Observations, ramblings, and miscellany from William J Reynolds. Politics, religion, computers, society--all are fair game.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Whose Crimes?
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
They Do Understand it's Just a Comic Book, Right?
- Norse mythology gets a multi-cultural remake in the upcoming movie titled “Thor,” by Marvel studios. It’s not enough that Marvel attacks conservative values and promotes the left-wing, now mythological Gods must be re-invented with black skin.
- It seems that Marvel Studios believes that white people should have nothing that is unique to themselves. An upcoming movie, based on the comic book Thor, will give Norse mythology an insulting multi-cultural make-over. One of the Gods will be played by Hip Hop DJ Idris Elba.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Should Have Consulted a Nerd
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
What to Get for the Man Who's always Offended?
- “Happy holidays” is offensive
- It’s “Merry Christmas” - not “Happy holidays” - and yes, it’s a religious holiday.
- Some undoubtedly will argue that there are people who don’t celebrate Christmas, which is absolutely fine. Yet they take the holiday pay and the time off from work.
- If you are that opposed to Christmas, then volunteer to work in place of those who do celebrate it and turn down the holiday pay universally associated with Christmas.
- In a world of withering political correctness, “Happy holidays” is an offensive phrase to those of us who celebrate Christmas.
- So “Merry Christmas” to all of you.
- I had a nice little chuckle from the letter titled “‘Happy holidays’ is offensive” in Sunday’s Argus Leader. It’s always amusing at this time of year when people decide to be “offended” if they are not greeted the “right” way, or if they see “Xmas” instead of “Christmas” (ignorant, perhaps purposely, of the fact that since the earliest days of the church X—the Greek letter chi, from the Greek word for Christ—has been used to represent Jesus, and thus as an abbreviation is no more disrespectful than, say, WWJD), or when they see themselves as soldiers in the nonexistent “war on Christmas.” Oh, what fun it is to see people tie themselves into knots of indignation for no reason at all.
- But I find myself wondering why someone would be offended by receiving the “wrong” greeting. Seems to me that it’s nice to be greeted at all, and nice that the person doing the greeting seems to understand that there are many holidays at this time of year, not just Christmas, and that the real offense would be to presume that the person being greeted celebrates a particular one of them.
- So why take offense at what is obviously such an innocent greeting?
- The answer, I think, is simple: Selfishness. Sheer childish self-centeredness. If you don’t greet ME the “right” way, the way I want to be greeted, then I take offense! I am indignant! I instantly recognize you as someone who is “opposed to Christmas” (as the recent letter has it)—that is, you are my enemy, and you must be crushed!
- As a fan of irony, I enjoy how this “I am offended” mentality is so completely at odds with the message of Christmas—peace, goodwill, that sort of thing—and indeed so contrary to the teachings of him who the “offended” profess to follow—you know, the fellow who proposed people turn the other cheek, love their neighbor, forgive their brother “until seventy times seven,” etc. Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus admonish his followers to take up arms if our neighbor wishes us “Happy Holidays” or a local ad touts its “Xmas” sale.
- My advice to the “offended": Get over yourselves. We are told that this season all about Jesus (I refuse to repeat the gratingly idiotic rhyme that we see see all over the place at this time of year)—which is another way of saying that it’s not all about you! The coming of the Savior does not depend on other people greeting you with the exact phrase you wish to hear when you wish to hear it.
- Relax, for goodness’ sake. Enjoy the holidays a little!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Yes, By All Means, Be Specific!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Advertising...What, Exactly?
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Seven Years On
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Halloween 2003
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Just Open the Attachment!
- Dear Customer,
- We detected irregular activity on your HSBC
- Internet banking account on 26/10/2010.
- For your protection, you must verify this
- activity before you can continue using your
- account.
- Please download the document attached to this
- email to review your account activity.
- We will review the activity on your account
- with you and upon verification,
- and we will remove any restrictions placed on
- your account.
- If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choise
- but to temporaly suspend your account.
- We ask that you allow at least 72 hours for the case to be
- investigated and we strongly recommend to verefy (sic) your
- account in that time.
- Best Regards,
- Colette Nugent
- Head of Customer Communications
- © Copyright HSBC Holdings plc 2010 - All rights reserved
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Making it Work
How Mysterious the Internet Is
...and somehow, based on that, USA Today or the great and powerful internet or, I don’t know, God himself concludes that I might be interested in these other articles as well:
But of course. One logically would conclude that anyone who’s interested in a topic such as, say, the nature of the God of All Creation, the Ground of All Being, the Omniscient Omnipotent Alpha and Omega will likewise be interest in “Celebrity Birthdays” or “Surprising Origins of Everyday Phrases.”
I mean, what else?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
But Can You Believe It?
- All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them—Walt Disney
- Any person who contributes to prosperity must prosper in turn. —E. Nightingale
- We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish. —Tony Robbins
- Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it. —Wayne Dyer
- The reality you experience is a reflection of what you believe is most possible. —Bashar
- A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed. —Henrik Ibsen
- Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together. —Carl Zwanzig
- Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. —Langston Hughes
Friday, September 10, 2010
Gainful Employment
Monday, September 06, 2010
Email: A Love-Hate Relationship?
Without question, e-mail can be a huge time-sink, but I am surprised by the number of people who still treat it as some sort of outside influence, a thief whose only purpose is to steal time. One may also waste a great deal of time on the telephone—in fact, it’s my opinion that e-mail is a more efficient way of communicating that telephone, in most instances— but I have yet to see anyone advise that telephone messages should be returned only once per day. It would be bad advice indeed to say that one should begin his or her workday by returning any messages that may be found in voicemail and then unplug the phone for the duration of the day. Seems pretty unlikely that customers, clients, co-workers, or employers would appreciate much all of the time I’m “saving” by having only one set time during the day in which I “do” telephone.
Why would anyone think that e-mail is any different?
Let It Be Said
Friday, August 27, 2010
Still Waiting for the "Smart" Part
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
So Everybody Else Can Just Hang it Up for the Next 79 Years
Monday, August 23, 2010
One Product, One Vendor, Two Puzzling Ads
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The One Thing Your Blog Must Do
Make You Happy.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Credit Is Due. In More Ways than One.
- 1. Does the right thing
- 2. Does it right away
- 3. Does it without having to be cajoled, threatened, or blackmailed
- 4. Does it in a polite, even friendly fashion
Famous? Writers?
- 16. Threadless: "This a community of t-shirt designers who often write odd, yet inspiring messages on clothing. Follow them to read the latest shirts or find out how to add your own."
- 27. David Henrie: This young actor is best known for his role on “The Wizards of Waverly Place.” He often responds to his fans tweets and lets them know what is going on with him.
- 40. Ashlee Simpson Wentz: Married to the above and a recent mother, Ashlee is best known for her hit “Pieces of Me” and her controversial performance on “Saturday Night Live.” Get baby pics, love notes to her husband, and random thoughts.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Google News Has No Idea Where South Dakota Is
HuffPo Goes Provocative
Obviously, the "teaser" could have read Teri Hatcher Without Makeup just as easily...but that would have been less of a tease.
Nor am I entertaining in the least the notion that the line break after PICS: Teri Hatcher Naked is at all coincidental.
Interestingly, the item itself carries the far less innuendo-laden headline
Teri Hatcher Goes Makeup Free To Prove No Botox & No Surgery.
Still, more than a little tacky.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The Boycott and Me
Monday, July 26, 2010
Back to the Bat Cave!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Limits of Good Advice
- Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. —Harold R. McAlindon