The Cost of Respect

Ah, Election Year...Poli-twiging roung the clock...McCain actually says to a crowd of supporters that he respects Obama...Says voters don't have to be afraid of an Obama presidency (I would have added, "Not with me running against him.")...and his supporters boo...someone calls him a traitor...Whut tha Twigi?

You know, when did respect for an opponent become a bad thing? My vote is still up for sale, but McCain went up a notch with this comment. Now, I'm sure plenty of McCain opponents are saying that it's just a line, but it's got a strand of truth to it...not necessarily McCain truth, because if it's just a line, then it's not truth, but a universal truth...Politics shouldn't be personal and it shouldn't be disrespectful...it should be opinions and respectful discourse.

Presidential Tees

It's still a month away from the presidential election, and if you find the debates, mud-slinging, I can do anything you can do better-ing silly, annoying, and just plain twigi, the good people at Attack of the Radioactive Tees have released their lol presidential candidate shirts features John McCain and Barack Obama...

Both candidates ask, "i can haz prezdenci?"





Or if you find the vice-presidential candidates more fun, then try out their Biden: Political Historian design featuring Biden and his quote about the stock market, Roosevelt, and television...



Or Attack of the Radioactive Tees' Palin: International Diplomat shirt featuring Sarah Palin and her proud proclamation about Alaska's proximity to Russia...



All designs are available in several colors and styles and can be found on several different items as well. There's still a month to go! Get them while they last!

Political Math

Ok, I've complained about this before. It's still twigi, it still keeps being talked about, so I am going to keep calling it twigi.

When you go vote in November, how many names will be on the ballot? Two? Will you only see McCain and Obama?

NO!

There are 10 other parties with someone running, and yes, I know...not all of them are on the ballot is all of the states, but whose fault is that? The voters.

But it really gets my dander up when reporters act like the others don't exist. Nonbiased news reporting my big, fat tookas.

Steven Thomma, last week, has an article published about "two competing visions of 'change'", or, in my paper's case, "Whose vision will sway voters? They must decide between 2 competing philosophies of change."

How many visions? How many philosophies? Should be a dozen there, buddy-ro.

Everybody keeps talking about change and looking to Obama and McCain for that change. I say look elsewhere...look to ourselves for change and that means we need to look beyond Republicans and Democrats. After all, we had 8 years of Democrats. We had 8 years of Republicans. Will going back to Democrats really be change?

Up for election: two competing visions of 'change'

This shirt, showing who really has the power to change the country, is available at Attack of the Radioactive Tees.

The Law of Supply and Dumb-mand

When you heard Ike was rumbling through the Gulf of Mexico and toward Texas, what did you do? Run to the stores for bread and water? Board windows? Stockpile gas to be sure you'd be able to drive when Ike was through? Those are all things that you should have done...if you lived in Texas on the coast. Hell, you should have evacuated, but you could have done those things before leaving for your return.

So why were people flooding gas stations 900 miles from where the hurricane hit? Why were gas stations here in South Carolina running out of gas? Why did gas prices at a local gas station go up 20 cents in 3 hours?

The excuse is that the Texas coast along the Gulf of Mexico is a major source of oil. Drilling rigs in the Gulf were damaged, refineries shut down and we don't know how long it's going to take before they get them up again. I mean, they have to look for damage, get power back, etc. It's not just a matter of walking back in and hitting the on switch.

But come on!

The rush for gas here had nothing...NOTHING...to do with supply. It had to do with prices. Buy it now before the gas prices go up higher. We start thinking gas prices are going to go up, we think, "I'm getting what I can now! Screw the neighbors!"

If we just go about our normal business, gas might go up some, but we wouldn't run out. Texas gives us 1/5 of the countries oil, and most of the southeast gas comes from the Gulf, but the federal government's trying to help with the Environmental Protection Agency temporarily suspending a dozen states' fuel-blending requirements.

People can complain about gas stations gouging customers at times like this, but a large part of that is we are gouging ourselves and our neighbors when we flood the stations just so we can get cheaper gas...not because we need it. And that goes double for those of you with the red gas cans.

Stop being twigi. We're in this together. A little bit of patience and everything will return to normal...unless they think they can get away with $4.00 a gallon gas, and if they think that, it's because we're buying it.

Associated Press article on rising gas prices

The Law of TWIGI part 2: Homer...I mean Frank vs. Netflix

Then there's Frank. In a similar situation, Frank was bothered the find out that you can't rent unlimited DVDs from Netflix...Which...you can...but I guess the problem was with how quickly he was getting them...or how much they were charging...Basically, Frank is claiming false advertising. He also had a problem with the shipping. He wasn't getting his movies in one day. I can't find Frank's specific claims, but I don't need them...I mean, what do you expect?

Early Netflix ads stated "unlimited DVD rentals"...Can you rent from Netflix? Yes. Can you rent DVDs from Netflix? Yes. Unlimited? Naturally that's a bit of an exaggeration, depending on how you take it. Unlimited DVDs? That's obviously not what it means. The laws of science say there's a limit to how many DVDs I rent because there's a limit to the number of DVDs that exist. Unlimited rental? To a degree, but again, laws of science and nature impede the true meaning of "unlimited". Limited by time to watch the movies.

In June I rented 14 movies from Netflix and July I rented 18. Both months I was on the 4 movie plan, so I payed $24.00. That's about a movie every other day. That's $1.50 per movie. That's a hell of a deal compared to when I would rent movies from a rental store for twice that much at least. Plus not having to pay for the gas to go there? Finding out what I wanted to rent was already rented or they just don't carry it? I've got 61 discs in my rental queue. 61 titles I don't have to try and remember. I don't see a problem.

Then Netflix claimed "one day shipping"...Again, let's be logical. Of course, some locations it will take longer. I put a movie in the mail box Monday. They get it Tuesday and tell me they're shipping my next movie. I get it Wednesday...consistently, with the occasional extra day because the movie I want isn't in the nearest distribution center.

And all of this is explained in the Terms of Service. But TOS's aren't read anymore. And logic? Fugitaboutit! I can't believe someone, Frank in this case, is willing to say, "Uh, I din't unnerstand..." But the frivolous lawsuit wins again. I can't help but think of Homer simpson when he sued the Frying Dutchman seafood restaurant over its "All You Can Eat Buffet"...

Homer Simpson: All you can eat. Ha!
Lionel Hutz: Mr. Simpson, this is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film, ``The Never-Ending Story''.

That's comedy. That was satire. The real thing is so much twigier!

The Law of TWIGI part 1: Subway vs. Reginald vs. Police

Let's face it...there's always going to be someone trying to abuse the legal system. Crazy law suits abound, and crazy calls to the police are even more frequent.



Take Reginald of Florida. He went to a Subway sandwich shop and ordered a sub. But apparently, the workers weren't making it correctly. Now, the normal way of dealing with this situation is to say politely, "Excuse me, I think you left off the sauce." I've been there myself...in a Subway..."Excuse me, could I get that warmed?" But not Reginald. According to Subway employees, he started yelling and decided to call police. I can hear the call now...



911 Operator: "911. What's your emergency?"

Reginald: "They're not making my sandwich correctly."

911: "Sir?"

Reginald: "They left the sauce off. I need the sauce for the sandwich to be right. I'm hungry. I need to eat. They're starving me because they won't give me the sauce. Make it right."

911: "Ummm..."

Reginald: "You're with them aren't you. You're a part of this conspiracy, aren't you!"

911: "Is this Crankyankers?"

Reggie: "Are you coming on to me? What are you wearing."

911: "Police will be there soon. Believe you me!"



Or, you know, something like that...So while that 911 call is being placed, the shop workers lock the door. I suppose they felt he might do something...crazy!



But the story doesn't end there. The police didn't arrive and cart Reginald off to a padded cell. The police didn't arrive. So Reginald called 911 again...



911: "911. What's your emergency?"

Reggie: "Where are they?"

911: "Where are who, sir?"

Reggie: "The police! Where are they?"

911: "What's the emergency, sir?"

Reg: "I need the police!"

911: "You need to tell me what the problem is, sir, so that I can tell the police."

Reg: "The problem is that the police aren't here!"

911: "Who's on first?"

Reg: "What?"

911: "He's on second..."



Or...something like that...



Now that's twigi...



911 Subway story



Then there's Frank. In a similar situation, Frank was bothered the find out that you can't rent unlimited DVDs from Netflix...Which...you can...but I guess the problem was with how quickly he was getting them...or how much they were charging...Basically, Frank is claiming false advertising. He also had a problem with the shipping. He wasn't getting his movies in one day. I can't find Frank's specific claims, but I don't need them...I mean, what do you expect?



Early Netflix ads stated "unlimited DVD rentals"...Can you rent from Netflix? Yes. Can you rent DVDs from Netflix? Yes. Unlimited? Naturally that's a bit of an exaggeration, depending on how you take it. Unlimited DVDs? That's obviously not what it means. The laws of science say there's a limit to how many DVDs I rent because there's a limit to the number of DVDs that exist. Unlimited rental? To a degree, but again, laws of science and nature impede the true meaning of "unlimited". Limited by time to watch the movies.



In June I rented 14 movies from Netflix and July I rented 18. Both months I was on the 4 movie plan, so I payed $24.00. That's about a movie every other day. That's $1.50 per movie. That's a hell of a deal compared to when I would rent movies from a rental store for twice that much at least. Plus not having to pay for the gas to go there? Finding out what I wanted to rent was already rented or they just don't carry it? I've got 61 discs in my rental queue. 61 titles I don't have to try and remember. I don't see a problem.



Then Netflix claimed "one day shipping"...Again, let's be logical. Of course, some locations it will take longer. I put a movie in the mail box Monday. They get it Tuesday and tell me they're shipping my next movie. I get it Wednesday...consistently, with the occasional extra day because the movie I want isn't in the nearest distribution center.



And all of this is explained in the Terms of Service. But TOS's aren't read anymore. And logic? Fugitaboutit! I can't believe someone, Frank in this case, is willing to say, "Uh, I din't unnerstand..." But the frivolous lawsuit wins again. I can't help but think of Homer simpson when he sued the Frying Dutchman seafood restaurant over its "All You Can Eat Buffet"...



Homer Simpson: All you can eat. Ha!

Lionel Hutz: Mr. Simpson, this is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film, ``The Never-Ending Story''.



That's comedy. That was satire. The real thing is so much twigier!

Honorary Twiginator: Leonard Pitts, Jr.

We here at TWIGI would like to name editorialist Leonard Pitts, Jr. an honorary Twiginator. Mr. Pitts called out Oklahoma County commissioner Brent Rinehart as an example of the stupidification of America. Of course, I can't explain it better than Leonard Pitts, Jr., so I'll just link to his article. Oh, and bravo for mentioning the movie Idiocracy. Everyone should watch that movie and figure out of he or she is contributing to the stupidification, or fighting against it.



Leonard Pitts, Jr. article: The Ongoing Stupidification of America

The CNN Interview