Halloween is coming.

Halloween is the only good holiday. It is the only holiday that doesn't involve large amounts of bullshit. Sadly however, it seems to be on the decline in resent years.

Halloween is great because of all the things you don't have to do. No gifts to buy, no bad meal to choke down, no family you hate anyway, no grand display of affection, no annoying false patriotism. While being a holiday, it shares in none of the worst parts that other holidays have. No one ever gets suicidal on Halloween, unlike some other holidays that could be named.

What Halloween does have is simple: candy, costumes, and Satan. Who doesn't love candy? Who doesn't think a costume one day out of the year could be fun? There is no Satan involved really, we just barrow some of his style for the holiday. It is a holiday without an ulterior motive.

Halloween is about fun, only holiday you can say that about. Christmas is about greed. Thanksgiving is about gluttony. Valentines is about lust.  Halloween is just a good time, with some candy, and a bit of dress up. Shame that it seems to get smaller every year.

Reality TV.

I know it has been here for at least 10 years, but I still hate both the concept and execution of reality television. I know why it stay around, it costs very little to produce, and gets a decent number of viewers. However, it is not real, it is made to seem more than it is. It is not all the same, it comes in a few flavors, but all of them are equally exaggerated through editing and other tricks.

The many forms of reality television all are base around the idea that people love to see others do embarrassing things. It can be a washed up celebrity being follow around, or a someone that can't sing, or a man yelling at the owners of business, a group of spoiled bitchy people and their lives, and many other equally intellectually void forms, shapes, and flavors. All of them based on embarrassment, shame, and spectacle of how people can really be this blind to what is really happening.

Disgusting as I find it all, I see that is does make money. So here are a few ideas of my own for the reality television producers:

1. Russian Roulette with the "Stars". We take the lowest tier celebrities, and whichever survives the game gets a 3 picture deal to try and raise their falling stardom.

2. Blind and Deaf on a minefield. This needs no explanation.

3. Who wants to be seen as a douche bag for the rest of their life? This is really what all of it boils down to.

Ideas Vol. 2

Some more thoughts that don't quite deserve there own blog post.

1.  A practical application for an iPad.

It seems like someone should think of one. Most of what they do can be done on a cell phone, so what is the point? Yes the screen is bigger, but it is also more to carry, and it is very delicate. So I would just like something it can do that is a new trick.

2. Honesty about Honesty

We always hear about how lies will get you in to trouble, however honesty will get you in to just as much. Honesty and lies are both needed to get by. Perfect honesty will drive people away from you as most can't handle it. Constant lies will drive others from you as you will get caught in them. Getting along with others is a matter of balancing truths and lies.

3. Question Everything

Whenever your told something, question it. You will say yourself a lot of problems in the long run, if you just take the time to evaluate what you are told. If this idea is new to you, question it.

The "Indy" Scene.

Every major form of media has a "mainstream" and an "independent" offshoot. Both are fine options, more produce 10% greatness, 10% shit, and 80% somewhere in the middle. This refers to movies, music, books, and most recently video games. The fact that there exists two levels is a good thing, a good "independent" work will go on to influence the "mainstream".  It is a nice little system.

This is all well and good, but what isn't good are the pretentious fans of "independent" works that will tell you how anything in the "indy scene" will blow away anything that is "mainstream". These people will brag that they have never seen/read/played whatever is popular, or critically acclaimed, because a major publisher/studio is behind it. They think their love of the "indy scene" makes them intellectually, and possibly morally superior to all lesser people that just enjoy media and don't get care where it might come from. All of these pretentious people need at least a good slap in the face, or most feed into a giant wood-chipper.

Love of the "independent" doesn't mean you have better taste, or are a better person. The "indy scene" is just like the "mainstream", 10% gold, 10% shit. Every "Reservoir Dogs" is balanced by something like "The Room". So can't we all just enjoy what is good, regardless of where it came from?

People we could do without.

There exist different types of people we could do without. This is not about race, or sex, or anything so superficial. These are people no one would miss, annoyances, and wasters of time, and overall useless people. You might know a few, in fact that is almost certain, however without them your life will be better.

1. Fanboys. It doesn't matter what they are into, they think it is a subject on which the world turns, when in reality no one but them (and some forum friends) care about. They come in all shapes and sizes, can be women with a wet spot for reality TV, men that spend all day talking about there favorite sports team, nerds talking about their other life in a MMO, or any number of other things. The common factor is they have allowed the unimportant to take over their lives, and are upset you don't value it as they do.

2. People that "hangout" at work on their day off. It is your day off, why are you here? Do you hate yourself that much? Do you not get enough of this place in the 40 hours you are here already? If you work at a retail store, you get a pass if you NEED something sold there. If you don't have business there, you should never show up other than when you are getting paid.

3. The people that leave stuff on your windshield while you are in a store. Has anything they left on your car ever helped you in anyway? Ever started driving with it on your windshield, it blows off, and a cop pulls you over? There is a similar guy that leaves business cards in your car window, they need to go too.

4. Conspiracy theorists. Sorry, it just isn't as complicated, or secret as you think it is.

Things that aren't news.

News reporters go on about certain topics and people that have no real business being material for the news. They are things that don't really effect the world, or the audience personally, so therefore have no need to be reported on.  If we could eliminate these topics from the news, I think it would improve the minds of millions.
   
1. Sarah Palin. I know she directs her  bus tour to go where ever real news is happening. That doesn't make what she is doing news. In fact unless she has signed a contract with Naughty America, nothing she could be doing is worth national attention. 

2. Conrad Murray, the guy on trial for killing Michael Jackson. I don't know if he is guilty, nor do I care. If he is guilty, all he did was kill a pedophile, and that seems more like a public service than a crime. If he did it, we should give him a parade and move on.

3. The Kardashian family. What is it these people do? I have yet to get an answer to this. It seems to be spoiled bitchy women that try to be the center of attention. Why are we validating this behavior?

4. Anything to do with reality TV and the "stars" there of. If we all stop watching they will go away. We need to work together on this.

Wish I had some of these.

Sorry this isn't my usual post. I found this picture, and assuming it is real, this is the greatest tie-in product ever. I don't know if these are real, or just a fan creation, but damn are they cool. If anyone knows if these are real, please do tell.

I will have something more in line with my usual later this week.