JACK, YOU'RE EFFEMINATE (AND STILL BORING)

I've got so many problems with the new Citi Card commercial, the one featuring Alicia Keys, Giada Delaurentiis, a picture of Marilyn Monroe and an actor playing a completely emasculated loser. So his girlfriend drops him and doesn't even bother with the "it's not you, it's me" rap. She just says "Jack, your boring.".  Maybe so, but that's the least of Jack's problems.

Jack decides he can buy or actually, charge, his way into being interesting. Nope, now you're just going to be boring and debt-ridden. Jack, if you aren't charasmatic, you aren't charasmatic. Maybe he's shooting to be that dull guy everybody occassionally hangs out with anyway, just because of the perks. 

But when Jack goes on his spending spree we realize a greater challenge than his plodding personality (or lack thereof) or even his desperate self deception that he can charge his way into having a personality. Jack's a freaking girl. He should've just bought a sundress, gotten a perm, joined Curves and caught a chick flick. Look at his purchases. Look at what he goes after. He's not trying to get his girlfriend back. He's trying to morph into her. And...he's still boring.

http://commercialsociety.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/citi-can-make-you-less-boring/

ELECTIONS AS A (POOR) SPECTATOR SPORT

The election is almost behind us and I can't wait. Oh, I'm far from apolitical, but I'm being driven mad by both sides of the aisle. Somewhere along the way we started treating elections like spectator sport, rooting for our particular party no matter what, saying the most ridiculous and degrading things about those who see things differently, establishing completely different standards of judging people depending on whether they are political friend or foe.

Some people can't even maintain a friendship with people who vote differently from them (now there's tolerance at work!) This most precious privilege and responsibility of our Republic has become a most uncivil activity. Look, you can't lump everyone who disagrees with you in together as evil, lying, ignorant fools out to destroy the fabric of society and then expect your friends on the other side of the aisle not to take it personally.  And you've got to do some real soul searching about what kind of a person you are if you trash the opposition like that, anyway.

Politicians are a neccassary evil. Power corrupts, and humanity has its limits. They're not going to create utopia. Walk away when they promise they will. And remember, regardless of who you vote for, you'd better hope whoever wins is the best man for the job, because he's the man with the job and we're all winning or losing together.