Do Your Parenting Yourself

On By WinstonIn Film Reviews, Media, Movies, Personal Responsibility, Pop Culture, Society1 Comment

Tim Winter, who is apparently the president of the grandly named “Parents Television Council” recently wrote an article for Fox News.com. In his article, Mr Winter decries the failure of the movie rating system. I almost agree with him. Almost.

I agree that you can’t base viewing decisions on something as vague as PG-13 rating. This is particularly true if you don’t understand the ratings system. In the article, he complains that “The King’s Speech” received a worse rating than “Drag Me To Hell”. Here’s the reason. Most people understand that “Drag Me To Hell” isn’t based on reality. It’s also a morality play. Bad things happen to the bad person. Ratings boards LOVE morality plays. They will put up with a lot of questionable content if there is a clear and simple moral lesson. In this case, the message is: don’t willfully hurt others to get ahead. Not to spoil the movie, but the main character does just that and the rest of the movie revolves around their punishment.

“The King’s Speech” on the other hand is based firmly in reality. It is about King George the fifth learning to overcome his stutter so that he could address his people via radio during World War Two. Because it’s a real story about real people, there are no easy moral lessons. During the movie the King s speech therapist has him use profanity as part of an exercise. Being real people, specifically the King of England, there is a much greater likelihood of impressionable people emulating the language. The great irony of course arises because I doubt if anyone of an impressionable age was likely to watch that particular movie. Nonetheless, that’s the thinking behind the ratings on the two movies.

He also complains about ratings creep. This is the tendency of ratings standards to become more lax over time. This is a very real phenomenon and reflects the cultural evolution within our society. Profanity, sexuality, and violence have become more prominent in society and it’s unrealistic to expect our entertainment and the standards to which it’s held not to evolve with it.

Ultimately, it’s up to the parents to teach their children about how to judge what they’re going to watch. In my case, this meant watching movies either before or with my daughter. I watched a lot of things I didn’t really want to, but it’s the commitment I made to her. It was my way of protecting her from the worst of what was out there and giving her the tools to make her own decisions instead of relying on the ratings on the box.

I guess my message is this…. Don’t let some stranger decide what’s right for your kids. Do your parenting yourself.

Cheers, Winston

EA To End “Online Passes”

On By WinstonIn Pop Culture, Uncategorized, Video Games4 Comments

I was catching up on my gaming news this morning when I learned that EA (Electronic Arts) has decided to do away with their online pass program.  Apparently the damage to their reputation was costing them more than they were making.  I was working at Blockbuster when they announced the program and I saw gamers reactions up close.  None of it was positive.

A few years later, EA finally seems to have read the writing on the wall….. Not to mention the profanity and occasional threats on the forums.  I understand why they did it in the first place.  The used and rental markets were eating up huge amounts of bandwidth on their servers without generating any revenue for them.  To reduce the overload, they introduced the online pass.  It was included free with new games, and allowed access to the online portion of the game on the account that registered it.

This of course meant that if you bought used, rented or borrowed from a buddy, you couldn’t play online unless you bought an online pass for an extra $10.  While this reduced the less on EAs servers, it also alienated a huge number of gamers who saw it as nothing more than a naked cash grab.  Used game resellers were forced to lower the prices on their EA titles to offset the cost of the pass and so lower their margins.  Long story short, nobody but EA really liked the program.  Its not actually over-stating things to say it was pretty much universally hated.  To their credit, EA has finally listened.

This proves two things.  EA isn’t just a giant, greedy corporation.  They can and do, listen to their customers.  They do understand that gamers are the people paying their bills.  They also understand that sometimes the extra revenue just isn’t worth the hit to their image.  Secondly, if you aren’t happy with how a company is treating you, nothing gets their attention like voting with your wallet.  If enough people do it, even an industry giant like EA is going to notice.

I admire any company that’s willing to admit they made a bad call.  Even more so when they decide to un-make it.  Not only are they not requiring online passes in new games, they’re phasing them out on existing titles as well.  That’s being a responsive company.  It will take a while to undo the damage to their corporate image, but at least its a start.

Well done EA.

Cheers, Winston

The War On Terror Has Ended

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

U. S. President Barak Obama has announced an end to the “War on Terror” begun by his predecessor, then President George W. Bush.

I have commented elsewhere on this blog about the futility, indeed idiocy, of a war on a concept. Finally, there is someone in the Whitehouse with enough brains to realize it. Well done Mr. Obama.

Of course the perennial hawks are busy decrying this decision. According to them, the President is capitulating and throwing in the towel. This is definitely not the case. the President was very clear regarding his intent to continue his policy of straight up blowing the crap out of anyone he sees as a threat to the U.S..

He isn’t giving up, he’s just focusing on the issue at hand.  From a huge, amorphous, concept, he is being very specific as to who he wants to blow up. Well, sort of specific.  But much more specific than the previous administrations plan to blow up terror itself.

President Obama is also moving closer to his long standing goal of closing Gitmo.  In a fit of clear– headedness, Mr. Obama realized that illegally detaining foreign nationals could be hurting American credibility on the world stage.  People tend to ignore your human rights complaints when you run an illegal, off-shore detention center.  So now he’s pushing for trials or repatriation where possible.  It’s not going to undo all the damage that’s been done, but at least its a start.

So the war isn’t actually over.  Its just been rebranded, refocused, and given a more achievable mandate.  These are all things I’ve been wanting since W. first announced his ill-conceived war on terror. Of course the people who hate Obama are going to accuse him of trying to appease the terrorists.  The simple fact is that “Drones “R” U.S.” has probably killed more actual terrorists than both of George (The Great Invader)s wars combined.

Now it’s time to gear up for the new and improved War on Terrorists because the war on terror has ended.

Cheers, Winston

Time To Prioritize

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, Movies, Personal, Self Awareness, ValuesLeave a comment

image

I have passes to the advance screening of Star Trek: Into Darkness tonight… in 3D! I am incredibly excited for this… so I lost the tickets. Last night I tore my house apart… repeatedly. Still no passes.

I was incredibly angry with myself. I called me all sorts of unpleasant names and stressed myself to the eyeballs. Over a movie. A movie I wasn’t even paying for. But I really want to see it so after I went to bed I thought of somewhere else to look. I jumped out of bed and went to look. Still no pass. I found myself veering from anger into depression.

By then it’s past midnight. Lynn and Chester have gone to bed but my stressing and roaming around trying to find the pages is keeping them awake. It was about then that I started thinking… maybe I’m looking at things all wrong.

I stopped rushing around and took a few minutes to pet my dog. Then I gave Lynn a foot-rub, and a quick back-rub and went to bed. This morning I looked a bit more but not as frantically as last night. I staggered when Lynn got up, she was going to look some more but I told her not to worry about it.

Why the change of heart? Did I just give up on it? Nope. I just got my priorities straight. Why stress Lynn over free movie tickets? Instead of worrying about some movie passes I don’t have I figure I should focus more on the wonderful things I do have.

I’ve got a wonderful wife who puts up with my insanity and does anything she can to make my world better. Our daughter is beautiful, smart, caring and I’m blessed to have an awesome relationship with her. I also happen to have the world’s greatest puppydog. There’s never going to be movie that’s more important than them.

That’s what I clued in to last night. That’s when I realized it’s time to prioritize.

Cheers, Winston

KEEP MERIDA “BRAVE”!

On By WinstonIn Disney, Media, Personal, Pop Culture, Society, Uncategorized, Values1 Comment

After writing 30 poems in 30 days, I gave myself some celebratory time off. Then I ran across this and had to speak up about it. Apparently Merida, the main character in the recent Pixar movie “BRAVE” is about to be inducted into the Disney Princess club. So far so good. Her father’s a king, so she definitely belongs there. Also, she’s a great role model for young girls. Merida is bold, intelligent, courageous, strong, caring and everything any parent knows their little girl can be.

She also looks like a real girl. At least much more so than many other animated young females. That seems to be a problem for Disney. The following image highlights the difference between Merida as she appears in the movie, and whoever the hell it is that the executives at Disney want to turn her into.

image

On the right, is movie Merida and on the left, Disney s new and “improved” version. Note the wasp-waist, enhanced bustline, curvier hips, fancier and less practical dress, more manageable hair. It all adds up to someone who clearly has nothing at all to do with the character in the movie. Instead of encouraging girls to be strong, independent and their own person, it says “If you want to be a “Princess” you have to be a cookie cutter-sexualized-Barbie looking version of yourself.”

So if you haven’t guessed yet, I’m more than a little bothered by this. The good news is…. I’m not the only one. “A Mighty Girl” has started a petition on change.org urging Disney to rethink their decision. If you’re interested, you can find it and sign it here.

I don’t know if Disney will listen, but I think it’s important to try. If we don’t, who else is going to keep Merida “BRAVE”.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:30 The Final Verse

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, UncategorizedLeave a comment

So….day thirty. Against all expectations, here I am at the finish line. Just one more poem and I will have completed the National Poetry Writing Month challenge.

Just one more to write. Just one more….but what to write?

Enjoy!

The Final Verse

I set a challenge for myself
And now it’s nearly done.
Twenty nine have gone before
This verse the final one.

I’ve written for a solid month
Said all I have to say.
I’m glad it’s done ’cause I don’t think
I’d last through one more day.

It’s been a blast and probably
I’ll try again next year.
By then maybe I’ll find a voice
That people want to hear.

So thanks to those who read my words
It’s nice my voice was heard.
To ask for any more than that
Would just be plain absurd.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:29 Still The Only One For Me

On By WinstonIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Day 29 of NaPoWriMo… one more to write!

Today its back to my number one inspiration. My wife Lynn. Love you Sweetheart.

Still The Only One For Me

Enjoy!

I’ve had an awesome weekend with
My wife whom I love so.
But now it’s early Monday and
Its back to work I go.

We spent it all together and
This is the wondrous part.
With fifteen years behind we are
Still fresh as at the start.

Thank you so much oh Angel mine
For all the time we share.
I’m so much more alive with you
Than when you are not there.

I wish that it could be like this
For everyone it’s true.
But if it can’t then I’m just glad
It can for me and you.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:28 My Simple Life

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Self AwarenessLeave a comment

In many ways, I’m more likely to take life as it comes rather than try to make it into anything particular. Sometimes this works out well… sometimes not so much.

Enjoy!

My Simple Life

I don’t suppose that writing this
Will help you understand.
The life I’ve lived, the things I’ve done
Well none of it’s been planned.

I’m not the one to look ahead
And see what must be done.
I just keep going day by day
And try to have some fun.

Sometimes it works out really good
But sometimes not so well.
Sometimes you land in paradise
Sometimes it’s more like Hell.

I guess that what I’d like to say
Is thanks for all the best.
And I’m so sorry that you’ve had
To deal with all the rest.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:27 The Secret To Joy

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Self AwarenessLeave a comment

Day 27 of NaPoWriMo finds me in a philosophical mood. Without further ado…

Enjoy!

The Secret To Joy

A weary soul, a tired soul
A soul in need of rest.
A quiet time, a peaceful time
At home time is the best.

So much to see, so much to do
So much that’s left undone.
We rush from dawn, we rush to dusk
We rush ’til life’s no fun.

A life that’s full, a life that’s packed
With novelty each day.
We take it in, we spit it out
We throw it all away.

We take a look, we look away
We look for something new.
A view that’s new, a view unique.
We’d find it if we flew.

We fly so high, we see so far
Then we are brought so low.
The truth is here, the truth is now
That’s what we ought to know.

We can’t force life so don’t chase life
That is a golden rule.
We must live now, be in the now
All else is dust you fool.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:26. For My Angel Lynn

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Self Awareness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

NaPoWriMo post 26 is a love poem for awesome lover Lynn. Thank you so very much my angel.

Enjoy!

I dreamed of love one summer night
And then when I awoke.
I realized it was a dream
That’s when my heart was broke.

For years I thought that was the end
My dream now never true.
But I know now the dream was real
Now that I have found you.

You’re everything I dreamt you’d be
That night so long ago.
I am so blessed to share your life.
So blessed you love me so.

I cannot thank you near enough
For all you do for me.
Although I pray that these few words
Will somehow help you see.

I’m so much more than I would be
Without you in my life.
I am so blessed in every way
To have you as my wife.

Cheers, Winston