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OFFTOP 1/12/09: The Fine I'll Do It Edition

2f5fd04aeb55d43d24e294a1eb3f8b0b_tiny by thewyrm on Comment 920 comments

I don't really have any topics so lets just do what we always do:  Argue about music and/or movies.

 

Best film of 08.

Best Song of 08.

Thing you are most looking forward to in 09.

Person most in need of a junk punch.

Does anyone else have a job that finds them routinely asking themselves what the hell am I doing here?

Why don't more people like Jimmy Eat World?  Did In the Middle burn them out?

EDIT: One more, anyone else have a ridiculous amount of music they had to upgrade in their iTunes library for the DRM removal/iTunes Plus upgrade?  I am still downloading two days later.

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Comments

Display:

I gave it a rec.

That book is such bullshit. My first reaction when my sister was explaining it to me was “So it’s New Orleans’ own fault Katrina hit them?” To which she replied, “Well I don’t agree with everything in the book.”

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 9:44 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think all self-help books should be prohibited

but this one is deserving of a special place in self-help hell.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 9:47 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I tried to watch the DVD a few times.

I can’t go 5 minutes before I start puking and gouging my eyes out. Bullshit has never been so evident in such a brief period of time.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 11:52 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Answers

1. No comment (and no it wasn’t Twilight)
2. Forever – Chris Brown
3. The year not blowing like 2008
4. No comment
5. Constantly
6. Good question, the Middle is a pretty annoying song though.

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 9:42 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

There's too many answers to those questions

so I’ll skip to the last one – I never bought a ton of iTunes music, so I only have a handful to upgrade. How do you upgrade it? Do you have to re-download it?

I will not address the Jimmy Eat World question because any answer I give will make me sound like a music snob.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 9:45 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Answers:

1. No Country for Old Men, or The Dark Knight. I can’t decide.
2. I usually don’t have favorite songs…just favorite albums.
3. The new Star Trek movie.
4. Brett Favre
5. Not really.
6. I really really really don’t like Jimmy Eat World. And I’m going to echo pdb’s sentiment about my reasons.

Another thing: I watched Tropic Thunder last night and hated almost every second of it. Does anybody else feel that movie was overhyped?

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 9:48 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And, fuck, No Country for Old Men came out in 2007.

Okay, I’m going to then say my answers were to the question: “Favorite movies I saw in 2008” and leave it at that.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 9:49 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Tropic Thunder was hysterical

why didn’t you like it? Probably the funniest movie I saw last year.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 9:51 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think I laughed maybe five times throughout the whole movie.

To me, it played it too safe. They had a chance to make a great farcical action movie, but it wasn’t clever enough to pull it off. And it wasn’t silly enough to get low-brow laughs either.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 9:52 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The part when he plays Flo Rida was fantastic

I loved “a nutless monkey could do your job. No. Seriously. A nutless monkey.”

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 9:56 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Now go take all the credit.

Seriously, a nutless monkey.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 9:58 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I read a story about Cruise dying to play that role.

It mentioned that he’s had some awful run-ins with studio heads, and he pretty much created that character out of his hatred for them.

by Teej on Jan 12, 2009 10:06 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The thing about it though

is that it isn’t an action movie, nor is it a farce – it’s a parody of the Hollywood way of making movies and of the pompous windbags that inhabit Hollywood. The whole “don’t go full retard” speech is far and away the funniest Hollywood criticism I’ve heard in a long time.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 9:56 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I watched the first 30 minutes of Tropic Thunder and turned it off.

Maybe I will give it another try, but I didn’t find it hilarious either.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 11:55 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Answers:

Movie: the Dark Knight
Song: Decode by Paramore
Looking forward to: new albums by U2 and hopefully Muse

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 9:50 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I could tell from a few offtops in the past that Jimmy Eat World is polarizing.

Personally, I love them. I think a lot of people disregard them because of the “emo” stigma and because for an entire summer you couldn’t go more than three songs without hearing In the Middle. I think a lot of people would like them if they just gave them a chance but whatever. Their latest album Chase This Light was fantastic.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 9:58 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Interestingly, I feel the exact opposite about Chase This Light

I have to be in the right (slightly emo, but not Death Cab) mood for that album and I love Futures almost endlessly.

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 10:05 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Aww SB, I was totally in love with you

but you had to go and badmouth Death Cab. It hurts.

And yes, I know they probably aren’t popular around these parts. Oh well.

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Jan 12, 2009 10:44 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Speaking of Death Cab

Zooey Deschanel (swoon!) just got engaged to that wanker, Ben Gibbard.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 10:47 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I know and it breaks my heart

not so much because I could have ever married Zooey Deschanel but because it means that being a stupid wanky beardo can be rewarding. Which is not right.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:48 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It's just a phase Zooey will grow out of.

They’ll divorce within 2 years and she’ll hook up with a Brad Pitt or a Matthew McConaughey. An obvious example is Angelina Jolie having married Billy Bob Thornton. Although, Pamela Anderson never really grew out of that phase.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 12:38 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Death Cab is great

I just need to be in the right mood for them! J.E.W. Futures is great all the time

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 12:21 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I liked "Get it Faster".

Everything else can go jump off a bridge.

And if you think you had it bad listening to The Middle, every single radio station played it here every half hour, due to them being “Jersey Boys” (They also did this with Fountains of Wayne)

It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray

by Faux on Jan 12, 2009 10:02 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stacy's Mom drove me crazy

because I was already (and still am) a huge FoW fan. In fact, I heard Stacy’s Mom a few days early due to a store selling the CD before the release date, and thought it was a good song at that time.

The repeated play of the song has totally killed it for me, and it gets skipped every time I play the album.

the other angels fan

by Eyebrows on Jan 12, 2009 10:41 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

In my opinion their best song is If You Don't, Don't

I would even say it has to be amongst my five favorite songs of all time.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 10:06 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

They made their name in Jersey, playing firehouses.

Every single person I’ve ever talked to around here considers them a “Jersey band”.

I will, however, use this as a bludgeon against them in future conversations.

It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray

by Faux on Jan 12, 2009 10:24 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This dates back to when they had their first big hit.

And earlier, because they were pretty huge in the small club circuit. I can’t think of a fire show they did out here that wasn’t sold out.

It's hard to convince people to let you eat them if you're an asshole. - Thingray

by Faux on Jan 12, 2009 10:28 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I saw them at the Crocodile in Seattle

it’s my one “I saw them before they were big” story – right after their first two Lookout! records, and before they were anybody, they opened for Best Kissers In The World in front of a crowd of about 8 people, and blew them away. They’re nothing original, or unique, but they do what they do pretty dang well.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:33 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

they were reasonably decent live powerpop, though.

But to their credit, after Green Day finished their set, they came out and the first thing that Gerald Collier said was “Uh, we can’t really follow that!” which was funny.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 12:45 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Ha! The Lemons

I used to see them all the time. (I assume we’re talking about the same band)

Nabil Ayers, who went on to start Sonic Boom, was their replacement guitarist for a while, after his other T-town band, Spontaneous Funk Whorehouse broke up.

I saw BKITW once – the night before I took the SAT. They played with a bunch of great local bands somewhere in downtown tacoma… damn, wish I could remember who headlined.

by marc w on Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Answers

I only saw about 3 movies in the theater last year. I’ll say Dark Knight.

I abstain on best song, since I wasn’t paying much attention the last 12 months or so.

I am looking most forward to huge change.

I’m a lover, not a junk puncher.

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard Jimmy Eat World. Sorry.

by royalcurve on Jan 12, 2009 10:24 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Odd comment for the Secret's product descrtption.
The Secret that utterly transformed the lives of every person who ever knew it… Plato, Newton, Carnegie, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Einstein. Now YOU will know The Secret. And it can change your life forever.

What? Beethoven had an unbelievably miserable life.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 10:24 AM PST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Newton used the Secret to bring about the plague;

Einstein, the atomic bomb; and for Plato, the death of his mentor.

by Matthew on Jan 12, 2009 10:29 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And here I was planning to use it to get a Pinarello Prince

I need to think bigger, obviously.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:31 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That was insane.

Kind of like the Washington/Cal game on Saturday.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 10:37 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah, I was a little peeved by that.

Not that it mattered, but the Chargers were flagged for celebrating and flagged for a late hit, and I saw the Steelers do both of those things to essentially the same degree, and nothing.

by Teej on Jan 12, 2009 10:46 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The average number of monthly texts for a 13- to 17-year-old teen is 1,742, according to a Nielsen study of cellphone usage.

What. The. Fuck.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 10:46 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

that's about 60 texts a day

do teenagers never speak out loud any more?

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:46 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It's not that much

Considering its 30 back and forth and some phones will split longer messages into 2. Not only that but it also counts CC messages sent to multiple people individually

by Robert on Jan 12, 2009 10:49 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I have only seen my 15yo niece make about five actual phone calls ever.

She is however constantly sending texts and IM’s via her iPhone.

by Sec 108 on Jan 12, 2009 10:50 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It was a gift.

She is spoiled and always has been, but she is a pretty good kid.

by Sec 108 on Jan 12, 2009 10:51 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

They aren't that expensive.

Especially since buying her a phone and an iPod would be just as spendy.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 10:54 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

why a kid of 15 needs more than a basic free phone I will never understand

free phone + off-brand mp3 player = good enough goddamit.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:56 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

you're also not 15 years old and you make good money

if I had a 15 yo kid and they wanted an iPhone, I’d say “fine, you want one, go earn the money to buy one”.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 10:58 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

15 years old is about the right age, I think.

They’re starting to drive. That should be reason enough.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 11:01 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I did just fine at 15, 16, 17, 18 without a cell phone.

Although I will say that it was easier to find a working pay phone in those days. But still.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 11:03 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Heck.

I didn’t have my first cell phone until I was about 23 (provided by my employer), then I went from about 26 until 30 without one again.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 11:04 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I got one at 19.

But it’s a different day.

by Teej on Jan 12, 2009 11:04 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's the problem.

Society has been convinced that cell phones are “necessary” rather than a luxury. Now people think that kids need phones as soon as they can talk.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 11:05 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Samsies

My cell comes to 27 dollars a month. It is my smallest monthly bill.

by Robert on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Mine is at $50

but that’s because I have a dataplan on mine.

…thank God work is paying for this.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:53 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

$70

Damn iPhone and AT&T’s data plans.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 12:55 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I am angry Apple and AT&T re-upped their exclusive contract for an additional three years.

I was looking forward to competition to drive the data plans down. I have the first gen iPhone and I love it so much I won’t ever go back to a regular cell phone, but I will probably upgrade to the 3G version when my contract is up in August.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 1:03 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It makes sense for apple

There aren’t any other viable GSM providers in the states for at least another 3 years till Verzion switches over.

by Robert on Jan 12, 2009 1:08 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I want Verizon so bad.

They were a great provider for me before going to the iPhone. Never had any problems with reception and dropped calls.

by Wilder. on Jan 12, 2009 1:09 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Verizon almost screwed me once.

But other than that I’ve been with them for 8 years and they’ve been mostly great.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 1:26 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm a big fan of Verizon Wireless

they have the best reception of any company I’ve ever dealt with, and in the nearly 7 years I’ve been with them I’ve had exactly three dropped calls.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 1:27 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I just had my first dropped call about one month ago.

I was so puzzled because it had never happened before.

by Phildopip on Jan 12, 2009 1:28 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I love Verizon

I would never leave them, even though they’re a bit pricey and their phone selection sucks. After having to deal with AT&T’s coverage in LA for a year, I’ve found that Verizon is more than worth the extra $5 a month or whatever it is I pay for them. I get a 20% discount through work anyway so…

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 1:28 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Little pricey and small phone selection is correct.

But their service has been impeccable as long as I’ve been with them.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 1:30 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'd want my kid to have a phone

but they don’t need bells or whistles. A phone that calls and texts is fine.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 11:04 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Which can be hard to find.

last time I was in the States I needed to pick up a cell phone for the time that I was there. I told the guy I just wanted to make phone calls and text, no camera, no internet etc. Dude looked at me like I had 9 heads.

by coolguyrob on Jan 12, 2009 11:06 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Next time you're back

just go to any Verizon store and ask for their most basic free phone. They’ll never try to convince you to get one because they get no commission on them, but they do have them if you ask.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 11:07 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This is exactly what I ended up doing.

Plus once she found out I was military she gave me 100 minutes free. Thanks!

by coolguyrob on Jan 12, 2009 11:09 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This is incorrect

Commission has nothing to do with the phone and everything to do with the added services. And its gotten to the point where every phone offered can perform at pretty much a equal level.

by Robert on Jan 12, 2009 11:09 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My boys have something like "Go" phones, with a certain amount of pre-paid minutes on them.

For use in emergencies only. The 18 year old is allowed to add minutes to his phone, but if it’s ever empty when we call, the phone will be taken away and he can get his own plan and pay for it himself. The 15 year-old has had 30 minutes pre-paid on his phone for about 6 months, and he still has minutes left.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 11:07 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This is true.

But you can never exceed your minutes, and it encourages the older boy to get his own damn phone.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 11:11 AM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think in this day and age 14+ needs a phone

I regret not having a phone while I was in high school, and I couldn’t live without mine for more than like 12 hours

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 12:25 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

After I started driving and got my first job in high school

my parents decided to get me a cell phone. No regrets from anyone over that.

Personally I think 14 is a bit too early. I’d go with 16-17 or whenever someone starts transporting themselves places.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:28 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You can still call from wherever you're going.

That’s what I used to do when I was a teenager.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:33 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah. I would never let my kids leave the house without me if they didn't have a phone.

I think around the age they begin sleeping over at friends’ houses is when it is time for a phone.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 12:38 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My God.

How did we survive growing up?!? No bike helmets, no cell phones, no portable video games! The horror!!!

If you were hit by a car, I would hope someone called 911 (and your parents) for you. THis is what always happened when we had accidents when we were younger.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:41 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If I get run over by a bus, who says I'm going to be able to grab my cell phone and make a call?

Or who says my cell phone isn’t destroyed in the accident? What next, do we make our kids where helmets when they walk to school?

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:44 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

People got by fine without cell phones, sure.

But now that we have them and they’re fairly cheap, why not? When I was a teenager I still had to call my parents; once I had a cell phone, I could just step outside and call rather than having to find stop what I was doing, find a payphone, make sure I had change, etc etc etc.

by acblue on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

98% of adults carry credit cards.

Should we start hooking our kids up with them when they turn 10?

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:44 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My little sister has one

They never gave me one though :(

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 12:46 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Umm... No job?

Therefore no way to pay the credit card bill?

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:47 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

But I do.

It’s all about trust and teaching children the importance of credit and money management. Also so they have a way to make emergency purchases.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 12:49 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   1 recs

There was not once in my life before I was 18 that I had to make an "emergency purchase".

Anything I needed could wait until my parents could show up (and use their own credit card if necessary). Name me one thing so urgent that a 14yo needs to purchase that it can’t wait for their parents.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Giving a kid a Visa card is not how you teach money management.

This is called “allowance” or a “job”.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:52 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My parents didn't even bother handing me cash as an allowance

they just kept a running tally of how much allowance I had saved up and let me use it as a debit card when we were out.

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

At the same time, allowing them to charge purchases that others will pay back

as also a moderately silly argument to make for “teaching people smart money management.”

by marc w on Jan 12, 2009 1:00 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Money is money

You have to teach the kid the value of the dollar the hard way before giving him any forms of money to go throw around all willy-nilly

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 1:02 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think we're too dependent on technology and we're raising a bunch of pussies

but some things have made life better and cell phones are one of them.

by acblue on Jan 12, 2009 12:49 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

There are some drawbacks to cell phones, sure

but I agree with you. The pros far outweigh the cons.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

YES

YES YES YES

If I could go back 30 years the first thing I would do is assassinate everyone who helped create the internet

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I've considered becoming Amish

I think today’s technology has made us all (myself included) a bunch of paranoid pussies with too much access to information

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The damage is done

Eliminating the internet from myself is bad if the rest of society needs it- I just don’t think it should exist at all

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 1:34 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The sheer wealth of information available to everyone thanks to the internet

is wonderful. I’m an idealist. I think that if something exists that can easily spread knowledge to billions of people it should be commended.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 1:37 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Jeez. No kidding.

I mean, heck – remember when parents used to freak out about their kids running up $300 long-distance phone bills?

Kids are going to be kids and do kid things. The fact that I don’t have to worry about my future teenager running up a $300 phone bill too much is OK by me…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Jan 12, 2009 1:37 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My first phone bill in college was $279

that sobered me up right quick.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 1:38 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think this is going too far--the other houses would have phones.

I’m just saying that as long as I was driving, particularly on backroads, I was glad I had a phone. Otherwise it’s unlikely I would have had as much freedom.

by NOLAmarinergirl on Jan 12, 2009 12:52 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's just not true

It’s almost considered child abuse these days to kick your kid out on the street all day and tell him to play outside

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

There's no way this is true.

We spent 20 years as a society freaking the fuck out about stranger danger and gangs and blah blah blah; if nothing else, cell phones have allowed teenagers to regain some of the freedom they lost when we entered a 24 hour news cycle.

by acblue on Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You're kidding right?

My boys had plenty of freedom, as did my little brother who is thirteen years younger than I am. In fact, they had more freedom than I did, and more freedom then my parents or their parents.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:58 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm not at all kidding.

My cousins weren’t allowed to play in their front yard until they were 14. I had friends that weren’t allowed to stay out past 10:00 on the weekends (in OLYMPIA WASHINGTON) because their parents were worried about gangs. The vast majority of parents are ridiculously paranoid.

by acblue on Jan 12, 2009 1:00 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's why I keep Silas in the bubble.

Screw you, Mariners. I'm back in football's loving arms. *edit: well, shit. This isn't going well.

by kevin_ess on Jan 12, 2009 1:01 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If you live in a craptatsic neighborhood, this is probably more of an issue.

However, a cell phone isn’t going to protect you from a drive-by, and a credit card makes you more likely to get robbed.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 1:02 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Most kids I knew that grew up in bad neighborhoods had more freedom

because their parents lived in the neighborhoods that boring white people are scared of and realized that it wasn’t a war zone.

by acblue on Jan 12, 2009 1:03 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The fact that I was allowed to drive to my best friend's house

on backroads rather than the long way around was not too much freedom.

I think you are trying too hard to argue a point here. While I agree to an extent that society is overdependent on being ‘plugged in’, this argument is getting a bit ridiculous.

by NOLAmarinergirl on Jan 12, 2009 12:55 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think the argument comes down to convenience versus necessity

and I think most of the younger members of this community would argue on the side of convenience. Yeah, we’d survive without our phones, but since they’re cheap and easily obtained, why the hell not? Same with getting a credit card at 15 or whatever. Don’t need it, but it’s nice to have just in case, to have that security of knowing if you need to buy something that you have the means to do so.

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 12:57 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I kinda agree with thingray somewhat

I’m all for kids having cell phones – if I had a kid, they’d have one. But a credit card? No. There’s no way a 15 year old kid “needs” to buy something that he can’t talk to his parents about first.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Jan 12, 2009 12:59 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My boys have cell phones.

They do not have the freedom to send 400 texts per day on them, nor are they to be used for calling their buddies. They are only for contacting us when necessary.

If they want to socialize on a cell phone, they can get a job and get their own.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 1:01 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hell, I wish to God my parents had given me a credit card at 15.

Then when I was on my own at age 17 finance and money wouldn’t have been such a steep learning curve. My credit is still suffering from poor decisions I made back then.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Jan 12, 2009 1:02 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

But remember in typical cases the parents names are on the card

and they are paying the bill – it doesn’t help you learn to manage money if you’re not the one paying in the end

by seattlebruin on Jan 12, 2009 1:02 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My point is that I never "had" to buy something at 15.

Anything that was a necessity my parents would pay for. The things I “wanted” did not require a credit card, and were not an emergency.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:59 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Same boat for me.

My junior year in high school I got rear-ended on my way to work. The accident really screwed up my neck and left me in no condition to drive. To make matters worse I was on the shoulder of 405 between Mill Creek and Bothell.

The cell phone let me call my dad, who drove with my brother to come pick me and my truck up.

In that situation, it’s a piece of security to both myself and my family. I’d only been driving for about two months at that point, so I imagine that if I didn’t have it I probably would have been panicking.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:40 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

No police.

The asshat that hit me wrote down his insurance number, left it with me, and took off.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:43 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yes it is.

Doesn’t change the fact that it happened and I was on my own, though.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:48 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

no it doesn't

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Jan 12, 2009 12:48 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Generally in an accident of this severity,

the police show up on their own.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:48 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Call me a misanthrope

but I’d just assume take control of a situation like that myself rather than throw myself at the mercy of those around me.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I understand this.

I still don’t think it’s a reason to start kids on cell phones and credit cards at 10.

Man do I love midgets.

by Thingray on Jan 12, 2009 12:55 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My policy as a parent somewhere down the line

will be that my kid gets a cell phone the minute they stop taking the Freshman Limo to and from school.

by BrianL on Jan 12, 2009 12:56 PM PST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs