I'm totally dumbfounded by what I've just witnessed. I mean one-hundred percent totally blown away. But then again I'm fairly tired.
It's called Raptor Safari. Check it out.
Off-Road Velociraptor Safari (Preinstall) from Matthew Wegner on Vimeo.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Touch and Go
This article at USA Today caught my eye in a bad way. It's talking about how advocacy groups now have incredible power over advertisers' content during major events, namely the Super Bowl. The prime example of this was the "suicidal robot" ad from last year's game that sparked a web-wave of controversy from those who thought the ad made light of suicide and ended with the original ad being yanked from the airwaves and GM's website.
Now I understand the concern. I myself felt uncomfortable watching that ad when it came on. It's not exactly the most humorous subject under any circumstances and definitely has powerful emotional connotations. But I made a specific decision when I saw the ad. I didn't want the ad pulled. That's a blow to GM, but not nearly the proper response. What about not buying from them? That might get some attention.
Hell, I forgot that the ad had even run until I read the article. With the ad pulled, there's nothing to remain in the psyche. Everybody goes on buying and barely putting a dent in GM's $3.3 billion advertising budget. In 2005, the cost of running a 30-second spot during the Superbowl was approximately $2.4 million. That's a small price to pay for indiscretion for some.
But then there's the other problem the article brought up from me. Things like the National Restaurant Association (there's an NRA you never hear about) complaining that the Kevin Federline ad (y'know, the one where he's a fry cook) was demeaning to fast food workers.
Note to fast food workers: If you work in a McDonald's or a Burger King, I have to problem with you or your job. You provide me with somethetimes delicious food to go. But somehow, I don't think that there's a great sense of prestige associated with your fryolator.
Really? I mean... REALLY? Demeaning to fast food workers? Should we say that the Budweiser ads are demeaning to mules or lesser horses? What about clearly absurd ads like the recent "Swiss Family Robinson" Emerald Nuts ad? Is that demeaning to Swiss maroonees?
I'm done I swear.
The thing that gets me is that these special interest groups are starting to dominate our national consciousness. Every conceivable group or demographic appears to have their own representation that every businessman or politician is afraid of offending. We're turning slowly into a nation of people with no sense of self-responsibility. We're letting these groups define us by what they think they represent for us. Until we stand up and take action for ourselves, we're like a nation of babies being told what we want. I don't think anyone really wants that.
Now I understand the concern. I myself felt uncomfortable watching that ad when it came on. It's not exactly the most humorous subject under any circumstances and definitely has powerful emotional connotations. But I made a specific decision when I saw the ad. I didn't want the ad pulled. That's a blow to GM, but not nearly the proper response. What about not buying from them? That might get some attention.
Hell, I forgot that the ad had even run until I read the article. With the ad pulled, there's nothing to remain in the psyche. Everybody goes on buying and barely putting a dent in GM's $3.3 billion advertising budget. In 2005, the cost of running a 30-second spot during the Superbowl was approximately $2.4 million. That's a small price to pay for indiscretion for some.
But then there's the other problem the article brought up from me. Things like the National Restaurant Association (there's an NRA you never hear about) complaining that the Kevin Federline ad (y'know, the one where he's a fry cook) was demeaning to fast food workers.
Note to fast food workers: If you work in a McDonald's or a Burger King, I have to problem with you or your job. You provide me with somethetimes delicious food to go. But somehow, I don't think that there's a great sense of prestige associated with your fryolator.
Really? I mean... REALLY? Demeaning to fast food workers? Should we say that the Budweiser ads are demeaning to mules or lesser horses? What about clearly absurd ads like the recent "Swiss Family Robinson" Emerald Nuts ad? Is that demeaning to Swiss maroonees?
I'm done I swear.
The thing that gets me is that these special interest groups are starting to dominate our national consciousness. Every conceivable group or demographic appears to have their own representation that every businessman or politician is afraid of offending. We're turning slowly into a nation of people with no sense of self-responsibility. We're letting these groups define us by what they think they represent for us. Until we stand up and take action for ourselves, we're like a nation of babies being told what we want. I don't think anyone really wants that.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Just Push Play
Sometimes I feel like there's a great deal of power contained within a single push of a button or the click of a mouse. The transfer of will into action, of thought into deed, and of curiosity into mistake.
Take the elevator, for example. (Was that sentence grammatically correct? I think not!) We call out for a giant metal box, several times our own body weight, command the opening and closing of its doors, and send the box up and down an elevator shaft sometimes hundreds of feet high just with button presses. We command with single fingers.
We can publish great works of literature and art online with the mouse. We can scour the globe for a rare item, speak with the vendor, and buy the damn thing without ever moving more than our fingers and wrists. Think about doing that 100 years ago. What about 50? What about 10? Even so recently as a decade ago we did not have the degree of technology available that we do now. The magic buttons of our society now enter into our pockets as we begin to carry smartphones and iPhones and other interconnected gadgetry. These things that can instantly move sums of money or sell a company or start a career have become essential to our daily lives.
I can no longer conceive of escaping from the online world for an extended period of time. The idea that I should have to be out of contact from e-mail and phone service not only seems patently ridiculous, but also somewhat frightening. And that in itself frightens me.
Take the elevator, for example. (Was that sentence grammatically correct? I think not!) We call out for a giant metal box, several times our own body weight, command the opening and closing of its doors, and send the box up and down an elevator shaft sometimes hundreds of feet high just with button presses. We command with single fingers.
We can publish great works of literature and art online with the mouse. We can scour the globe for a rare item, speak with the vendor, and buy the damn thing without ever moving more than our fingers and wrists. Think about doing that 100 years ago. What about 50? What about 10? Even so recently as a decade ago we did not have the degree of technology available that we do now. The magic buttons of our society now enter into our pockets as we begin to carry smartphones and iPhones and other interconnected gadgetry. These things that can instantly move sums of money or sell a company or start a career have become essential to our daily lives.
I can no longer conceive of escaping from the online world for an extended period of time. The idea that I should have to be out of contact from e-mail and phone service not only seems patently ridiculous, but also somewhat frightening. And that in itself frightens me.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Back in the Saddle Again
I've gone and set a new record for inactivity here. 6 monthsish. Wonderful. I feel like such a bad person.
Quick rundown of what's happened since then. China was fun, jetlag was not. First semester junior year. Happy 2008!
Ok.
I'm gonna try to keep this thing up and running, and back to what I originally wanted it to be. Some kind of commentary site where people can come and say "Well isn't he a bit touched..." I feel like there has to be a method to my internal madness and maybe if I just write enough of it down then there's a chance I can figure it all out.
But I doubt it.
Speaking of people who aren't all there (Hello!) , there's a networking site that now exists for people who refer to themselves as real-life superheroes or "Reals". They run around in costumes with gadgets and look for crime to fight. Barring that, they donate at a local food bank or homeless shelter.
What's up with that? (I'm not gonna give you a link, it's always more rewarding to stumble upon this stuff all by yourself.) Is it really so hard to do good that people feel a need to be some alter-ego to accomplish it? Or have they been misled by the idea that they could just sit on a rooftop until they hear a scream for help in the night?
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that we should just let the world go on turning like an unstoppable top (would that be a good band name? The Unstoppable Tops?) but I also don't think that we should have to be superheroes to do it. Why not volunteer or donate as part of our regular life and not when asked? Why not, like those insurance ads on TV say, be responsible?
If there's a problem, fix it. If there isn't, don't. That makes sense right? So why do we forget this simple thing? Why do we let problems get bigger?
Maybe all we need is a little spandex and a flashy title.
For those of you who have read this far, I want you to leave a comment with the following. Give me your real-life superhero name (check out the Reals for inspiration) and what your real-life superhero will do. It doesn't have to be comic-book worthy. It could be donating time at a shelter or just giving food at a food bank.
Then go and be that hero. Go donate and do your super-task that you just described.
I'll start.
To fit with the semi-anonymity of blogging, I'll take the name Masquerade. I will be donating through kiva.org to help poor entrepreneurs start businesses in third-world countries.
What about you?
Quick rundown of what's happened since then. China was fun, jetlag was not. First semester junior year. Happy 2008!
Ok.
I'm gonna try to keep this thing up and running, and back to what I originally wanted it to be. Some kind of commentary site where people can come and say "Well isn't he a bit touched..." I feel like there has to be a method to my internal madness and maybe if I just write enough of it down then there's a chance I can figure it all out.
But I doubt it.
Speaking of people who aren't all there (Hello!) , there's a networking site that now exists for people who refer to themselves as real-life superheroes or "Reals". They run around in costumes with gadgets and look for crime to fight. Barring that, they donate at a local food bank or homeless shelter.
What's up with that? (I'm not gonna give you a link, it's always more rewarding to stumble upon this stuff all by yourself.) Is it really so hard to do good that people feel a need to be some alter-ego to accomplish it? Or have they been misled by the idea that they could just sit on a rooftop until they hear a scream for help in the night?
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that we should just let the world go on turning like an unstoppable top (would that be a good band name? The Unstoppable Tops?) but I also don't think that we should have to be superheroes to do it. Why not volunteer or donate as part of our regular life and not when asked? Why not, like those insurance ads on TV say, be responsible?
If there's a problem, fix it. If there isn't, don't. That makes sense right? So why do we forget this simple thing? Why do we let problems get bigger?
Maybe all we need is a little spandex and a flashy title.
For those of you who have read this far, I want you to leave a comment with the following. Give me your real-life superhero name (check out the Reals for inspiration) and what your real-life superhero will do. It doesn't have to be comic-book worthy. It could be donating time at a shelter or just giving food at a food bank.
Then go and be that hero. Go donate and do your super-task that you just described.
I'll start.
To fit with the semi-anonymity of blogging, I'll take the name Masquerade. I will be donating through kiva.org to help poor entrepreneurs start businesses in third-world countries.
What about you?
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