R.I.P. Facebook

Okay so Facebook isn’t dead. In fact, it’s alive and well. But you’ll understand what I mean in a minute.

The Facebook came into the lives of college students back in 2004 and hasn’t left since. In fact it’s only gotten bigger and more powerful. First of all, notice that I said “The Facebook” just now. If you don’t know why, then I officially hate you.

When Facebook hit the mainstream among American college students in 2005/2006 there were about 5 million users. NOW there are 500 million. Yes, 500 million! It has become integrated with major search engines like Bing (and soon Google), e-mails, news sites, blogs, e-commerce sites and tons more. At this point, Facebook is omnipresent. And that’s the point…since Facebook is everywhere now, Facebook has fundamentally changed.

When (most of) us joined Facebook, it was Freshman year of college. What was the site back then? A social network? Yes. A place to connect with friends? Obviously. But the bottom line is… it was college on the internet. Think about it — you wrote on your friends’ walls as if you were just hanging out in your common room. You posted pictures from last night’s party, reliving all the fun and madness. You shared links and videos with each other as if you were sitting around someone’s laptop in their dorm room. Most of all, there were ONLY other college students on Facebook. No parents, no uncles, no bosses, no dentists… nobody but fellow college students.

Fast forward to today; there are 500 million users now. Your parents and relatives are probably on Facebook now. Your boss is most definitely on Facebook. And at least in my case, my dentist is on Facebook. Facebook is NOT just college on the internet now. It’s real life on facebook. Some of you might not know what “real life” is yet. Real life is NOT beer pong, red solo cups or skinny dipping. It’s NOT talking to your friends about drugs, farting or tits. “Real life” is having a job, paying rent and having intellectual discussions about technology or politics. I didn’t make this up, this is just how it is. The bottom line is that Facebook has changed. It’s a whole new medium of communication that does not and should not involve all of those crazy things I mentioned before. If that’s the kind of stuff you want to talk about or broadcast over Facebook, then do so at your own risk. It could mean losing your job or being hated by your parents. Or…again… in my case… being hated by your dentist.

Think carefully about what you post on Facebook. Some things that may have been appropriate back when you first signed up CERTAINLY aren’t appropriate now. Only YOU know your network, who your friends are and what they’re able to see on your profile. Consider all these things.

The Facebook that we once knew is dead. The new Facebook is here to stay and is only going to get bigger and bigger.

-AB

Britney vs. Christina in 2002

Remember the rivalry between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera many years ago, specifically during their coming-of-age period circa 2002? Okay fine, then let me refresh your memory.  In late 2001 Britney released her third album, “Britney”. This was also around the time she starred in that timeless, brilliant and extremely memorable film “Crossroads”. Sarcastic? No way. Of course not. Fuck you for even suggesting that.

Anyways… at that time Britney was going through a transition. What better way to express her feelings during this time than through song? In the middle of 2002 she released “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman”. The title pretty much says it all; it’s a song about this awkward period of her life that she’s experiencing. She can’t quite decide if she’s still  a girl or a fully grown woman. A song that a lot of people, male or female, can probably relate to.

A few months later Christina Aguilera released her next album, “Stripped” and made her decision loud and clear: I’m not a girl. I’m not a woman. I’m a dirty whore.

Don’t believe me? See the “Dirrty” video.

Just a random & interesting thought I had and figured I’d share.

-AB

Just a Random Thought

If we are currently in the age of “web 2.0” and we have had such sites as friendster and myspace and we now have Twitter and Facebook and according to “experts” on the subject web 3.0 is going to be a more personal and interactive experience what is next??

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Remember, remember the 5th of November. The gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

 

On this day November 5th, 2010 I bring to you one of the strongest messages and beliefs that any person can behold and spread. Never forget to stand up for yourself and speak out against the things you don’t agree with. If there is something you feel can be done better or be made easier SPEAK UP don’t just sit in the corner and keep it to yourself. Our societies are built on the ideas of people who were not afraid to speak out and voice their opinions. If something is bothering you dont just sit back and take it speak out and do something about it. Now I’m not saying that you should lash out rudely or in a violent matter, in no way am i saying to do that, but you have to be able to speak up for yourself. Don’t think that any idea is a dumb idea or that nobody will listen. Someone will always be there to listen.

On this day over 400 years ago a Catholic man by the name of Guy Fawkes was captured underneath the British Parliament building with 60 barrels of gunpowder in an attempt to assassinate the Protestant King James and the majority of Parliament. Guy Fawkes was captured just minutes after midnight on November 5th in the tunnels underneath Parliament. When Fawkes was questioned about his intent his simply replied “to blow you Scotch beggars back to your native mountains.” Fawkes was hanged and then drawn and quartered on January 6th 1605 at the age of 35.

Had Fawkes been successful in his plot to overthrow the British government at the time who knows what would have happened. Guy Fawkes was a man not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. Sure he didnt complete his mission but when he was captured and then put in front of Judge, Jury and Executioner he stood up with confidence because he had at least tried to fix something that he wasnt happy with.

Now you are all probably reading this and thinking “Oh My God is this kid preaching violence to get things accomplished” I am in NO WAY saying that. As a matter of fact I consider myself to be somewhat of a Pacifist, but I do believe in standing up for what you believe in and making your voice heard. Just not in a radical way lol. What im trying to say out of this entire thing is believe in yourself because when you stop believing thats when there is no hope.

 

–MU

World W*******g Entertainment

Given: I’ve been obsessed with wrestling my whole life. Anyone who knows me is well aware of this. I still remember clearly the night that the Repo Man wrapped his bullrope around the British Bulldog’s neck and dragged him around the ring. I remember clearly Saturday Night’s Main Event in early 1992 when Sid Justice betrayed his own partner Hulk Hogan and left him to be physically dissected by Ric Flair and the Undertaker. I was most certainly watching when Randy Orton pulled John Cena’s dad out of the audience and punted him in the skull… while John Cena watched helplessly from the ring, handcuffed to the top rope. And I’ve seen EVERYTHING in the 20 years between.

And yet as I sit here writing this, I can’t remember how Raw ended this week. I can barely remember anything that happened on the show. It was THREE DAYS AGO. It was just THAT unmemorable. I know exactly what the problem is; what I’m looking for is exactly what WWE won’t give: Wrestling.

In WWE, wrestling has become a dirty word. It’s actually amazing how far out of their way they go to avoid saying the word “wrestling” on their show. Over the last few months, I’ve sat and waited to hear the announcers or the Superstars (notice they’re not called “wrestlers”?) utter the word “wrestling”… but to no avail. Everything is about sports entertainment… or superstars… or competing. In other words, everything is a euphemism. My question is, at the end of the day isn’t this a wrestling show? Sure, it goes way beyond that. It’s an entertainment show that involves characters, stories, comedy, drama, romance and a slew of other things. But still, it’s a wrestling show, isn’t it? They should at least be able to refer to it as such once in a while!

I’m not looking for Entertainment, I’m looking for Wrestling. That’s why I watch the alternative, http://www.tnawrestling.com. It may not be the greatest ever, but it’s at least what I’m looking for. I just can’t take another week of watching sports entertainers compete inside the squared circle in front of the universe. What the hell does that mean? I have no idea. But they say it every single week on Raw. I prefer not to watch irrelevant celebrities like Jeremy Piven, Timbaland or Jerry Springer flood the show and flaunt their blatant ignorance for the product while actual wrestlers superstars like Bryan Danielson Daniel Bryan get little or no TV time. I don’t want Entertainment, I want Wrestling. If they give me the latter, chances are it’ll result in the former.

That’s why I censored the word “Wrestling” in the title of this blog. WWE can’t acknowledge that they’re at least somewhat a wrestling show. I hope their PPV buy rates continue to plummet. I hope their TV ratings continue to slump. I hope the Connecticut Attorney General actually goes through with the investigation of steroid use in WWE. I hope that the media continues to get on their case about the negativity in their product. Maybe if things get really bad they’ll finally make a change. Maybe then they’ll finally acknowledge that they’re a wrestling show. Because right now, they’re 100% pretending that they are NOT. And that my friends… is insane.

-AB

An Introduction

According to Albert Einstein, the definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Have you… at all… noticed the things and people around you doing the same thing over and over again? We have. And it bothers us so much that words can’t even describe. But that won’t stop us from trying (this is a blog after all, right?) Predictability is our worst disease. The best thing we can do as members of a functioning society is to question why things are functioning the way they are. No, I mean REALLY question it. No matter what political party, religion or other group you identify with, CHALLENGE what’s presented before you. If “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results, then what we all need is some sanity. Come here for your daily dose of sanity. The world is too predictable in a wholly unsatisfying way. We present the world around us in a different way than you’ve ever seen. What I’m trying to say is…There are many blogs… but there is only one Axis of Insanity.

Hello world!

Welcome to the Axis of Insanity. Your new connection to what is wrong with the world today. Please come back soon for more updates for right now we are geting on our feet.