Even Santa and Blitzen Have BEEF!!
These are probably some of the most entertaining MVPuppet commercials yet.. Nike is doing their thing.. KRS One appears as Santa and Lupe Fiasco is Blitzen.. This is great!!
These are definitely some of the best commercials out right now..
What Were You Thinking?!?! #1 (HP)
HP - To produce face recognition software for your webcams that don't recognize darker faces due to "lack of contrast" from eyes and cheeks? So our color is now referred to as "insufficient foreground lighting".... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!! I'm sorry.. And all this time I thought I was black in any lighting.
HP Face Tracking Webcams Don't Recognize Black People
We are working with our partners to learn more. The technology we use is built on standard algorithms that measure the difference in intensity of contrast between the eyes and the upper cheek and nose. We believe that the camera might have difficulty "seeing" contrast in conditions where there is insufficient foreground lighting.
Favorite Movies of ‘09
My friend on facebook had an excellent question, guess I'll ask you guys.. What was your favorite movies of 09.. He asked for 3, but I can't do that.. Movies are too different, and I like them for different reasons, so I had to make categories..
Movies still to watch (could affect ratings)
Sherlock Holmes
The Men Who Stare at Goats
9
I WILL get up the nerve to watch Saw VI as well
both Twilight movies..
Action (not CGI based):
1)The International/Ong Bak 2: The Beginning
2)Taken
3)Inglorious Basterds/Taking of Pelham 123/Crank: High Voltage/Gamer
Sci-Fi(includes apocalypse)
1)Knowing
2)Angels and Demons
3)2012
Based on a True Story:
1)The Soloist
2)Defiance
3)Notorious/Tyson
Fantasy (movies based on books or comics):
1)Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2)Xmen Origins: Wolverine
3)Underworld 3 Rise of the Lycans
Computer Animated:
1)UP
So I ask you.. What were your favorite movies of 09?
I Blame the Media…
Someone on facebook wrote:
"...baffled by the amount of young people that are trying on homosexuality like they try on shoes. What has caused this sudden influx of gayness?"
This caused me to really pay attention to things going on around me.. I thought enough of the question to do an experiment.. So I decided to take note of the homosexuality witnessed just in one week in primetime media.. (because what people do in their own lives is their business)
Findings (of just a few shows that I don't watch on a normal basis, but for the purpose of the experiment made an exception):
Heroes - The college cheerleader and her roomate kiss
Melrose Place - Female was hired to try to "persuade" one of the characters to work for another PR firm by coming on to her sexually.
Gossip Girl - There was a 3 some.
Brothers and Sisters - One of the main characters is gay
Greek - Some of the main characters are gay
House - "13" is bi-sexual
And probably the largest one talked about this week, American Music Awards - Chris Lambert kisses his keyboardist. Kids are still awake people!! Children are very impressionable at ANY age, they're still learning right from wrong. (If you're an adult and you feel homosexuality is right for you, then all power to you, but as a heterosexual parent, I think I should have a right to be at least warned if there's a potential for my kids to see something I'd rather them not. I don't even let my kids see GI Joe because I think it's too violent. So don't start in on me w/ the morality issues.)
Now GLAAD is going off on CBS for blurring out the kiss..
In a lame attempt at trying to cover their tracks, the following morning when discussing how wrong his actions were, CBS then proceed to SHOW the Britney/Madonna Kiss from a few years ago WITHOUT blurring it. Are we as a society trying to create a doublestandard here? Is it "ok" or "acceptible" to see women all over eachother, but it's perceived to be "more wrong" when men do it? I've heard that it's more "sensual" and "seductive" to see two women together, but to see two men is just... GROSS..
I'm not one to blame the media for anything I do, but I know that others (weakminded) ARE influenced by what they see or hear. I also know that the media in efforts to be more "realistic" tries to mimic life. Some easily influenced people try to mirror what they see as acceptable, and the media feeds off of life. It's a symbiotic relationship. This really is no different than the impulse to buy something you see a celebrity wearing on a show, or something you see on a commercial. Homosexuality is now being "advertised" in pretty much the same way. It's being passed on as "normal" or even "glamourous".
In a way, I DO blame the media for not giving us a choice or proper warning, and in another way I don't. And you can't say, "If you don't like it, don't watch TV." That would be like saying don't open your eyes, because it IS everywhere. In the media's defense, this would be a completely different conversation if a major TV station made a new show that had NO Blacks, NO Hispanics, and NO Asians. Well guess what? Homosexuals are also a group that have to be represented as well.
At the end of the week, I've found myself back to being de-sensitized to the whole thought of homosexuality in the media once again. This was just an exercise in thought for me. It never really got me emotionally "riled up" or even angry. But I guess that goes to me not really being influenced by what others do. I'm content in my life and feel that everyone deserves to be happy and I wish everyone was, but that's never going to be the case as long as people are different from one another. Someone HAS to have something to say.. I think that's the definition of a "HATER". I would hate for someone to have put in their facebook "Man, what's up with all these African Americans in the media. Of course they'd probably use a different word. So what can you do? Maybe they should see it from that "side of the tracks".
Here's my closing thoughts: I'm not taking sides, nor passing judgement here. I'm just trying to get to the root of someone's question and it provoked my interest. The media mimics real life. Homosexuality has been around longer than any of us reading this blog.. It was a staple in the Roman Empire. It was thought to make a king stronger to have young boys as concubines. It was socially acceptable then and over time has become taboo. Well, I guess it's coming back around again because it's being readily fed through the media. I think what made homosexuals creep back into the metaphorical "closet" was the first thought that AIDS/HIV was a "homosexual" disease in the 80s-90s. So of course you wouldn't want to be perceived as sick just because of your sexual preference. That doesn't mean homosexuality went away, it was just more "underground". As we've become more educated and accepting of change (I know you can't argue that we're more accepting, we have a black president for goodness sake), more socially liberal, if you will, people find it empowering to show their true thoughts, beliefs and diversity. So you have more people opening the door to that "closet" and stepping out. To my the original question, I don't think they're "trying it on" I think they're just being honest with themselves.
Why ask Why?
A friend of mine from facebook stated:
If you are invited to church, you should not have to ask 500 different questions. Do us all a favor and stay home. Someone else can take your spot.
My thought pattern is "Why?" Wouldn't you WANT someone that has a bunch of questions about religion or God, or your church to come? Those are the people that are really in search of answers.
Why do questions anger people or put them in a defensive mood immediately? Why do questions make "believers" feel the person asking is a "skeptic"? Do you feel the question is challenging your faith? Someone that requires a little more justification before they're able to committ to something normally?alludes to?uncertainty or?inexperience. That ?isn't reason to deny them knowlege I'd think. I would be over compensating to try to get them the answers they seek in order to aid them, not ostracize them. Whether it's just the answer to their questions about a church, or something they may be confused about religiously.
Remember, we all had to start somewhere on our walk. Some of us haven't even gotten out of the front door yet.
What’s the True Measure of a Person?
A friend of mine wrote:
"The true measure of a person is how they treat someone who can do them no good"
I just have a simple question, are you really measured by how you treat someone, that has nothing in return for you? Or how a person can benefit someone that has nothing in return to give?
I guess this alludes to the old addage, "give a man a meal, and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish, and he'll eat a lifetime. " In my personal opinion, it's not necessarily how you treat one another that matters, it's how you benefit someone else that your heart is truly judged. Now with that, of course, honor and respect come as well. I doubt someone would be receptive to what you were trying to say, let alone teach if you did it in an unruly way..
I Just Wanna Be Successful… – Drake / Trey Songz
This entry is the result of thoughts spawned by a Highschool Friend of mine's facebook entry. I thought this was a great point of view and think it'd be an excellent discussion.
"I want the money, money and the cars, cars and the clothes, the hoes I suppose."- Drake and Trey Songz. Really? You don't want a fully funded 401K Plan, some insurance or investment property? You just want some crap that looses value ...immediately and can give you the ninja or some child support payments huh? Is that what's hot in the streets? Jesus take the wheel.
Successful - Drake/ Trey Songz
I think you're taking the song too literal.. The money, cars, clothes, and "h_es" - those are things common people equate w/ success; the "surface value" of success if you will. I think what you're describing is longevity and wealth.
You don't necessarily walk up to someone driving an Aston Martin and say, "I see you drive an Aston, but how much do you have in your 401k?"
One can expect that if they drive a certain car, or present themselves a certain way, smart decisions had to be made to get there. Otherwise they'll only enjoy those possessions for a short duration.
The "portrait" of a successful person society has geared us to look for is indeed someone who has money, cars, nice clothes, and a "trophy" on his arm. Albeit a facade for true happiness, but they are signs for earthly wealth nonetheless.