Packaged Goods

A few of Jenn's collogues were talking about the problem they see as apathy amongst their students. While every one of them have pretty valid points ranging from lack of parental involvement to over-saturation of news coverage when things like the bombings, the war, political wrangling, etc exist; I wonder if the apathy might have to do with the lack of choice our society has created.

How can you choose when your choice is Starbucks, Starbucks or Starbucks? Every town you walk into is a carbon copy of the town just up the road. Everything is designed for homogeneity. My brother-in-law is helping to open up a new Dodge dealership and they have to conform to the "Dodge design." A point of example is the 2008 Presidential election. People don’t really get to choose. The candidates are all the same with a different face. Sure Hillary is a woman, Barack, is black and Edwards grew up dirt poor but in the end it all boils down to who is the bigger GeeDub hater (not a lot of depth there). On the republican side, Rudy is a star and Fred is a star and Arnold is a star, but do any of them deserve a vote from the rest of the country?

When we tell kids that they have "a choice" but then give them identical products in slightly different packages to choose from; do we honestly think they will be dumb enough to get excited about their "choice?"

Rich and Dumb

Intelligence Not Linked to Wealth

Did they really need to do a study to prove that? Maybe they should do a study to see if McDonalds is linked to haute cuisine.

The Blind Leading the Blind

OSHA Cares

I don’t quite get this administration’s call to have industry regulate itself. They meddle in the everyday affairs of people but seem to think that industry will take the moral high ground and keep itself in check. With all of the fantastically qualified GeeDub appointees regulating themselves so well I guess I just blew my own argument.

Exploited

Watching this video 19 or 20 times made me realize just how important it is that we begin to pass regulations to stop underage drinking. This poor lady had her growth stunted!

Drunk Landlord