· I keep hearing the phrase “jump the shark” and nodding along as if I have any idea what this means. But apparently it refers to an episode of “Happy Days” when the Fonz jumped a shark on water skis. It denotes when a TV show has passed its peak and perhaps tried crazy changes to its storyline in an effort to retain viewers. Don’t know that we needed a term for that, but at least now I’m on board.· I’ve decided I have an uncanny ability to estimate the time of day. Seriously, you know you play this game with yourself: “Huh, I wonder what time it is. Before I look at my watch, let me guess. 10:45? Spot on!” My guess is correct 95% of the time to within five minutes. Latent genius? Probably it’s just that I’m surrounded by clocks all day and night (on my computer, my phone, in the subways…) and am subconsciously always keeping track. Creepy.
· I might be a latecomer to this, but today I found the website Stuff White People Like and now I can’t stop reading it. Some Canadian dude started it in January and as of yesterday he has a book deal with Random House. It will make you laugh in delightful recognition and cringe as it hits too close to home. You are not unique!
On standing still at concerts: “When white people go to concerts at smaller venues, what to do they do? They stand still! Remember, at a concert everyone is watching you just waiting for you to try to start dancing. Then they will make fun of you. The result is Belle and Sebastian concerts that essentially looks more like a disorganized line of people than a music event.”On dinner parties: “The ultimate goal is to do a better job than the couple at the last dinner party, and attempt to make everyone jealous and sort of dislike you.”
On the Sunday New York Times: “They then proceed to read each section of the paper, stopping periodically to tell their partner about the interesting news they have just seen. ‘Looks like another civil war might break out in Africa.’ ‘Did you see that the Met is doing Tristan and Isolde?’”
21 comments:
Weird. The Met IS doing Tristan and Isolde. Sounds like the SWPL blogger is secretly reading the Sunday Times like a white person.
This has nothing to do with this post but you have no general comments area. I just got to work and thought since there are so many Democrats on your site (I am still stubbornly Libertarian) I would point out that Obama is giving a speech on TV now live from downtown Portland.
Not a big deal in New York but you know Portland is small.
His speech seems to be an attempt to set a world record for saying he wants change, you want change, we all want change, we will have change...without actually saying what he will do. They should call him Captain Vague.
Also not about a post I have a comment about your poll. If atheists can enjoy Easter candy so much, (I voted for Cadbury eggs) then so can Jewish people.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/black_guy_asks_nation_for_change
I just think it's funny to imply my Jewish friends are somehow banned from enjoying Easter candy. Imagine if atheists couldn't experience the secular joys of religious holidays. No Christmas! Aaaah!
Let's try Matt's link this way:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/
black_guy_asks_nation_for_change
Oh, and see, Steven, Oregon is getting attention in the primaries. You're lucky it's a close race!
Ok, finally I start commenting ON the post.
I had never heard of Purim so I looked it up. How do you know when it is?
Wikipedia says:
"Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies; as with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua, including Shushan (Susa) and Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim. Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther (keriat ha-megilla), giving mutual gifts of food and drink (mishloach manot), giving charity to the poor (mattanot la-evyonim), and a celebratory meal (se'udat Purim);[1] other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration."
Um, "the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar," unless you live in a city that was "protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua"? Again Carolyn, how do you know when it is?
Good question. I Googled "Purim 2008," which makes it sound like an event you should have T-shirts for.
Wow, that link for the Onion was hilarious. It was like I just read and repeated it but I had not read it. I am glad I am not the only one seeing his speeches that way. I listened with an open mind today but heard very little.
Maybe it is best for him he doesn't use specifics. Today he said that he wants to put out of work Oregonians back to work building solar panels and windmills. I don't think that will go over very well. Firstly we have no sun and, oh nevermind.
As far as always knowing the exact time. Have you ever considered that you are actually a robot and don't know it? Or maybe I just have that new Pixar robot movie trailer on my mind.
Steven, check out this, too: http://www.time.com/time/
world/article/0,8599,1723811,00.html
Today is also Benito Juarez's birthday, a national holiday in Mexico, according to my dayplanner.
Oh man, that "Stuff White People Like " made me laugh like hell.
I love:
#88 Having Gay Friends
#76 Bottles of Water
which reminds me of how humorously ironic all the news is about the terrible pollution problem from all the millions of plastic water bottles thrown away by "eco-conscious" holier-than-thous.
#67 Standing Still at Concerts
I saw what you read. I was doing photography at lots of shows in Portland last summer and yes, white people are lame. I was at lots of shows with exciting bands and the crowds were often so lame the bands themselves complained. At Dante's two different bands said "Why are you all acting like you are at a dinner party?" "Are you really just going to sit there?"
#62 Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
Oh man, this one really kills me.
#11 Asian Girls
#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside
Thanks for the coinciding religious holidays link. Clears that up.
All the resurrection talk reminds me of this great Christianity poster I see from time to time:
http://media.damnfunnypictures.com/
dfp/ChristianityExplained001.jpg
Happy Easter Everyone!
Maybe it is best for him he doesn't use specifics.
Now, in Obama's defense, I think this raises the following question: "On what particular issues have McCain and Clinton been more specific about their policy proposals than Obama?" For me, the only thing that comes to mind is McCain singing, "Bah, bah, bah, bah, bomb Iran." Also, I think it's unfair to judge Obama's policy based solely on his speeches, which have to do rhetorical double-duty, both telling people who he is and inspiring people to vote for him (on the merits, which involves at least discussing policy generally). Candidates who are overly specific about their policy ideas in speeches tend to be either pedantic bores (John Kerry) or crazy ideologues (Ron Paul). The place for serious policy discussions, arguably, is the debates, of which there have been roughly a million this primary season.
In any case, his full 60-page policy statement can be found here.
Matt you have a good point but I guess I would like a chance to vote for a crazy ideologue. I happen to be one.
Steve I am glad you and I share a healthy skepticism of Barack Obama. I will probably vote for him, but I'm not jumping up and down about it. He's an amazing person with great ideas and way too much of a story behind him. I have been watching that guy closely to see how he behaves when he actually has a decision to make, and so far nobody can say.
Does anyone remember how Bush campaigned on the idea of staying out of foreign countries (in contrast to Clinton's interventions in Kosovo and Somalia)? That's one example of how NOTHING you say during a campaign matters when you take office. So beware of politicians who persuade you by telling a great story during the campaign.
I was just in Canada last week and heard about that site. It's hilarious!
I'm pro-Obama and anti-StuffWhitePeopleLike...so I know I am to be hated. But...
Obama - why do people complain about non-specifics? Those types of speeches are BORING. As stated, if you want specifics, check out BarackObama.com, or watch any of those long-ass debates. I don't think he'll change the world; but anyone who attacks the politics of fear (even Ron Paul) gets my support. We gotta move away from fear and solve some damn problems.
"WhitePeople" site: Funny at times, but it has a bitter tone. It's more like bitter-nerd-who-hates-hipsters-and-anything-that-can be-considered-cool.com. Because if if someone does something "cool" they MUST have done it to tell others...surely there is no value in the act itself...
Plus: No white people I grew up with fit the mold of this site. Carrie can back me up on this.
That is all. Yes, my girlfriend is busy tonight - thus I spend my Saturday leaving long blog comments...
-e
"No white people I grew up with fit the mold of this site. Carrie can back me up on this."
Eric, have you seen the piece they have on "Asian Girls"? That's all I'm going to say.
White men love asian women so much that they will go to extremes such as stating that Sandra Oh is sexy...
That's funny. The Mos Def and NY Times posts are also funny in parts. There are funny moments all over the site. But it doesn't all work, and often is lame, generic, or offensive. (yeah, I'm a little jealous of his fat book deal - stuff white people like: to be jealous of the success of hack comedy writers...)
Let's take this post: "yellow fever" is not funny, but potentially offensive.
"white girls never go for Asian guys" is an attempt at humorous hyperbole, but doesn't quite work. He then gives examples, but not sure if he means there are many examples, or if really there are only a few (meaning he is not writing in hyperbole...then where's the joke?)
He refers to kids like my niece as "hybrids that are atheistically pleasing, but are very annoying." First, why do they have to be pleasing to atheists? I think he means 'aesthetically.' Second, the 'annoying' part is based on what? Not a generalization I know. Doesn't make much sense.
And on and on... I'll hope the book will be more of the pseudo-scientific approach, as that's the funny part, and less of the bitter "white-people-only-do-things-for-show" part.
Live from Spring Break 2008,
-Eric
I have to say, one of the white guys I know who dated Asian women did NOT like Sandra Oh.
"He refers to kids like my niece as 'hybrids that are atheistically pleasing, but are very annoying.'....Second, the 'annoying' part is based on what? Not a generalization I know. Doesn't make much sense."
Yeah, I have to agree that is pretty offensive and doesn't make sense.
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