WWotD - 25 April 2012

[Note to self.... I must get back to posting more often...]

When I read this article about "Michelle Obama's Friendship Secrets" (blurb: "The First Lady has no use for frenemies...and neither should you") , I was a bit confused. I get the idea that Michelle O makes smart, "adult" relationships with other women...and I get that the author is trying to discourage the perpetuation of women as vicious bitches constantly at war with each other.

This article has nothing whatsoever to do with the word "frenemy".

The frenemy is a very specific type of person in your life. On the surface, everything appears to look like a friendship. You socialize with this person, you invite each other to personal events, you laugh and have fun with the person. But make no mistake: from the very beginning you are competitors at war with each other. It may be only one-sided; one person might not even know the other person is the frenemy [until it is too late]. It's not a war of nuclear explosions as is suggested by the article; it's a war of scorched earth. The frenemy is undermining you either directly (casual little barbs, insults that are "kidding", bad advice, etc) or indirectly via your social circles, to absorb or eradicate your personal and emotional assets. There is no betrayal because an enemy implicitly cannot betray a friendship that doesn't exist.

Also, I call baloney to the statement that Michelle Obama has no frenemies. The U.S. presidency is one of the most highly competitive and sought after political positions in the world. There is no way that one can navigate the political waters with any degree of success and fail to encounter frenemy relationships. I think it would be more correct to say that Mrs. O is savvy enough to correctly identify her frenemies and mitigate her exposure to them.

ruse

 noun \ˈrüs, ˈrüz\

Definition of RUSE

   : a wily subterfuge


from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruse

WWotD - 16 April 2012

According to this article, the following criteria are signs of toddler geniuses:

• an unusual memory
• reading at an early age
• intolerance of other children
• an awareness of world events

It also sounds like the signs of a jerkwad. So I guess intelligence does toddlers no favors.

prod·i·gy

 noun \ˈprä-də-jē\

plural prod·i·gies

Definition of PRODIGY

1

a : a portentous event : omenb : something extraordinary or inexplicable

2

a : an extraordinary, marvelous, or unusual accomplishment, deed, or eventb : a highly talented child or youth
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy

WWotD - 6 April 2012

This story so needed to be written. This story so needed to be read. This story makes me so, so happy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/60302.stm

Tricks for Stones, yo!

Why does this tickle my fancy? Because humans try so hard to define a "normal"  (couched in religious, legal, moral, scientific, etc. terminology) and disparage anything that falls outside of that norm. But we're just a bunch of hairless apes, with a human mind laid on top of animal urges. The more we study other living creatures on this planet, the more we find that we're just like them and better our appreciation for their sophistication.

Back to my main point: humans have a love/hate relationship with prostitution, and we miss the point that across the animal kingdom there are those that use sex for survival. I understand the cultural "norm" of monogamy and the revilement of women who act outside of it. It stems from the importance of validating blood lines for inheritance of property. Today however we have DNA tests; no matter what (or who) a woman does she can always go on Maury and verify paternity. We also have women who are able to work and own property, creating less of a need to validate paternity for inheritance. So slut it up, ladies, and get you some pebbles: modern science has got you covered.

as·per·sion

 noun \ə-ˈspər-zhən, -shən\

Definition of ASPERSION

1

: a sprinkling with water especially in religious ceremonies

2

a : a false or misleading charge meant to harm someone's reputation <cast aspersions on her integrity>b : the act of making such a charge : defamation
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aspersion

WWotD - 5 April 2012

When it comes to one Park Slope park, the parents have banded together to ban ice cream and gelato "pushers" from their kiddie park. Really? As Nancy Reagan taught us back in the '80s:

JUST SAY NO!!!

The funny thing to me is, part of the enjoyment of an ice cream was the, to quote Dr Frank N Further, "antici...paation." Hearing the ice cream truck chime through the neighborhood was the anthem of summer, of freedom. But that sound wasn't a guarantee that we would soon be chomping down on Bullet Pops any time soon.

I think we may be robbing children of their enjoyment if we indulge their every whim. Waiting, anticipating, wishing, hoping...these are a part of the enjoyment experience as much as attainment and fulfillment. I say this with the safety of not having a child of my own screaming at me for something, so add a few grains of salt to my argument :D.

av·id

 adj \ˈa-vəd\

Definition of AVID

1

: desirous to the point of greed : urgently eager : greedy<avid for publicity>

2

: characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit <avidreaders>

— av·id·ly adverb

— av·id·ness noun
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avid

WWotD - 4 April 2012

There's a lot of buzz about the Fifty Shades of Grey series, and how "surprising" it is that women like erotic fiction. Umm, has no one heard of The Sleeping Beauty trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (known better to most people as Anne Rice)? Oh wait, what about Delta of Venus by Anaïs Nin? I could go back further and further, to Sappho and beyond...but seriously, enough already with [feigned?] surprise. Women appreciate fiction with emotional AND physical connections. 'Nuff said.

flab·ber·gast

 verb \ˈfla-bər-ˌgast\

Definition of FLABBERGAST

transitive verb

: to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder : dumbfound

— flab·ber·gast·ing·ly adverb
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flabbergast

WWotD - 3 April 2012

Stone cold cynic and greedy bastard that I am, I've always wondered why people group together and pool money for lottery tickets. It sounds so beautiful in theory, because you're all comrades in the work trenches (or groups joined in love of religion, or teamed up by affinities in interests, etc). Inevitably, this is likely to happen (more likely than winning the lottery).

Remember: this is the United States of Adjudication. If a group of people creates a lottery pool, write up a contract and set up some rules. Everyone should have a photocopy of all the tickets belonging to the group; this step alone keeps things clean[er].

av·a·rice

 noun \ˈa-və-rəs, ˈav-rəs\

Definition of AVARICE

: excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain :greediness, cupidity
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avarice

WWotD - 30 March 2012

Of all the things that can be gained from having cars drive themselves... of all the beautiful, memorable, and intriguing places that it can take us to... I have to say, it's the simple pleasures like Taco Bell that warm my heart (and after a coupla Taco Bell specials, warms the bedsheets).

im·pe·tus

 noun \ˈim-pə-təs\

Definition of IMPETUS

1

a (1) : a driving force : impulse (2) : incentive, stimulusb : stimulation or encouragement resulting in increased activity

2

: the property possessed by a moving body in virtue of its mass and its motion —used of bodies moving suddenly or violently to indicate the origin and intensity of the motion
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impetus

WWotD - 29 March 2012

So it looks like the old debate over adding a <dislike> button to Facebook has a new angle: someone has created an app add-in for an <enemy> designation. I'm fascinated by Facebook not adding a <dislike> button (per the article, they consider it a low priority), and how it opens up a discussion about social media as a "positive" environment versus an "unrealistically positive" environment.

It's a small piece of an entire area of philosophy that emerged in the past ten years (and is even more fascinating to me): ethics and emerging technologies. Technology gives us so many more ways to interact and communicate with each other, but its breakneck evolution is in a vacuum outside of our ability to consider the implications to society. Could anyone have predicted how ubiquitous cell phone usage would become (a topic about whose impact I've already covered)? Similarly, Facebook is now a big part of many people's lives...but how do we impact what Facebook is and how does Facebook impact what we as a people are? I contracted "Facebook fatigue" last year because I realized that Facebook made me obsessed with other people's egoism and with my own egoism. The details of my life are (and should be) important to me, but they are not important to anyone else (nor should they be). People ascribe importance to the written word because historically writing and writers were scarce commodities, and thus limited to matters of importance.* Now we all write about every little thing and nothing, and every little thing is important and thus nothing is important.

It's a magnificently absorbing study-in-progress of how our society is evolving.

* Yes, I get that writing a blog is also egoistic. But in this particular case no one reads my blog, and I expect no interaction with other people. It's like screaming in space. This is more comfortable to me than Facebook, where my <friends> will <like> what I say and comment about what I say and I will <like> how <friends> react to it.

Ludd·ite

 noun \ˈlə-ˌdīt\

Definition of LUDDITE

: one of a group of early 19th century English workmen destroying laborsaving machinery as a protest; broadly : one who is opposed to especially technological change


from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luddite

WWotD - 28 March 2012

I'm not sure I get this commercial:



I understand that their product is an attempt to offer a "lite" or "healthier" version of beer. I kinda get that the commercial is saying it's part of a "healthy" lifestyle (but I won't buy that idea until after I accept Polka Rap as a valid form of music). But what's the deal with the Irish drinking song? Miller Brewing is as American as apple pie, reality TV and obesity caused by excessive imbibing of beer. I think they missed the mark at engaging the audience. Maybe they should have tried the angle of "indulge responsibly"?

misconstrue

 verb

to fail to understand the true or actual meaning of <claimed that the press had misconstrued her comments>
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misconstrue

WWotD - 27 March 2012

I don't care that it's lowbrow humor. I don't care that it's laughing at something natural and commonplace. Dammit, farting is always funny. Unless you promise me the sound of fish farting and fail to deliver. I listened a half dozen times and heard nothing but white noise. They have to deliver on the fart. No fart = no funny.*

I do give extra credit for "ichthyological flatulence" because I got a good chuckle out of reading that.

* Watching me listen to the video and getting ticked at hearing nothing is kinda funny. In fact, it would be a beautifully subtle April Fools Day prank.

fla·tus

 noun \ˈflā-təs\

Definition of FLATUS

: gas generated in the stomach or bowels
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatus

WWotD - 24 March 2012

Holy seventy million dollar ring!!!!!!!

You can have me or a small country

 It took a year to create this 150 karat behemoth. And it'll take about a year for your eyesight to recover from looking at it. Or a year of intense physical training for your arm to carry this bad boy on your finger.

¹prof·li·gate

 adj \ˈprä-fli-gət, -ˌgāt\

Definition of PROFLIGATE

1

: wildly extravagant <profligate spending>

2

: completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness<leading a profligate life>

— prof·li·gate·ly adverb
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profligate