Not Cool, Technology

There are a lot of ways to communicate with other human beings in today's society. One can text, call, email, IM, or Google Chat. Hell, you can even Facebook message should you so desire.

Unfortunately, at work, there are limited options for communicating with the outside world (or worse, keeping yourself entertained). I am fortunate enough to be able to use any means at my disposal, but not all are so fortunate. Therefore, the vast majority of my time here at work is consumed by two sources: Google Chat and Facebook.

This week, both of them shit the bed.

It started off with GChat. One second, we're all talking having a grand old time, the next thing you know, we were trapped in Google limbo, able to connect to the GChat application, but unable to even start a conversation, let alone chat with several people.

And then, not even 48 hours later, the unthinkable happened: Facebook crashed. All around the world, interns were forced to do real work, walls could not be posted to and *gasp* pictures from that totally awesome party last night could not be posted. It was a catastrophe.

Suddenly, like Hurricane Katrina, as soon as this glitch appeared, it vanished. World order was restored, the flood waters were receding, and the looting was returning to normal levels.

I guess there's really only one lesson to take away from this week of weeks. The real world really is just like Office Space.

The Coolest Picture I've Seen All Day

I stole this from the New York Times, it was taken at La Guardia on June 14

(click on the image for full size)

This Makes Me Sick

ADVERTISING

Pigs With Cellphones, but No Condoms

By ANDREW ADAM NEWMAN

Published: June 18, 2007

Fox, which along with CBS rejected a Trojan commercial, said that “contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy.”
Click Here to Read (pops)

The article talks about a new ad campaign that Trojan Condoms is putting out. Two out of the four networks rejected the advertisement, not because it was lewd, but because promoted the anti-pregnancy aspects of condoms (rather than the health aspects).

What?

The reasoning behind this ridiculous situation is that the networks apparently think that these condom ads are "controversial for religious and moral reasons." This also includes late-night TV, where commercials about small penis Enzyte Bob run rampant.

According to Shari'a Law, Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol. That doesn't deter the networks from showing beer and alcohol commercials--not to mention those awful Disorono commercials.

Why should it be any different with condoms? If you're going to have sex, use Trojan, the commercial says. Its the exact message as Budweiser or Smirnoff send--if you're going to drink, drink our product.

Claiming that advertising condoms are going to make more people have sex is akin to saying that teaching safer sex in schools will get more people pregnant. It's completely ridiculous.

And when did the networks decide it was their responsibility to teach America morals? I'm sure after shows like "The Bachelor" and that one where women get plastic surgery (Extreme Makeover maybe? ), these people have a lot of credibility to dictate morals to us. On late-night TV no less.

Brilliant.

This is Awful

I am sorry, young man, that you are a virgin. I am also sorry that you have never had a girlfriend, and that your friends thought it would be funny to announce all of this information to the world.
But I'm not sorry I called you and found out it was a fake number. Bastard.

J Street Gets Changed Around Again!

I was sent this (pops) fascinating article in the GW Hatchet Online about how J Street is changing around this year. I swear that I've read this article somewhere before. About how they were doing the exact same thing for the 06-07 school year. Oh wait, I did, and so can you by clicking here (pops).

The article explains that we were severing our contract with Aramark and switching to Sodexo because Aramark didn't understand our needs. As it turns out, Sodexo doesn't understand our needs either.

Two thoughts:
1. Ask the students what they want. Because lets be honest, GW Administration, you have absolutely no idea. And don't do something typically GW and put surveys in J-Street. It's not those kids whose ideas you value. It's the 90% of the school that doesn't go there. Don't email either, because I delete GW emails on principle.

2. Stop charging such high rent! J Street loses so many good options because GW has unrealistically high expectations of their contractors. First, reduce GWorld commissions to something reasonable, like 3%. Right now, according to one vendor, they're hovering around 12.5% of a sale. Thats exorbitant. It's also keeping out smaller vendors that cannot afford to take that kind of margin cut.

We'll check in next year to see if GW can go three years in a row of royally fucking up our dining options.

Condi Rice Raps

The funniest thing you'll see in a long time.