If pop music were siblings...

...then I'd peg the 60s & 70s as the eldest kids - characteristically overbearing, perfectionist & high-achieving brats.

Classic rock, soul & motown of the 60s;
disco, glam rock, punk rock during the 70s.
the older kids dressed up and singers actually (gasp!) wrote songs. towards the 70s, though, they started wearing a big F--- off sign on their forehead against le établissement and everything it stood for (later emulated by younger siblings in the 90s).

the 80s where the middle children - typically driven to gain and attract attention achieved either

through musicality...

The Police

U2

Tracy Chapman

plain gimmickry...

Milli Vanilli

or a combination of both.

(obviously, that was a sarcastic remark.)

the time was marked (along with hairsprays and shoulder pads)

with the beginnings of commercial tie-ups with everything from movies to softdrinks to fund raising activities for ailing third world countries.


They weren't just in your face.

They were in your lunch boxes, your socks, your notebooks, even your underwear.

(yes, underwear.)

the youngest were born in the 90s and they were triplets:

the first was the angry kid with his "i-don't-give-a-rat's-ass" Doc Martens and flannel shirt the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Soundgarden


the second was the "so-blinged-out-you-could-get-glaucoma" hip-hop variety of Run DMC, Flava Flav and (groan) MC Hammer


and the third was the kid who seemed to prefer NOT sleeping on the same bed twice with numbers on procreation and debauchery without the lyrical allegory & allusions.

Songs like I Wanna Sex You Up by Color Me Badd, I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred, Let's Talk About Sex by Salt-N-Pepa.

And let's not forget Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot that goes,

"I like big butts and I can not lie,
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung, wanna pull out your tough..."

Poetic.


Which brings me to present day.



I'd say today's pop music is much like the "accident" mom and dad had thinking daddy's little boys had already gone into retirement.

There was no real intention to make it, but since it's there, they might as well put it out.


Okay, it's relatively young, so it's too early to tell its personality (if it has one at all).

But after seeing all the rehashes, all the remakes and all the covers, it makes one hope that for this generation's sake,





"Papaya" will not be the defining song of this age.


One can only be so (un)lucky.

Semantics

according to Messrs. Merriam & Webster:

: the study of meanings: a: the historical and psychological study and the classification of changes in the signification of words or forms viewed as factors in linguistic development

: the meaning or relationship of meanings of a sign or set of signs; especially : connotative meaning b: the language used to achieve a desired effect on an audience especially through the use of words with novel or dual meanings

==============================

I found this while browsing through the toys department at Landmark in Trinoma. While I was able to take a pic, I failed to check where this was made.

I suspect China, though.

Where else can you slap on this kind of copy on a product and think it'll sell to English speakers?


But that, my friends is not the true motivation of this post.

I write this because of what's on the other side of that box.



Does semantics explain why this seems so wrong?


Then you contextualize this label to the earlier picture.

IT'S INTERESTING ALRIGHT!

I wracked my brain trying to figure out what the geniuses who marketed this piece of choice work were possibly thinking when they conceived of this.

After much pondering I remain stumped...

...who finds chickens cute anyway?!?!?!

I don't even want to think about what kinds of conversations would come from the child who'll have the unfortunate fate of being given this toy.

Mom: So, kids, what did you do this afternoon?"
Kid 1: " I played with my Barbie."
Kid 2: "I played with my Zoids Liga."

Kid 3: "I played with my (insert name of toy)."


May heaven forgive the idiots who made that damn toy....


...because I certainly won't.

Who knew they'd cost so much?

The figure is called TCA, which, simply enough, stands for Total Cost of Assholes.

This is an actual, valid, scholastic (?) piece penned by Bob Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University.

Okay, okay, so the terminology for the subject is - (ahem) - colorful.
But why the heck not?!

Call a spade a spade...

and a jerk an asshole!

According to Prof. Sutton in his book "The No Asshole Rule" you can quantify a jerk's cost, particularly to an organization.

One case was about a guy who was such a jerk, he cost his company $160,000 (that's over 6 million pesosesosesoses to us) to pay for hiring and training new people to replace those who've quit because of him; as well as to enroll him in anger management and sexual harassment seminars (and that doesn't include legal fees from suits filed yet!)

My point?
If you're working with or (more unfortunately) for an asshole, here are some suggestions:

1. Know that assholes (jerks, bullies or whatever you call them) feed on fear - your fear.
Doth quote the venerable Mr. G.I. Joe: "Knowing is half the battle."

2. The bigger the asshole, the bigger costs he incurs
It may not translate to direct costs, but keep tabs on the expenses such as the cost of hiring new people or the cost of losing productivity because of his bullying.

3. If you're a freelancer or a consultant, consider applying an "asshole tax" to your fee.
This works 2 ways:
#1. It's a proven fact, jackass clients take up more of your time. You might as well make it worth your while.
#2. Jacked-up fees will deter cheap jackasses from you. If you have to work for an asshole, he might as well be a rich asshole.

And finally,

4. If you have to hire or work with an asshole, make sure he's an insanely brilliant asshole.
To a certain degree, jerks cause a level of antagonism that can keep people around him on their toes. It's like that story about a tank of tuna fish that turns out to taste the freshest off a fishing barge because the shark inside the tank kept the tuna swimming constantly.


But all in all, if they can be avoided - no, wait - ELIMINATED, do so. Some factors may mitigate the stress to some extent, but ultimately, I don't think it's worth it.

And the sooner these assholes learn that they can't get away with that kind of behavior, the better it is for everyone - most especially themselves.

But until then, we can only hope.

I get my best ideas when....

A recent conversation with a friend went like this:

Tin: When do you usually get your best ideas?
Me: Don't you mean HOW do I get my best ideas?

Tin: No. I don't think you can actually tell exactly HOW you get good ideas. But you can pretty much tell under what circumstances you do get them.
Me: Good point.

Tin: So?
Me: Thinking.

Tin: You get your ideas when you're thinking? DUUUUUH!
Me: I meant I'm thinking about the answer.



Me: Dumbass.


Tin: 'scuse me...



Me: Brushing. I usually get my ideas when I'm brushing my teeth.
Tin: Qualify.

Me: Maybe because when brushing your teeth, you're more focused than usual. I mean, for example, you're at a brainstorm session, right? But even if you're in the session, your attention is in a million places at the same time.

Tin: But when you're brushing your teeth...
Me: ...It's just you, the mirror and your face.

Tin: not very inspiring.
Me: Yah, but you can always look away...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What about you guys out there: When do YOU get your best ideas?

"Don't get me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry..."

As Luc y Van Pelt once said...

..."But is it art?"

Now, I won't get sucked into THAT discussion, but I figured it'd be a nice take off point for this post.

It's an art installation at the Tate Modern in London by artist Doris Salcedo. This piece is called "Shibboleth"


I know I have something to say about this, but I can't quite put my finger on it now...



No wait, I've got it....




.....nah, I've lost it.