in the casino by 12:00am (midnight). Back to gambling I don't stop until it's time to get back to the airport. My flight doesn't leave until 12:30am. I arrive in Los Angeles at 1:45am. In bed by 2:30am. Wake up at the crack of 7:15am to grab a shower and get to work. I'm a walking zomibe.

In about 6 hours I'll be back in my car, on my way home for a long night of sleeping and recovery.

Advocacy Groups Take Aim at Cable

From IMDB.com:

The family advocacy group Parents Television Council has condemned the FCC for refusing to address the issue of sex, violence and profanity in a new report on "A La Carte" cable TV programming, which would allow cable subscribers to determine which channels they would like to allow into their homes. In a statement, Tim Winter, executive director of the PTC, said, "Why should people be forced to pay for anal sex on FX when they want the Disney Channel? ... Our own research proves that cable television is in the sewer and that parents want the power to choose their stations. If the cable industry won't do it, then we'll take our fight to our elected officials and demand that they give American families the freedom to choose smut-free television." The FCC study concluded that allowing consumers to pick and choose cable stations would result in higher bills to subscribers and force smaller cable networks off the air.

Not that I'm on the side of smut, but what about the freedom to choose smut-FILLED television? Let's not color this on only one side, folks. There's just as much right to smut-free television as there is to smut-filled television. If we're going to talk about freedom, let's talk about FREEDOM, not your desire to control our choices.

But they are right that we do have the RIGHT to the FREEDOM to CHOOSE what we do and don't want to watch.

Followup: Bullshit Controversy

From IMDB.com:

The FCC announced on Wednesday that it would look into complaints concerning the opening "teaser" for last week's Monday Night Football game in which one of the actresses starring in the TV series Desperate Housewives, appears to seduce a football player in a locker room. "It will be something we ... will have to look at; but that's far from saying what the result will be," FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell told the financial cable channel CNBC. A spokesman for the agency said that it had received "several" telephone and email complaints about the spot. In the spot, Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan asks Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens to forego the game for her, then drops a towel she is wearing. She is seen from behind and from the waist up. Says Owens in the clip: "The team's going to have to win this one without me." On Tuesday, ABC and the NFL apologized for the spot, but the uproar over it continued. Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy voiced a new objection to it, questioning the inclusion of a black player and a white actress. "To me that's the first thing I thought of as an African-American. I think it's stereotypical in looking at the players, and on the heels of the Kobe Bryant incident, I think it's very insensitive."

Are you fucking kidding me?

How saccharine does this country need to be? First, the opening "teaser," as they refer to it, is poorly acted, and very boring. If you hven't seen it, you HAVE TO. It's super lame, and totally retarded.

I hate that I'm giving even more attention to something I consider a non-issue, but seriously, this bullshit has to stop. We have more impotant things to worry about than a black football player rubbing bare skin against a white woman.

Reason # 4,526,971 that I don't watch very much network television anymore.

You Can't Make This Shit Up

Frozen turkey injures woman... Read more >>

Studios Sue Pixar, Demand Bad Movie

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Bullshit controversy

During Monday Night Football this week, ABC aired a promo for their show, Desperate Housewives. The clip involved one of the actresses wearing a towel while in a men's locker room. A football player enters the locker room and she drops her towel.

ABC had this to say: "The placement of last night's opening segment was inappropriate. We apologize."

The NFL added: "While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost."

Don't act so "free from blame" NFL. You're part of this too. You knew what was going on before it happened. It's not like ABC does whatever it wants without checking with you first.

And you still aired it, didn't you, ABC? You knew what you were doing before you did it. You WANTED to do it. It was carefully planned out and calculated, right down to the next day's apology. You had that speech ready and waiting for the follow-up controversy.

It goes a little something like this:

ABC creates a sexy promo for a racy program. ABC airs the segment during Monday Night Football, a hugely popular past time in the history of the United States. Millions of people see it. Some of those people complain about it. ABC apologizes for it the next day, increasing awareness and visiblity for the publicity stunt, just in case there were a few people who DIDN'T watch football the night before, and now even MORE people learn about the show.

Genius, ABC. Allow me to applaude your brilliant marketing, and sucessful attempt at adding more viewers to an already popular show.

Janet flashes a tit and now everything involving tits is "cutting edge" becuase middle america can't handle a little realilty. They'll watch Survivor, Trading Spouses and The Simple Life believing that it isn't perfectly calculated and scripted, but freak out when something REALLY unscripted happens in REAL TIME. The providers of this so-called "Entertainment" have it all figured out, know exactly how their audience is going to react, and continue to rule the airwaves by pandering to stupidity.

Thank you, television, for confusing the hell out of society and allowing us to forget the difference between fiction and reality.

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