RandomMuch

February 10, 2010

Happy St Valentine’s Day? Bah Humbug

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 2:24 pm

Valentine’s is upon us once again.  The holiday that has no true origin and is not in honor of any ONE man or woman.  As you can plainly see from this intro, I am opposed to this holiday and in true RandomMuch fashion, I will explain why in boring length.  ;)

First off let me say that I am not, in any way, against romance.  I know you might have read my other post, How unrealistic can romance really be?, and think that I am.  Let me say that I do make every effort to make sure that my wife knows I love her and not just on holidays and special occasions.  But I fail to see why Valentine’s Day has become a woman’s holiday.  A romantic holiday should not be only about women.  Women should be putting in just as much effort on this day.  And making sure you’re wearing sexy underwear or even lingerie is not enough.  That’s like having a treat in your pocket for a “good dog”.  We men have to make the plans.  We men have to make the reservations.  We men have to go buy the jewelry and chocolates, and flowers, and cards, and teddy bears.  We men have to go out of our way to make it a special day FOR YOU.  what do you women have to do?  Try your hardest not complain about the little things we men might have gotten wrong.  This should be  shared holiday.  Men deserve just as much attention and consideration in the relationship.  And this holiday is just solidifying the idea that relationships are purely for women.  It seems more and more that men are simply another accessory for women to manipulate to make them look good.  Women don’t want a date, they don’t want to show up alone.  Women don’t want a partner, they want to seem desirable.  Women: Do not treat us like objects and then turn around and complain that men objectify women.  You want equal rights?  Learn the concept first, decide if you are willing and/or able to accomplish selflessness and then talk to us about equality.  And sadly, since Valentine’s is all but a lost cause, women are moving on to anniversaries.  What’s next Christmas?  In typical woman fashion, birthdays aren’t enough.  They have one day that is ALL about them, but noooooooo… They want MORE.

Oh, and here’s a word of advice to men.  If you are still willing to participate in this bastardization of an otherwise romantic holiday, may I suggest not blowing your wad on one year.  Women are incapable of regression.  By that I mean, you absolutely cannot give a woman champagne for a week and then tell her you have to downgrade to wine coolers the next.  THey’ll smile and say it’s OK, but inside they will cussing you out and planning your death.  So, if you plan to be in a long relationship, take it slow.  Each year, add on to the last, slowly.  Cause if every new thing is compared to the last or the best.  And if the first year you dated, you went all out, every subsequent year after that will be held up nest to it and compared with that same little magnifying glass thing that jewelers use to inspect diamonds.  Trust me when I tell you that women are just as shallow, and just as clueless as ot what TRUE romance is.  Be yourself, and if they like you?  Great.  Otherwise, stop trying to impress a woman that has her eyes focused on the shiny things.  She’ll never see you for what you’re worth… Unless you’re bedazzled in REAL diamonds.

–

AC

P.S

I forgot to mention, if you REALLY want to celebrate Valentine’s Day properly, consider that the holiday is more of a collection or orgy of saints being honored.  So in reality participating in an orgy or maybe just enjoying many different partners is a better way to keep in the tradition.  Naughty Catholics always find a way to make it sexual.  </sarcasm>

January 25, 2010

Abortion… Don’t talk about it.

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , — Arturo @ 10:17 pm

OK, so I happened to Stumble Upon this article.  It’s an interesting look at the abortion issue.  And I will agree that the subject is something not to be discussed.  You either agree or you don’t.  Much like religion and most politics.  But I do take issue with three things about this article.

One: The author has the word “abortion” in there 7 times.  Abortion this, abortion that.  BUT… we cannot give our opinion on abortion?  You can use abortion as your corner-stone to make a VERY wide generalization about women’s rights, but we cannot counter that one point?  Really?  That’s how you debate?  Rant about something specific, but we can only counter with  simple yes or no answer to the only question YOU decided?  FAIL!  A debate is two-sided and open to any point.  What this person wrote was a rant and a bad one at that.

Two: So, basically the author says that if you think abortion is wrong then you are also saying that women are second class citizens.  I cannot think that abortion is wrong AND believe that women deserve full equal rights.  FAIL!  I see the conundrum, but the black and white attitude is so lame.  Along with the right to be a FULL equal citizen, I HAVE to give the right to kill a child at will?  NO.  Basically a woman can let it out of her pants at any time, get pregnant, and then choose to erase her mistake.  I don;t think so.  Which brings me to my last problem with this article.

Three: Another argument the author makes is that men have EVERY right to his own body.  He can do with it as he sees fit, ALWAYS.  So a woman can choose whether or not to have a baby, but men can’t.  A woman does not need the consent of the father to kill a child.  And if the woman decides to keep the baby, the father can not CHOOSE whether or not to pay child support.  Don;t get me wrong, I am in no way condoning men skipping out on their responsibilities.  But it is a double standard.  The woman should have the right to choose, but the guy HAS to accept her decision?  And pay accordingly?  FAIL!

I totally agree that women have it rough.  And having been raised by three beautiful, strong, independent women, I am very sympathetic to women’s feelings and opinions.  But I don’t have agree with them.  And I REALLY disagree with this one’s article.

–

AC

January 17, 2010

Help Haiti. We can make a difference.

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , — Arturo @ 6:43 pm

I want to take this opportunity to ask everyone that finds this blog to PLEASE take some time and consider donating.  If you choose not to go through the Red Cross, then do some research and choose a charity of your own.  Every little bit helps and it matters to someone in Haiti.  Please Please Please consider it.

RED CROSS

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AC

January 9, 2010

Piracy? Hmmm?

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , , , , — Arturo @ 2:51 pm

Let me say first and foremost that I do not encourage anyone to do or not do anything.  You are your own person and make your own decisions.  I write this as my opinion and observation.  Take it as info only.

I am a gamer.  I admit it.  It’s part of my geekhood.  I am not stuck to the TV 24/7, but when I get some time, I’ll throw a game on.  The only reason I mention this is because the straw that broke the camels back was a game.  But this applies to games, movies, and music.  My review of the game, Darksiders, will be coming soon.

Here’s the problem, and I’m sure something similar has happened to you.  I had seen the trailers for these games, Darksiders and Dante’s Inferno.  I have a thing for the mythology of religion.  And both games deal with just that, so they caught my interest.  Darksiders was the first to come out, so I went and got it.  I rushed home and started playing.  It didn;t take long before I figured I REALLY disliked the game.  Here’s where the cheesing off comes in.  I called Gamestop to ask how much I can get for trade in value.  The response was “$20″.  I dropped $60 on this crap and the only recourse I have is to trade it in for $20 store credit?  REALLY?

So as to piracy, I say this.  If the RIAA, MPAA, and who ever governs game piracy really want to cut down on illegal downloads, I recommend offering some kind of option when we get crap instead of the entertainment we were looking for.  I’ve stopped buying music CD’s simply because most artists now make ONE hit song, make other mediocre songs to fill an album and sell it.  I hear the whole album and realize it sucks, but because I opened the package I can’t return it.  Same for movies and games.  If I buy a home theater system and it doesn’t have the power I was looking for, I pack it up and take it back to the store and get another.  But if you get a crappy game, movie, or music CD you are S.O.L.  I’ve gone to the movies and saw a movie that looked good in the trailers, but turned to be really awful.  But can I go get my money that was wasted?  NO.  The manager will say that I sat through the whole movie and they cannot refund money for that.  I know, I’ve tried.

So when there’s an option to download something for free, check it out, and then decide to buy it or not, I see the value in that.  Now when people do nothing but download for free and NEVER contribute, that becomes a problem.  But in the end it evens out for all those times we bought something that was subpar and had no other option but to keep it.  Right now, I have to check eBay to see if I can get a buyer for Darksiders, or bend over for Gamestop and trade it in.

–

AC

September 9, 2009

Mid-Life Awakening…

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Arturo @ 11:37 am

For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard the term midlife crisis.  I always associated it with men breaking down in their 40′s, going out and buying a sports car, and getting a young girlfriend.  When I became of age to really give it deep thought, I told myself that I was going to do anything possible to avoid being that kind of man.  Then right around 22, I saw a movie that changed my perception, American Beauty.  To many, this movie was the epitome of a midlife crisis.  Guy wakes up one day and realizes his life is almost like death.  He feels alone, incomplete, and when he’s at risk of losing his job, he sees a young girl that stirs something inside him.  He then proceeds to make life changes that make him seem like he’s trying to be young again.  I looked passed all that and realized that there is no “midlife crisis”.  What happens is people wake up one day and realize they are not living the life they saw for themselves and decide to try and head in  that direction.

The problem is this, a lot of people get married young, or have kids young, or both.  And having kids is a life changing thing, obviously.  Even if kids aren’t involved, people start getting jobs to make money, get married, provide for their family, everything that society defines as a “normal” adult.  We get mortgages, car loans, and credit cards, and before we know it we have to stick with the job we have or look for a better paying job to keep up with the Joneses.  When that day does arrive, it’s not a midlife crisis, it’s an awakening.  A realization that we haven’t lived our lives how WE wanted.  Maybe we don’t want to sit in a cubicle and punch keys all day.  Maybe we wanted to fix old cars, but it doesn’t pay as well so we go for the money.  We’ve sold our souls and can’t understand why we wake up feeling like something is wrong.  The midlife crisis guy isn’t going out to buy that sports car because he’s trying to be young necessarily.  It’s the car he always wanted, but didn’t get because it wasn’t the “responsible” thing to do.  Now that he’s woken from his living coma, he says, “Why the hell not?”  Maybe he couldn’t or shouldn’t have before, but why not now.  There are no more car seats that need to be shuffled in and out of the four door.  He can afford it now.  Especially if he trades in “family van”.  But he’s older now and people see him and say, “Looks like someone’s having a midlife crisis.”  This guy is now feeling youthful and ALIVE again.  His confidence is better than it has been in years.  They see a good looking man with a nice car and he carries himself like a million bucks.  And guess what, women are noticing it.  Especially the young ones.  They want the distinguished older man because he’s more mature.  Because he’s established.  Because he has money.  That boosts his confidence even more.  Now granted, I am in no way condoning adultery.  But the ego boost this provides is almost intoxicating.

What I’m saying is that all these things will obviously have an effect on his personality.  And maybe society does frown upon it.  But he’s found himself again and he’s living HIS life, HIS way.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Now if he’s taking it too far and becoming a jerk to his family, then he needs a reality check.  Like anything that is intoxicating, it can be taken too far.  But if you know someone experiencing a midlife awakening, help him figure out the right way to deal with it.  One of the main reasons people have such a problem with it is because they either can’t figure out what they need to fix to feel the same, or they don’t have the courage to run with it.  We’ve been conditioned to work our asses off and save money for retirement.  Go watch the movie Up again, as silly as it may seem.  Saving and planning for retirement is a bit silly.  By the time you get there, you’re too tired to do all those things you wanted to do.  Do them while you’re young and healthy.  I’m NOT saying blow it all.  Believe me, you need to save a little.  One of the saddest things I see is elderly people working at McDonald’s.  If they do it to pass time, that’s still a little sad that they have nothing better to keep them busy.  But if it’s to pay bills and medications, that makes me very sad.  But don’t hoard it all now.  Enjoy your life while you can.  Save some for tomorrow, but not all of it.  You might not see tomorrow, so enjoy today.

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AC

September 2, 2009

Call to arms or fingers…

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , — Arturo @ 5:38 pm

OK my lovely readers.  I checked my stats and I’m about 200 clicks short of 5000 views for the website in general.  Which is AWESOME.  I also have 5 CSS subscribers and 5 email subscribers which is similarly AWESOME.  Now I have a slight favor to ask.  If you notice to the right of this post, there are navigational tools, but more importantly, there is a sponsored ad for the Children’s Miracle Network.  I will admit I have a love/hate relationship with people.  I love everyone I meet, but when I see the atrocities we bestow upon one another, it makes me very sad and angry with the world.  But one thing that never changes is my love for kids.  Ive always talked about volunteering, but I’ve never actually done it.  One thing I have done is looked up charities and donated money.  Nothing major, but I donate what I can when I can.  I even spam my friends with emails for them to consider doing the same.  I even signed up to have money taken out of my check to support my local United Way.  At some point I decided that as much as I love helping people, I love helping kids more.  There are some bad apples, but for the most part kids are innocent compared to us adults.  And they deserve all the help they can get.

Even if you just click on the add and read up on it, PLEASE take the time.  If you donate that’s even better.  I see it this way, even if 1/4th of the nearly 5000 views I’ve gotten are repeat readers, that’s still 3750 people that are new to the site.  If each new reader donates just one dollar, that’s $3750 going to a good cause.  I tell you with complete honesty, I get nothing from them directly.  Simply the satisfaction of knowing I helped a little.  Please Please Please use your little fingers and click on the ad over to the right and give it a looksy.

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AC

September 1, 2009

Football season or faux paux season?

Filed under: Personal Thoughts, Sports — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 8:26 pm

OK, so a good friend of mine, AKA @followmyriam on Twitter, gave a link, written by Diana Adams for Bit Rebels, to her hubby for the upcoming football season.  I read it, and said, “OH HELLLLL NO!”  I thought to myself that if only I had a blog of my own to respond to this travesty… wait a tick.

So here’s my response to the post.

1. Let her know what’s in it for her. Relationships are about compromise. If you want her to watch football on TV with you, then promise to watch American Idol (or whatever show she likes) with her even though you hate it. If you expect her to have a good attitude while watching football, then you must reciprocate. – WRONG!  First off watching football with him was probably your idea, not his.  That in itself is a compromise.  That’s you wanting to share in his interests.  Which is great, but don;t make it seem like you’re doing him a favor and expect something in return.  Do because you want to do.

2. Don’t be a selfish poop. If you buy beer to watch during the game, buy her favorite wine. If you invite some guys over, let her invite some girlfriends over. If you want her to make you yummy homemade snacks, buy her a box of chocolates and some scented candles. Be nice and think ahead. – WRONG! First off, I pay this week, you pay next week.  Second, this isn’t turning in to a tea party.  All you and your friends are gonna do is chatter up a storm and not let him hear the game.  Here’s a compromise, let him invite hi buddies over and you go out with the girls.  And here’s one for the ladies, if he can’t arrange his own snacks, let him starve.  You’re his wife, not his wench.

3. Talk to her about something other than sports during the commercials. Let’s face it; unless it’s the Super Bowl, the commercials aren’t worth watching anyway. Instead, turn the volume down and pay attention to your girlfriend/wife during that time. That gives her your undivided attention during about 15 – 20 minutes of every hour of the game. – Just another way to make everything about YOU.  Part of watching the game is enjoying the commercials.  You might not see the point unless it’s the Superbowl, but he might.  I’m sure he gives you attention plenty of times, but it doesn’t interfere with anything he likes so it doesn’t mean anything to you.  Men are NOT women, we don’t have the need to be involved in everything you do, or need for you to be involved in everything we do.  It is nice to share, but not EVERYTHING.

4. We have a huge dry erase board in our house where we write events that are scheduled. If you want her to watch football with you on Sundays, block out the time on the schedule in advance or else you may find that she has made plans for the two of you on that day.  WRONG!  You know that football is every Sunday.  If you plan something, that’s devious on your part.  You know very well that you EXPECT him to be aware of your things so do the same for him.  You expect us to remember that Saturday mornings you go shopping with mom, then you remember that Sundays are football days.

5. Be very patient with her when she asks questions about the game. Even as a woman who loves football, I get annoyed when I hear other women ask, “How many points for a touchdown?” If I get frustrated with that, I can only imagine how men feel. However, this is all about long term strategy, right? If you patiently answer her questions, she will become more interested in the game. – OK, I kind of agree here.  If she really is making an effort to learn, then be patient.  You didn’t know it all the first game you watched.  But ladies, also be aware that a good part of the game is hearing the commentary.  We learn things we didn’t know through the announcers.

6. Say something to relate to what she is interested in, for example, if you are watching the New Orleans Saints (Reggie Bush), say, “Hey, that’s the guy who used to date Kim Kardashian.” – WRONG!  The last thing he wants to do is talk celebrity gossip during a game.  If that’s what you’re looking for, get your laptop during the game and Google some of the players or the team and see if any of the hits are from TMZ.

7. To get her warmed up (no pun intended) to the idea of enjoying sports, start off by giving her someone to drool over (you aren’t the only one with a wandering eye). David Beckham is a perfect example. Let her watch him on the big screen for a while and she’ll be more receptive to watching football. OH HELLLL NO!  You know very well that us using another woman as motivation to do something with you is a HUGE no-no.  And coming from an overweight, ugly guy, I can tell you that the last thing my ego needs, especially during one of my few testosterone treatments, is you drooling over some guy on TV.  Like you would want us to look forward to going with shopping for clothes because we gawked at a Victoria’s Secret catalog.

8. Buy her a team jersey or hat. Women love gifts and this will make the whole experience all the more positive for her. It’s a simple thing you can do to bring a lot of fun to the game. – OK, I like this one.  It shows unity and support.  I think guys will appreciate this one.

9. Make sure she is comfortable. This is one that is a big deal to me. For some reason, sitting in a chair to watch sports is not nearly as cozy as pulling out the sofa bed, throwing on a ton of fluffy pillows and adding a big bowl of popcorn. Feel the difference? These little things really matter. – Another pretty good idea.  But do you have to call them “fluffy” pillows?  And please do not get all bothered if he does turn down the volume during a commercial, but wants to take advantage of the prone positioning.  Hey, you’re thinking I want him to buy me my wine and jersey, he’s thinking… “mmmmm bed”.  Sorry, but facts are facts.

10. Last but not least, if all else fails, I have something for you to keep in your back pocket that will always guarantee you that she will watch sports with a smile on her face. In our house, we call this the “coupon system.” I guarantee you that there is something that she really wants from you. It could be a night out with her girlfriends, a one-hour long foot rub, an uninterrupted bubble bath, a trip to her parent’s house – whatever it may be, give her a coupon for that in exchange for her watching the game with you. Take a piece of paper and make her an actual coupon, with no expiration date, that she can redeem whenever she wants. Don’t tell my husband that I love football, because I use this to my advantage to get really cool coupons all the time. – WRONG!  Like I said, if you’re gonna watch, then watch.  This kind of deception would not be tolerated by most women, if it was the other way around, so why do you want us to do it.  If he brings you home flowers, but you find out it’s ONLY because he wants to make up for something stupid he just did, the first thing out your mouth will be, “Why only when you did something?  Why can’t you do this for no reason?  Why can’t you just do cause you love me?

Should your man be more open to compromise and sharing?  ABSOLUTELY!  But the fact of the matter is, if he is that kind of guy he’s doing it already.  And if he isn’t that kind of guy, he probably wont change.  And sorry darling, but YOU picked him.  I am all for sharing and compromise, but as this list sheds some light on, women are manipulators.  You want more quality time?  Ask.  You want to share our pleasures?  Ask.  Like I said, yes your man should want to these things on his own.  But expecting it is unrealistic.  demanding it will not guarantee sincerity.  And being devious in your methods will come back to bite you in the butt.  How ever nice that butt may be.  ;)

–

AC

P.P.

Ms Adams comes off a little manipulative in this post, but I think it’s mostly tongue in cheek.  I get the feeling that she is a caring and kind person.  I hope that’s the case.  Very well written, even if I don’t agree.

August 29, 2009

How unrealistic can romance really be?

Filed under: Personal Thoughts — Tags: , , — Arturo @ 3:51 pm

I’ve said it for years, women are delusional in matters of love.  And as much as people might say that movies are not an accurate gauge for reality, I say art ALWAYS imitates life.  And women’s taste in movies reinforces my theory.  They are called romantic movies for good reason.

Let’s start off with one of the biggest misunderstandings in the history of love.  Look up the definition of “romanticism” and you’ll find this: impractical romantic ideals and attitudes.  A synonym for romanticism is quixotic: not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic.  Hmmmm?  What does this mean?  Romantic love is, by definition, impractical love.  So it is no wonder that the movies that are marketed as “romantic” are unrealistic, not to mention dangerous to men and women.  Women watch them and get this delusion that one: guys like that actually exist, and two: it’s not real love unless it’s just like in the movies.  And for those men that are also in search of love, the movies give us a false goal.  Not only impossible to achieve, but on top of that, yields no reward.  At the end of the day, women say they want a nice guy, but don’t have any idea what to do with one when they find him.  What they really want is the bad boy that’ll be good to them once in a while.  But they can’t say that because people will think something is wrong with them.

Need more proof?  Let’s analyze some “romantic” movies, shall we?

Where to begin?  Let’s see.  Casablanca?  The girl lies about being married, then uses the guy she lied to to help her husband, then the guy falls for her again, helps her, and risks imprisonment to help her and her husband flee.  Romantic.  Titanic?  Girl doesn’t have the courage to stand up for herself and say no to an arranged marriage until she essentially cheats on her fiancé(and yes it is cheating because she accepted the engagement), leads the guy on because there’s no real way they can be together, and the movie ends with him dying.  Romantic.  Dirty Dancing?  A girl falls for a “bad boy” who turns out to be sensitive, she gets him fired, and no one cares that he’s a pedophile.  She’s not even 18 but it’s OK, because they really LOVE each other.  Romantic.  Legends of the Fall?  Girl sleeps with all 3 brothers, enough said.  Romantic.  Cold Mountain?  The girl is waiting and waiting and waiting for the guy to come home, he arrives, they have wild sex, and then he’s killed.  Romantic.  This one hurts me cause I love this movie, but… The Notebook?  Girl not only finds a perfect guy, SHE FINDS TWO.  Not only does she get to enjoy them both at the same time but she still ends up with one of them.

I could go on and on.  But the point is, if a guy is to stand a chance, he’s got to be a pedophile, be perfect,  die, or ALL the above.  My last example, which I haven’t seen, but I know the premise from the trailer.  The Time Traveler’s Wife?  Guy travels in time, finds a little girl and thinks to himself, “I’m gonna marry her when she grows up.”  EWWWW!!!  What the hell?!

Don’t get me wrong ladies, guys are retarded too.  The point being that neither men nor women KNOW what true love is, because it varies for everyone.  The best you can hope for is to find someone that likes “some” of the things you like, dislikes “some” of the things you dislike, and willing to compromise in the things you don’t agree on.  The Beatles said, “all you need is love”, and they’re right.  Finding it is the hard part.

–

AC

P.P.

Here’s the secret.  Ladies: Men want food, sex, and to be allowed to do things alone once in a while.  Men: Ladies want EVEYTHING and for you to KNOW what she wants, when she wants it without giving you a hint.  ;)

July 21, 2009

You know, Brown is also the color of bullshhhhut yo mouth!

Filed under: Celebrities, Personal Thoughts — Tags: , — Arturo @ 5:30 pm

Yes, we are all human.  That is a given.  So much so that it is NOT an excuse.   “I’m only human.”  So was Gandhi. So was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   So is Nelson Mandela.   Why can’t we all strive to be more like them?  Nooooo… of course not.  Those people were just humanitarians.  Celebrities nowadays are the new Gods.  They are infallible.  Even if they make what we normal people call mistakes, they just pull out the old “I’m only human” card and voila, all is forgiven.  Jamie Foxx, makes a stupid comment about Miley Cyrus(Hannah Montana) and then goes on Jay Leno and “apologizes”.  David Letterman says a stupid comment about Sarah Palin’s daughter and then “apologizes”.  My personal favorite, Clinton “apologizes” to the whole nation.  I invision the PR people actually telling their clients, “It’s OK if you screw up, we’ll just issue and a public “apology” and you’ll be fine.  Just don’t screw up too bad.”

One of the latest, and the one that prompted this post, is Chris “Mini James/Bobby(with one tenth the talent)Brown”.  He beats up popstar Rihanna some time back in February, and now that things are calmer he wants to “apologize”.  It’s obvious that this was written and rehearsed.  You want to convince me?  Give me genuine tears, stuttering, fumbling over words, the same thing said over and over cause it’s NOT rehearsed, and STOP READING FROM THE CUE CARDS!  Even if all that was done I still call bullshit.  You want to impress me?  Stop and think before you do something stupid.  Believe me, I KNOW women are not sweet, innocent little victims all the time.  They run off at the mouth and antagonize, but there is NEVER a point that you can’t just walk away and be better than domestic violence.  Here’s a real apology, let a 6’5″ recent parolee have you alone in a locked room for 5 minutes then come out and “apologize”.

Here’s the video for your viewing pleasure.  I got a good laugh.

–

AC

P.P.

Long gone are the days of celebrities with integrity and respect for themselves and their fans.  Don’t get me started on the music itself.

If you have a crappy cell phone say “i”phone…

Filed under: Personal Thoughts, Tech — Tags: , , , — Arturo @ 12:17 am

OK, I plan for this to be a short one but knowing me it probably won’t be.  So as some of you may, or may not know, I have had some issues with the iPhone as of late.  I even went as far as to go on to eBay and look for a Blackberry Pearl 8120(for the WiFi) with the plan to activate it, unlock my iPhone, and sell it for a profit.  Yes, that’s how peeved I am at Apple/AT&T.  My problem is that, although, as I’ve said, the iPhone is an extraordinary mobile device, it is not the greatest “phone”.  It does “other” things great.  The number of apps you can get are endless, so to speak, and can be very useful or just plain fun.  But as for the basic cell phone features that we have gotten used to over the years, this thing is horrible.

The fundamental… phone.  I drop calls left and right.  The sound over the earpiece and the speaker is horrible.  The headset is no better.  And since the 3.0 update, even my non-Apple headset sounds crappy.  SMS leaves much to be desired.  I HAVE to see everything in conversation mode, and forwarding and landscape barely became available with 3.0.  Speaking of barely, it took 3 generations of hardware and software to get MMS and we STILL can’t use it.  I managed to get it working for a week or two(don’t ask cause I honestly can’t remember exactly how) and I can tell you it’s not the greatest.  These are things that a cell phone in this day and age should do flawlessly.  The iPhone falls way short.  And the other major problem I have that finally pushed me over the edge, so to speak, was video.  The only selling points for the 3GS were the speed and the video.  There are some other smaller features, but nothing earth shattering.  But like I said the video got me.  I KNOW, for a fact, that the 3G is fully “capable” of doing video.  There are a couple of apps through Cydia(Jailbreak) that allow video to be taken.  The down side of course is that it is not legit to use.  I also KNOW that jailbreak can make the iPhone a little choppy and buggy.  But my question is, why should I pay money AND extend a contract I am desperate to get out of, just to have video?

I have been told that AT&T is the evil doer here and not Apple.  But I blame both.  Because at the end of the day, even IF AT&T has severely dropped the ball with it’s lack of preparation, Apple is still to blame as well because they signed the exclusivity deal with AT&T.  Does Apple have a great device?  Ab… so… lutely.  Do they also have a mediocre(at best) cell phone?  Ab.. so… freaking… lutely.  I sincerely hope that Apple forgoes it’s exclusivity with AT&T, goes with Verion, and takes a serious look at the “PHONE” features of the iPhone.  I will say that I love my iPhone.  But loving something does not mean I have to sit by and just accept it’s flaws.  As a consumer I have every right to demand that my money get me what I deserve.  Customer Service has gone out the window, fallen 40 stories, and broken each and every bone in its body… in three places.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t fight back.  The iPhone may be a meager example, but this world, and more importantly this country, has become complacent.  People, and companies are getting the attitude of take it or leave.  As for the country, love it or leave it.  I say BS to both.  I have every right to love my country and it’s products and services, and complain if it’s not what I believe it shoud be.  I expect the best out this country and every American.  And if we can’t even stand up and demand satisfaction with something as abitrary as a cell phone, how do we ever expect to improve the United States of America?

–

AC

P.P.

Luckily a good friend of mine had a Blackberry Pearl lying around and let me handle it.  And I will report that I am STILL an iPhone user.  Although the HTC Fuze is looking MIIIIIGHTY tempting.  LoL.

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