What was your favorite Superbowl Ad?

One word to describe Superbowl XLI Commercials this year…..

Disappointing.

Terrible.

Ridiculous.

Dumb.

Ok – so there are more words.  So my question is which ad agency got the ax? Someone certainly had to lose their job over this atrocity! I mean the only company that came out looking decent was once again Budweiser! They were on the violent side (think rock, paper, scissors! – and the fist bump is out/let’s slap each other on the face!), but they reached their target audience – mainly men whose humor lies with the slap-stick comedy.

Then you had Frito-Lay and Coke utilizing Black History month and the fact that for the first time in history, two black coaches were opposing each other in the Superbowl. So they added “today” in their history books.  They were nice commercials, which I believe would reach out to their target audiences.  They were tasteful and appealing commercials, yet will that make the black community run to the markets to purchase their products? Most likely they already are. But their main objective, in my opinion, was getting their name out there – brand recognition – and letting America know they support Black History. Not a bad idea.

GoDaddy.com – another stupid commercial – did anyone catch the OCC  though rating the dancer! I had to rewind a few times to be sure it was them! I am sure there were other “celebrities” in the commercial, but again, personally I thought the commercial was a flop. But it is all about brand recognition and even though they have been airing commercials during the Superbowl for the past 2 years, it put their name out there once again – to remind people they are still out there.

Doritos – only two commercials. I liked the first one! I thought it was creative – I may be biased since I love Doritos, but what the heck, I say it was one of my favorite commercials. I liked how the “novice” described the character’s traits with words that would describe the chip. I thought it was ingenious. I liked it. And thought it was funny in a corny way!  The other commercial was just dumb – the one with the cashier getting all worked up over the different flavor Doritos the customer was purchasing.

But the commercial that actually had me laughing out loud – and I like to do that – was the Blockbuster Total Access – the one with the bunnies trying to access the site with the mouse! At first I thought they were giving it CPR! When I realized what they were trying to do, I laughed! That commercial was great – really creative. Even though mouse and mouse have been linked before, it was done in a way that was comical and kept the viewers interest. This commercial would appeal to mainly the movie watchers that love the animated flicks such as “Over the Hedge”.  Ingenious.

Pizza Hut – dud.

CareerBuilders.com – so so. I thought it was Survivor meets LOST – perhaps that is what they were going for. I thought it was creative enough, but at first watch, it just seemed annoying.

Most of the commercials did that for me. While watching the ads, I was extremely disappointed. A lot of critics say they were overly violent. Maybe I am already desensitized, but I didn’t think there was anything terrible regarding that. I thought the heart association commercial was appropriate – it was clearly a man dressed as a heart with villain type characters attacking him. I think we can all distinguish against “superhero” action vs. real life violence. All in all I thought that public announcement – I won’t even call it a commercial – was effective.

But like I stated previously, most of the commercials were a big DISAPPOINTMENT – lacking creativity and appeal. Better luck next year!

As You Know I am A Lost Fan….

But I must say, I am not overly thrilled with this season so far.

However, I will not whine that questions have not been answered. I like that about the show.  I just like to chill out and watch and speculate on my own. I thought I enjoyed trying to figure out what is what while researching on the net and playing along with all the games the producers lay out there for their fans. But you know what…I don’t like it anymore.  It takes up too much of my time!

These past 6 episodes though really didn’t give us much information about the villagers (others?). Why are they there? What are their purpose? Do they have anything to do with Dharma?

What in the world happened to Penelope? They seemed to have left that up in the air – are they pretending that last season didn’t end with this woman getting a phone call saying they think they found him? Who was the him they are referring to? Desmond? I assume.  At first I thought Juliet was Penelope yet they (others) ask Jack if he thought she looked like his ex-wife! That isn’t what I thought!

So this show is pretty interesting…although I was looking forward to the season opener and did enjoy the first episode, the rest really didn’t flow. Therefore, I am not that anxious for the return in February. However, I am curious how they will play it out. Will Jack save Ben? What would be the consequences be for his stunt? What is up with Juliet? Is Ben in on her little scheme? Will they kill Sawyer? They better not – I will NEVER watch it again if they do!

I want to also find out what happened to crazy French lady (Danielle) and why her daughter is following in her crazy footsteps! What I hate most is when things are brought up and then dropped. Or when new characters pop up out of nowhere (can anyone say Nikki and Paulo)! What is up with that?

So I will end my tirade now and patiently wait for February for the season to continue. In the meantime I will hope Santa (yes I am a grown woman!) will bring me Season 1 and Season 2 on DVD!!

The Chief’s Wife is Naked: This is Nothing Compared to Her Drug Charges!

Would this story be completely different if the chief’s wife was beautiful?

What disturbs me is that the chief of police has a wife that served time for drug related charges.  He’s supposed to uphold the law?

I thought it was interested.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

Ok – 2/9 of us think this is a good idea so for the two of us – here it is

1. Big A – Aunt F’s famous potato salad, beer and wine
2. EG – host house, providing scenic view, I believe hot dogs, hamburgers, rolls and general beverages, napkins, plates and utensils and cups! Oh and ice! Anything I missed?
3. DJ – AS PER HER EMAIL SHE HAS TO SLEEP ON IT! ME THINKS SHE IS RIP VAN WINKLE – WE HAVEN’T HEARD BACK YET!
4. EE – AKA W2M – still thinking  (contemplating the marinated beef tips – not 100% committed on that.)
5. TV – cole slaw, beer because T drank all of Em’s! and some form of dessert!
6. MT – marinated loin of pork & chocolate covered fruit – won’t it melt;mind your business – sounds good, so shut up. (sorry my multiple personalities acting up!)
7. AJ – cannot attend
8. KA – chicken sate!
9. RJ – chocolate cake, macaroni salad, italian bread and wine coolers/malt beverages

Ok we really need the others to play along!

Those were the days!

I get a tremendous amount of email each day.  My family and friends love to pass on all those cutesie little emails wishing me luck and good fortune or gloom and doom if I don't forward on.  I also get religious ones telling me if I am not ashamed I would forward – well I am not ashamed but I delete. I've been deleting for some time now. 

I used to press that forward button and send on to all my contacts but then after my computer crashed and I got so many viruses that my motherboard fried, I decided it was time to stop.  That and the fact that I received the same damn stuff over and over again – FROM THE SAME PEOPLE nonetheless!  So I am reformed.

However, this morning I did pass on the following email:

If YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 70'S …

         You had that Fisher Price Doctor 's Kit with a stethoscope that
actually worked. 

         You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it. 

         You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that
had metal wheels. 

         You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!) 

         You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island.

         You had rubber boots for rainy days and Moon boots for snowy days. YEAH! ~

        You  owned a "Slip-n-Slide",on which you injured yourself on a
sprinkler head more than once. 

         You owned  "Klick-Klacks" and smacked yourself in the face more than once. (I called them Ka-Bangers)

         You had either a "bowl cut" or "pixie," not to mention the
"Dorothy Hamill". People sometimes thought you were a boy.(What was my mother thinking!!)

         Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession.

       You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers.

         You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon.

         You had the Donnie and Marie dolls with those pink and purple
satiny shredded outfits.

        You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with the trapeze. The swing set tipped over at least once.

         You had homemade ribbon barrettes in every imaginable color. (Oh yeah!)

         You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle). You also had a pair of salt-water sandals.  (is this an east coast thing??) {I am thinking these are the jelly shoes!}

         You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that
Little House on the Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the high neck
in at least one school picture; and you despised Nellie Olson!

         You wanted your first kiss to be at a roller rink.!

         Your hairstyle was described as having "wings" or "feathers" and you kept it "pretty" with the comb you kept in your back pocket.

       ~ When you walked, the "wings" flapped up and down, looked like you were gonna "take off"

        You know who Strawberry Shortcake is, as well as her friends,
Blueberry Muffin and Huckleberry Pie. 

         You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic. With the thermos inside!

         You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of
Hazzard was your boyfriend.

         YOU had Star Wars action figures, too!

         It was a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags!

         You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry. Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or David Cassidy..?"

         You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack record album.

         You tried to do lots of arts and crafts, like yarn and
Popsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage, or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom.

         You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts!

         You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your
portable tape player up to the speaker.
        You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat.
       You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books (Are you there God, It's me, Margaret.)
         You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics. (You mean it wasn't!)
         You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rainbow designs.
        You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.
         You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft – which was  the first
"real" perfume you ever owned .. .
         ~ you glopped your lips in Strawberry Roll-on lip gloss till it
almost dripped off.

**************************************************

Yes, I received this email time and time again, but it was a bit different this time.  Maybe I was feeling nostalgic, but all but three items were dead on!  (hated Star Wars, Hollie Hobbie, and Strawberry Shortcake)

I remember my grandmothers house and the little cheap store at the corner where I would purchase my lip gloss for 25 cents! All my make-up came from that store, my eyeliner, blush, lipliner, the whole kit and kaboodle!

I played hours on end with Simon trying to beat my previous record of 47 blinking lights, 2 yellow, 3 blue, 1 red, 2 green, 1 blue, 1 red, 1 blue, etc – you get my point! It was addicting!

I didn't own a Slip and  Slide but my cousins did. I hated it!  But I wanted one, and begged for one, only to hear my mother say NO! (She was mean!)

Bicycle seats these days are uncomfortable! Bring back the banana seat!

My first kiss was not at the roller rink where I would hear "Another one bites the Dust" every time I visited, but instead it was in my friends garage.  Yeah – dont' ask!

I thought Gopher was cute – I love a guy who could make me laugh!

I have long black curly hair. I didn't always have that.  My mom thought I looked adorable with the pixie, so much so that she wants me to cut it again – did I mention she was mean? well she is insane too!

I loved watching The Wizard of Oz, and even The Sound of Music and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – three highlights of the year. But who could forget the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights!

I thought I was the only one who had a tipping swingset!  My father said I was too rough with it, that is why it was always popping out of the ground!  I also threw blankets over it and made a huge tent like a circus!

I made those barrettes and the pins.  I was very crafty – still am but just not with all the time in the world like I used to.

Not only did I have those kitten t-shirts, but I had one of Sean Cassidy and John Stamos too!  Now my daughter loves Jesse on the reruns of "Full House" – I should have never thrown that shirt out!

I didn't own a Muppets lunch pail but I did love the Muppet Show, why aren't there more shows like that on TV anymore?  That was a great show!

I hated Star Wars, still do.

And you could read my other post about Judy Blume books!  I did really learn all there was to know from that lady! Now I am passing along her wisdom to my children! Why not!!

So you see, this email brought back the memories of the 'good ole days' for me! So I had to share it with everyone!  Oh and by the way, I had wings but I think the boys like the feathered look better!  They like the way "Krissy" (the popular 8th grader in my class) would brush her hair from the front back and it would all fall in place.  PUH-lease.  Ok so one bad memory! But Jerry (my first kiss!) let me try on his leather jacket and not her – so HAH!

I know short and sweet is the key….

BUT I am just very long winded!  It’s hard to say all I have in my mind in just a mere few words.

However, I am grateful for those that did take the time to read my posts – I know it gets intimidating when you see a whole stretch of paragraphs.

I enjoyed the class and blogging! So much so that I will keep up with developments, especially with Congress, and posting about things that come to mind (regarding anything – not just porn).

I am very happy that I met some interesting bloggers out there thanks to our assignment to find another post! I am looking forward to our continued interaction! They actually debate and have over 20 comments on each post! Something I was disappointed to find that didn’t really occur with this class. I do understand that most people had other classes to study for and other responsibilities to attend to.  I never thought of this class as work though, that is how much I enjoyed it.

Thanks again!

Like a Virgin – no more!

I am really sad to say that the semester is over. I can’t recall enjoying a course this much.  I would wait by the computer on a Monday or Tuesday to get my assignment and I couldn’t wait to get started on that week’s lectures. I would watch the 2 or 3 lectures, read the articles assigned and post my thoughts.

Dr. Halavais presented the coursework in a professional manner – no easy task since the subject was pornography.  I learned more this semester than I expected.  Not that I had much expectations – I had no idea what I was in store for!  I was pleasantly surprised.

I am not a prude and I happen to be very outspoken. I say what is on my mind.  I enjoy writing as well, so the assignments were not torturous and the subject matter did not bother or offend me. I enjoyed it.

I did not expect to learn so much about the history or laws regarding pornography. I cannot pick a specific subject matter that I preferred. Nothing stands out.  The overall experience and knowledge I obtained speaks volumes, yet is hard to put down in one post.  You would have to read my entire blog to see what I got out of the class.

To zone in on a few topics that fascinated me were the obsurity of defining such terms as pornography and obscenity, how different people view such material in terms of what they consider to be offensive and the courts struggle to draw the line for legality sake.

I learned that pornography dates back to pre-historic times and cave pictures, that pornography shaped technology, and that it was the Adult websites that were the first ones to test out online payments.  They were the ones in essence that tested the waters with everything.

What blew me away was the fact that big companies, such as AT&T, Marriot and General Motors all have their hand in pornography!  No one knows, it is not publicized but they promote it by either supporting or carrying certain pornographic content or owning companies that do. They are capitalizing on the industry which generates billions of dollars annually.  A number that made my jaw drop.  Pornography is not going away, not when it generates that type of money.

I found out that not all porn stars were forced into their career.  Not that I gave it much thought.  The whole idea of choice was brought up and debated.  It is argued that some chose this career out of desperation, there was nothing else for them to do.  I heard for the first time “gay for pay” a term used for straight male actors performing in gay movies for the higher salary.  I found out not all woman in the industry are treated like low-life sluts.  There are some that actually garner respect from their directors and co-actors.  They call the shots and say what they will or will not do. This, I must say, impressed me.

We learned about the zoning rules and what the counties can and cannot limit in regards to adult businesses.  With the explosion of the internet brings more problems in terms of what is considered under community standards – whose community are we referring to? Who can control it? Should it be controlled?

It was not all fun and games, nor adults only.  We covered such topics as sex trafficking and child pornography – two disturbing elements in the adult business.  How do we prevent this, how do we protect them? How much should be covered by the First Amendment?  Child porn is obscene – it is not legal, yet child porn is also considered to be when a child stumbles upon indecent material.  So how do we prevent that from happening?  There are many who argue both sides of the issue.

I found more websites than I care to admit.  My husband wishes I found more!  I wanted to understand my husbands obsession and was upset over his appreciation of the industry! I was jealous and wanted to be all he ever needed.  In the end, this class made me realize he is not alone nor am I.  I realize now that by him viewing the material does not mean that he does not love me or that I am not enough.  He was exposed to porn as a young man and once that happens you are sucked into it – almost like an addiction. I cannot fault him for it.  I like to read erotica – I enjoyed reading Penthouse forum in college.  I laughed at it and sometimes was aroused by it.  I grew out of it though, he hasn’t – but that has nothing to do with me!

I want to thank Dr. Halavais for such an interesting class.  I don’t think I was ever sad to see something end like I am with this course. I think the layout of the class was wonderful.  I just wish I had time to read and respond to everyone’s post – a difficult feat considering there were 400 students that took the class. I enjoyed getting feedback from others.  I think the way Dr. H. framed the outline and managed the topics were magnificent. I think this class should be offered in every college.  As a parent, I did not know the extent of the problem pornography posed on the internet.  I knew to protect my children from online predators, but had no idea about the extent of other damaging aspects.  I thank Dr. Halavais for pointing out all these dangers and becoming more pro-active in spreading the word. 

BY THE WAY – CHECK THE PORN DEBATE THAT IS GOING ON AT MORGAN OF THE LAKE’S WEBSITE! – VERY INTERESTING!

It’s all coming to an end…

The semester is nearing an end. 

I have the option so therefore, I think I will pass on my final, although still take it (and not hand it in!).  I can’t resist a challenge.  Although… I didn’t submit my answers for the music leads.  I know one was Duran Duran! I just didn’t have time to research the others! Being a teen in the 80’s I probably could have figured most of them out.  But I opted instead to focus on my upcoming trip on May 5th. That is why I am not doing the final – I need to concentrate on packing and getting the house in order. (That and the fact that I don’t need to raise my grade – just hoping my third grade is on par with the other 2! – a chance I am willing to take.)

I thoroughly enjoyed taking this class for so many reasons:

1. Dr. Halavais presented the material in a clear and professional way.
2. Brenda (TA) was an extremely helpful “friend” that was there when I was feeling a bit confused and frustrated.  She was always responsive and informative.
3. Blogging – my first time ever.  I love communication and the entire realm of how individuals interact with one another.  Blogging was another way of communicating that I have always wanted to try but was too timid to start – until this semester, when it was required.
4. Every day I would turn the computer on and check my site, my stats and the aggregator and see what everyone was up to.  I loved reading everyone’s post, even the ones I did not agree with but especially the ones I felt a connection to or those post that were witty and just sucked you right in.
5. After 14 years of taking care of my family and doing things for others, it was very nice to do something for myself and reap the benefits!
6. I can now tell my friends and family that I took and passed a course on Pornography and watch their expression on their faces change (most of them already know I am taking it anyway…but I still love the reaction I get from those that do not!)
7. I loved being able to watch the lectures at midnight and post my assignments at any given hour – although I now found out what days were the best days to post! (midweek :-))
8. I appreciated reading other people’s views on the subject.  Relieved to see that I was not alone in my thoughts yet interested in reading the opposing views and how they justified it.
9. Through my connection to this class and one of my post, I was interviewed by a Buffalo News reporter and I appear in one of her articles.  That was very exciting – although I actually used the word “nerd”! Hey the interview was early in the morning, I wasn’t thinking straight! But it is always exciting to see your name in print!

There are many other reasons why I loved this class but I have hit a road block! That and the fact that I have to take my daughter to her softball game right now is why I will leave it at that!

So what have I learned from this class? That will be another post, my friends! I still have to organize my thoughts on that one!