Photo Friday

Roadblock. 

New Orleans, La.

This weeks Challenge: "The Road"

 

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things about Ms.Bizarre1. I think sand is disgusting. 2. I took a piece of the 17th Street Canal. Mom uses it as a doorstop now. 3. My almost 3 year old now knows how to sing the Zoo Pals theme song. I am horrified. 4. First thing I learned today: Cottonseed oil has the highest level of residual pesticides in any consumable oil. All fast food restaurants apparantly use it… either for frying, or in the food. 5. Last purchase: 3 Bras from Fredericks Of Hollywood 6. I like orange gatorade. 7. I have a "Tufted Titmouse" who has made a nest in the old dryer hookup on our house. 8. My wine glasses commit suicide. 9. I actually considered getting my hood pierced to please my husband. I reconsidered after 24 hours. 10. I just asked my daughter what she was doing. "Peeing", she says. She was in the living room. 11. I am honestly entertained by spongebob squarepants. 12. I love Klezmer music. 13. I want a sno-ball. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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This Irks Me To No End…

You know what really pisses me off?  You're driving down the highway, and it starts raining.  So what does everyone on the road do?  They slam on their brakes!

WHY?!

What's worse… several people began going all of 40 miles and hour, and turned on their flashers. 

 It wasn't a monsoon.  It was a normal, everyday rain.

 Maybe because I'm from a tropical climate, I'm more used to driving in the rain than these Michiganders are… but christ!  If you can SEE THROUGH YOUR WINDSHEILD, you don't need flashers and slamming brakes!

 Damnit.

Evil Children’s Programming

I suppose my first post should be something that is immediatly within my grasp… something close to home.

 DOODLEBOPS.

Anyone with a small child who is allowed to watch television from time to time has probably been exposed to these things. The concept is easy enough.

Simply take:

AND

AND

and you get:

In other words:  something completely horrid.

I know I'm not the only one that finds these brightly colored human beings frightening.  The singing and conversations with puppets only adds to nightmare of it all. 

I am of the opinion that most children's programming is total crap.  At the risk of sounding totally hypocritical (because I myself have a child whose Dora addiction rivals that of soap opera fans), why can't we just turn off the TV?  Educational childrens programming has its place… but do we really need to have so much of it?  As it stands, you can easily during the day find in upwards of 10 channels that is pushing "educational television" whilst bombarding our children with ads for various toys and products.  You want educational?  Go play outside with a stick.  Seriously. If you have never watched what 3 year old can do with a stick, I suggest you do so.  At the very least, you'll have a great psychology thesis in the making.

Instead though, we're allowing networks to make these childrens shows LOUDER, BRIGHTER, and generally MORE OBNOXIOUS and as long as they tell us that it's educational, well then it's ok!  So what if your child is going to be singng the jingles of at least 25 different products by the day's end?

I understand that TV is a needed evil… sometimes it's just easier to turn on Spongebob than to have your child suffer severe burns whilst you learn the art of flambe'.  Sometimes Mommy wants to go pee… alone. 

All I'm saying is that somehow, our society has lended it self to needing things like the Doodlebobs to keep our children entertained… when there is in fact no reason for it.  Would any adult really be upset if children's programming was limited to say, Seasame Street, Clifford, and Franklin? 

…and don't even get me STARTED on LazyTown.  What a total load of crap.  The idea that there is a children's show (which children are encourage to sit at watch, and of course bug their parents for all heavily marketed products resulting from said show) that has as its basis the idea that you should be out playing is kind of ridiculous.  If all of the children who watched the show actually STOPPED watching the show, and in fact when outside and played, then ratings would go down, sponsorships would dwindle, and the show would soon be canned.  So obviously they don't want that… so is there really a point? 

Honestly I think it's the network's half assed attempt to address the growing sect of parents that think sitting in front of the TV is actually bad for their kids.  I personally think that a big black screen that says "Go Play Now- Or Else The Doodlebops Will Kill You In The Night" would be more effective.  Then again… that's just me.

A good website that can outline the evils of television and commercials:

Campaign For A Commercial Free Childhood

…and now turn off your TV.  Or throw it in the street. Or whatever else tickles your fancy.