Water on the Window. Copyright 2005 please do not use without permission.

Finger in chili and death to the corporation!!! ahgahghhah!

I think it’s remarkable that a lone individual intentionally or unintentionally brought a corporation to it knees and it’s an amazing feat. Now I have nothing personal against Wendy’s, I eat there all the time. I’ve been to one restaurant so many times the Manager knows what I’m ordering before I even open my mouth but, I think its hilarious that one individual was able to do so much damage. It also gives me hope that some day we humans (the lowly 99%) will be able to take back our society from those greedy bastards that run/ruin everything.

Five things the cable/satellite companies would need to do to make me want to subscribe to their medium again.

1. Eliminate commercials. Ya I know every time we mention it the corporations whine and complain that commercials are how they keep the prices so cheap, if you want to call having to pay somewhere between $32, or in the case of wanting that one History International channel $53, a month cheap. Let me just throw this on the table, cheap is a mater of perspective. For me cheap is about $12 a month. Although I’d be willing to pay a little extra to keep the commercials out. So how about $15 a month. Sounds fair to me…

2. Brake up the News Agencies so that they aren’t all owned by one person (Mr. Rupert Murdock) and then eliminate the ratings system. Do they still teach you in school that monopolies are a bad thing?

3. When signing up for cable give the consumer a choice of what channels they want (channel by channel). That way they can unsubscribe to a bunch of useless (mostly sports) channels we don’t need.

4. No more reality television! Please!

5. Create more educational programming.

Actually I probably wouldn’t subscribe to cable television even in the unlikely event that they catered to my demands. The reality is I’m more productive with my time without the boob tube running 24/7.

Top Five Things you can do after unplugging:

1. Read a Book. Reading increases your attention span, memory and vocabulary. Its win, win, win.

2. Communicating with your partner/family. How long has it been since you’ve done that?...no really.

3. Go to the Park. You may not know it but we have parks in most major cities.

4. More time for video games. Ya I know this doesn’t fit in with my liberal tendencies but its fun anyway.

5 . Internet. Wow, a medium that allows you to communicate with others, get your news, entertains you (games, music, queue movies though NetFlix) and has less intrusive advertising thanks to good popup blockers,…it also makes you read!

Top five Reasons to give up cable/satellite TV:

1. Commercials. Probably what I hate the most (and I don’t think I’m alone in this category). With all the commercials you have to watch the cable company should be paying YOU to watch TV.

2. Poor News coverage. It’s mostly propaganda and totally sensationalized. If you doubt this statement just watch the Michael Jackson case. You’ll see what I mean.

3. Too many sports channels. One more sports channel and I’m going to throw up! But get this; with a basic satellite package (Amer top 60) from Dish Network you get seven (7) sports channels. However, if you want the one History International channel you need to upgrade to the (Amer top 180) and how many sports channels do you get then? 44!

4. Reality TV. YOU DO KNOW that it’s totally scripted and hyped right and except for the name it has nothing to do with reality. What would really happen if you put a bunch of people on an island and told them to survive? They would form a community, establish a hierarchy, set rules and would probably never want to return to a society that has bills, mortgages, taxes, poor leadership, and an unquenchable thirst for getting over on ones neighbor (keeping up with the Joneses are we?). They would probably live very much like many of the Native Americans did before the Europeans invaded and for the most part wiped out the entire race. In other words they would be living a life most of us can only fantasize about.

5. Make it hard for the corporations to target you. It really is all about marketing and selling a gimmick. Don’t make it easy for them. Make them work for it.

Remember when it was called the “Boob Tube”?

Now, let me start by saying Nancy and I have been cable (satellite) free for over a year now and we love it! However it doesn’t mean that we don’t have a TV or a DVD player. We love watching Movies (through NetFlix*) and we especially like having control over what we watch. I know what your thinking “control” isn’t that what you have when you change the channel? Well yes and no. I think it’s safe to say that every single one of us human beings that has owned a television has made the remark of “X” number of channels and still nothing on to watch. I’ve done it, you’ve done it. Let’s face it, we’ve all done it! What I’m saying is that it is possible to unplug and still have the freedom to entertain your self with a good movie or show.

Being cable free actually gives you and interesting perspective on our society when you’ve gone without it for a wile. People (friends included) will continue to make remarks about a particular television show and you’ll need to remind them that you don’t have cable. I really like it when the customers at the bookstore I work at tell me the saw the book they wanted on this show and I reply “I don’t have TV”. They always say that’s great or good for you. It makes me feel like I’ve done something extraordinary!

My recommendation is for everyone to try it. Go ahead and unplug for a wile, come on give it a shot. You can do it can’t you? You have the strength right? It’s just a TV it’s not like trying to give up breathing…Is it?



*NetFlix is great! (When they don’t get stolen, damaged, lost, or sent back by the Post Office** because they couldn’t read the name on the P.O. Box).
**Post Office is great, unless it has anything to do with NetFlix.

A promo picture for the manga I'm working on. The title is "G-LOK" Copyright 2005 Aaron Cole. Please do not copy without permission. enjoy!

The word of the day is Contemplation. It's also the name of this piece. Copyright Aaron Cole 2005. Please do not copy without permission.

Sunday after the rain.

Sack of rocks for $.99 at IKEA?

I myself have collected rocks since I was a kid from all over California, I have a dozen or so of these little creations and each of them is a memory for me. Nancy (the love of my life) and I have a nice little jar (please note: the jar is from IKEA not the rocks). The jar is about 1/3 the way full, leaving plenty of room for more rocks and more traveling. Now think about it for a moment. Each of the rocks we have in our possession is different and unique. Each one stands out from the others and it's this individuality that catches my attention and makes them special.

Perhaps it's the idea of "buying" a rock that puzzles me, I mean I can guess the obvious explanations for buying rocks (used to decorate a potted plant is a wonderful use for them) or is it (because we don't have or make the time to go out and find the free ones). I think what I'm really trying to get at is do we "buy" the rocks just because they seem like a really good deal and/or why don't we make the time to go and get the free ones?

Let me also say that I make no criticism of IKEA for selling rocks nor do I make any of the individual who chooses to purchases their rocks over finding them. I'm only offering an observation that I noted while shopping at IKEA.

In the End all I'm asking is...
A Sack of rocks for $.99 at IKEA?

comments welcomed.

Hello from Digitalcole

Just wanted to say hello and welcome.

More later
Aaron