A Trio of Disasters
There are several things that I would like to talk about, all in depth, but since I don't really have time and I know you certainly don't either, I will only give you a brief synopsis and let you check it out for yourself if you’re all that interested. They are (in no order): Wal-Mart’s ability to control the future (just what we needed), the rise of fascism in Germany (why is no one surprised?), and Ol’ Dirty Bastards death (again, no surprise here).
So let’s start with Wal-Mart. The New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/yourmoney/14wal.html?hp&ex=1100494800&en=eb8433beb442a5e7&ei=5094&partner=homepage) explains that Wal-Mart stores all the data concerning customer habits to “predict what’s going to happen instead of waiting for it to happen.” So if pop-tart and beer sales rise directly before a hurricane is supposed to hit (which are actually the top two sellers) then Wal-Mart will pack its stores up with toaster pastries and six-packs seven times their normal stockpile. Of course it’s a good idea for a business to do this. But my concern, as with most things, is the potential to abuse this information.
The second item is that a far-right party could be elected to Germany’s Bundestag, or Parliament, in 2006 – a first since the end of World War II (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/international/europe/14cnd-germany.html). While the whole world is focusing on Islamic extremism, not as much people are paying attention to the rise of Christian fundamentalism in their own countries which, in some aspects, could me more alarming. Because most Western countries are Christian dominant, Christian fundamentalism is more accepted and according to some yahoos the “moral choice” for the nation. This leads to such policies as banning abortion, stem-cell research, cloning, fair-handed policies toward minorities, and an eradication of civil liberties. Extremism isn’t good in any religion and if western countries begin electing them to parliament or congress, it will be much harder to stop them once they are already in power.
And now, finally, ODB’s death (http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/14/odb.death.ap/index.html). You know, I was sad to read this news for a number of reasons. Hip Hop is about the streets, and nobody typified the streets more than ODB (this is debatable). He was the dirtiest and most ghetto MC that I can think of: constantly drunk, in and out of jails, outlandish behavior, and not even that good of a rapper. Yet his reputation propelled him to stand out among the throngs of ghetto-ass MCs as well as among very good MCs including the highly talented and successful Wu-Tang. Even when I saw Wu-Tang at Rock the Bells, I would mainly be watching the RZA, Method, and ODB. How can someone like him be so famous and adored? Without saying anything else, I will let ODB have the final words:
“Here comes Rover, sniffin at your ass
But pardon me bitch, as I shit on your grass
That means hoe, you been shit-ted on!
I'm not the first dog that's shitted on your lawn!”
So let’s start with Wal-Mart. The New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/business/yourmoney/14wal.html?hp&ex=1100494800&en=eb8433beb442a5e7&ei=5094&partner=homepage) explains that Wal-Mart stores all the data concerning customer habits to “predict what’s going to happen instead of waiting for it to happen.” So if pop-tart and beer sales rise directly before a hurricane is supposed to hit (which are actually the top two sellers) then Wal-Mart will pack its stores up with toaster pastries and six-packs seven times their normal stockpile. Of course it’s a good idea for a business to do this. But my concern, as with most things, is the potential to abuse this information.
The second item is that a far-right party could be elected to Germany’s Bundestag, or Parliament, in 2006 – a first since the end of World War II (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/international/europe/14cnd-germany.html). While the whole world is focusing on Islamic extremism, not as much people are paying attention to the rise of Christian fundamentalism in their own countries which, in some aspects, could me more alarming. Because most Western countries are Christian dominant, Christian fundamentalism is more accepted and according to some yahoos the “moral choice” for the nation. This leads to such policies as banning abortion, stem-cell research, cloning, fair-handed policies toward minorities, and an eradication of civil liberties. Extremism isn’t good in any religion and if western countries begin electing them to parliament or congress, it will be much harder to stop them once they are already in power.
And now, finally, ODB’s death (http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/14/odb.death.ap/index.html). You know, I was sad to read this news for a number of reasons. Hip Hop is about the streets, and nobody typified the streets more than ODB (this is debatable). He was the dirtiest and most ghetto MC that I can think of: constantly drunk, in and out of jails, outlandish behavior, and not even that good of a rapper. Yet his reputation propelled him to stand out among the throngs of ghetto-ass MCs as well as among very good MCs including the highly talented and successful Wu-Tang. Even when I saw Wu-Tang at Rock the Bells, I would mainly be watching the RZA, Method, and ODB. How can someone like him be so famous and adored? Without saying anything else, I will let ODB have the final words:
“Here comes Rover, sniffin at your ass
But pardon me bitch, as I shit on your grass
That means hoe, you been shit-ted on!
I'm not the first dog that's shitted on your lawn!”
posted by -R at 4:31 PM
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