Ron “Ookie” Mexico (AKA Michael Vick) is Going To the Dogs

 

How disgusting is this?

Unless you have been living under a rock the past 24 hours, you know the story. Michael Vick the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons has been indicted for Training dogs for fighting, being the money man for dog fighting tournaments across state lines, and killing dogs that won't fight in very disgusting and cruel manner (hanging, electrocution, drowning and repeatedly slamming them on the ground).

This is just another in a list of disturbing and stupid behavior this guy has been involved with throughout his career. There is the incident where he checked into motels with prostitutes, but using the name “Ron Mexico”. Funny as soon as this story came out NFL shops were inundated with requests for Falcon jerseys bearing the number 7 (Vick's uniform number)and customized with the name “Mexico” in lace of Vick's. Of course the NFL tried to bury the story and canceled all orders. Then earlier this year was the incident at the airport where he tried to sneak a bong disguised as a water bottle through airport security. According to the authorities it smelled of marijuana and had a false bottom. They confiscated this and he wasn't charged. Three months later he started to make a stink about getting his “bottle” back as he claimed to have valuable earrings hidden in the bottom. Funny how they weren't there, nor did he mention them at the time of the incident. And waiting 3 months to ask about them? Talk about a chowderheaded explanation, long after the incident was put to bed by the media. Oh yea here is the swearing at and giving the finger to fans as he walked off the field after a bad game.

You see Vick is considered hot property as far as marketing the game and getting sponsors. Vick as far as his talent is concerned, is a very talented and exciting player. He has the propensity to make exciting big plays when things go awry on the field. But alas one man a team does not make. The Falcons have been guilty of not putting a decent enough supporting cast for them to win the big games.

Vick has been hot property for Nike and EA sports amongst others. The NFL uses him in their promos to build interest. Regretfully none of these companies have stepped forward to distance themselves from this troubled athlete, like they have done other less popular/known ones. However there will be a backlash coming once more details of his involvement comes out in the coming months.

How about Home Depot? This is relevant as the owner of the Falcons (Arther Blank) is the CEO of Home Depot and since he is still supporting Vick, there could be some trouble as it might appear that he is supporting dog fighting and there could be boycotts of Home Depots around the country. But at the same time Blank has to be seen to be loyal to his most marketable player. This is the trouble with building a marketing program for a team around one player. In a sense he put all his eggs in Vick's basket, and he dropped it.

This disgusting behavior was made even worse as he continually lied to both Blank and the NFL about his involvement, embarrassing them and making them look like fools. So what does the NFL with their new discipline policy in place do? This isn't a misdemeanor, it's a Federal Indictment. Where is PETA in all this? Why aren't they taking to the streets and demanding the NFL and the sponsors cut their ties? Maybe I'm in a bit early and they are already doing this.

One can only hope justice is done and the idiots get their due.

Mahalo.

Er,Maybe the iPhone isn't the End All After All.

Ok the Apple iPhone has been out for two weeks now and the reality is starting to set in for users.

Yes, I do agree it does look great but still the problems are mounting up.

First of all there is the problem with the carrier (AT&T, formerly Cingular) and getting set up and activated. Then comes the highly restricted user agreement and realizing that they can shut you down if they feel that you are using the web services too much.

Second is the idea of being able to “browse the web” and viewing regular web sites instead of special built WAP pages. The pages are too small and being able to read any articles etc. one will get eye strain (or maybe get a magnifiers for computers like the ones in the movie “Brazil”). Plus to view the whole page one has to use the slide bars, so you don't get the whole page experience. BTW the slide bars aren't precise so you can get frustrated as you slide back and forth to find the spot you want to continue reading (or viewing the latest Paris or Britany pic). Plus of course is the absence of streaming audio and video built into the service.

Third is the screen itself. Yes touch screens are nice, but they tend to wear out. After a few months of service, there will more than likely be indents and worn spots from toughing the same buttons over and over again. If your hands are cold, wet, sticky or greasy, forget about being able to use the phone. The natural oils in people's skin will also affect the screen everytime you hold the phone to your face while talking.

This is not a comprehensive list, just the obvious ones. As people are using it they are finding that they have one again fell into the SJRDF (Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field).

Once again however Steve Jobs did a masterful job at marketing his company's new product. He is masterful at getting attention and making a market his through his force of personality. It is amazing how many of these so-called “journalists” in the media actual read his PR pieces instead of actually investigating the claims that his stuff is “revolutionary”. Just a little effort would see that these products are just his version of existing products. But I guess no one wants to seem “uncool” and actually do some work and tel the truth.

I will give Steve Jobs this much, due to his personality and marketing genius he has this way of dazzling the general public into actually believing his products are the first in a market. He is the best marketer since P.T. Barnum, and is an excellent practitioner of his methods in duping the gullible. Those of us who are resistant or have escaped the SJRDF admire his hold on these people while shaking are heads at the zombies (fanboys/fangirls) responding to his calls.

Yes as long as Steve Jobs is active, Apple Inc will thrive, once he is gone and retired, well......

Mahalo.

Happy Days are Here Again - The iPhone Saves The World

 

After what seemed like an eternity, the iPhone finally has hit the market. Now we will have world peace, end to hunger and no more worries about global warming. At least if you listen to Mac Fanatics that is.

Yes once again the press and the sheep that are permanently entranced by the “Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field” (SJRDF), are announcing a “break through” in technology. Sure the thing looks “cool” and it does have some great features, but these have been out for years and Apple Inc. is only playing catch up once again. Has any of these people ever heard of a Treo or a Blackberry? Basically besides the difference in interfaces, these devices have had the same basic functionality as the iPhone for a couple of years now. Heck I had one of the original Compaq iPaq's running WinCE that would do all of this (albeit I had to have a few additional modules for the web access and phone, but it was available back in 2001). Even my old Palm VII could access the web (but alas no graphic capabilities).

As far as a phone playing music, access the web, etc., my little Samsung A600 can do that if I wanted it too, yet we are lead to believe this things are a groundbreaking breakthrough in technological achievement? Yo, how about the Razr? Yes once again the SJRDF is in full force and the sheep are lining up to plop down huge bucks to disguise the fact they have no personalities.

A phone, even one as “cool” as an iPhone is only as good as its carrier. Everyone is making a big deal that AT&T is the sole provider means absolutely nothing. Once upon a time AT&T was the only carrier, then the big breakup came in the mid 80's. The company was broken up into 6 regional carriers for local service and AT&T was left with the long distance business with upstarts Sprint and MCI as its main competitors.

Over the last 30+ years there has been a steady stream of consolidation of these so called “Baby Bells” with Southwestern Bell (SBC) being one of the last two left standing. SBC went on a buying spree incorporating Ameritech and Pacbell (two of the original 6 Baby Bells) and others into its fold.

When the wireless rage started they came up with a spinoff called “Cingular”. AT&T also tried to enter the wireless fray and were less than successful. SBC wound up merging with its former “parent” and decided to use the AT&T name as if they felt that the old name would fool people. Maybe a few older people would be fooled as that was the only company they dealt with as children, but in fact it is the same old Cingular and SBC service that a lot of people I know have come to loathe. One can put a suit on a pig, but guess what, it is still a pig.

Apple Inc. has come out with a lot of really nice looking, well designed products (and quite a few duds, hello? Newton anyone?) and yes they do look great, but looks aren't everything. I played with one of these and I do like it, but for the price,and the service provider, I will pass. I like my iPod, and Palm Tungsten and Samsung phone. I don't need to roll all into one. Let's face it if one function goes bad, you are pretty much up a creek.

Yes once again Steve Jobs marketing genius has captured the gullible media into spreading his message as he laughs all the way to the bank at the fools lining up to purchase iPhones and worship at the “Altar of Steve”.

Mahalo.

To be continued........