No Runny Eggs

(H/T – Ace)

It seems somebody is planning hard for Z-Day and married a cheap electric chainsaw to an AR-15. Since this wouldn’t be much of a post without the video of the chainsaw bayonet in action, let’s roll tape…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ljd_hUxCfI[/youtube]

It’s also available in a shotgun model.

Revision by Shoebox:   Please welcome a new guest blogger Big G.   G, as those close refer to him, is one of the wisest people I know.   Big G brings unique perspectives and solutions to many issues.   While we don’t agree on everything, I’m sure you’ll find as I do, that Big G will cause you to frequently step back and say “Hmmmmmm.”

Next week the Big 3 and UAW President, President Ron Gittelfinger will be back in front of Congress with their new strategy to bilk billions from the American people.  This group of four has been working feverishly to retool and fine tune their joint presentation.  Through an unnamed source, we were able to acquire this exclusive video of how they plan to travel to DC this time, in addition to a splendid tap dancing performance by Ron "Tin Man" Gittelfinger that we found particularly good.  When we questioned our unnamed source about this risky presentation strategy, they stated that Congress had requested they get more creative and demonstrate that they "get it".  What better way to demonstrate this then by utilizing a epic American film to tell their story.    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVphSC41XZI[/youtube]

Disney is ruining the world!

So claims Christopher Jamison, the Abbot of Worth in West Sussex in this article in the UK Telegraph.

Abbot Jamison blames Disney for what he considers to be excess consumerism in the world and its denigration of spirituality:

“This is basically the commercial exploitation of spirituality,” he says, adding that as a result Disney and other corporations “inhabit our imagination”.

“Once planted there they can make us endlessly greedy. And that is exactly what they are doing.”

OK, disclosures first.   Mrs. Shoebox, Thing 1, Thing 2 and I are big Disney fans.   Why?   Well, a couple of things.  

First, the Disney brand (I’m not including Buena Vista and some of their other brands) is one of the few brands where we can be assured that “family entertainment” is actually family entertainment.   Yes, you may get the occasional “save the earth” theme but you won’t get swearing or sexually explicit subject manner hidden in the film.

Second, we’ve had the privilege of seeing numerous amusement parks.   “It’s not Disney,” is the phrase you hear from us in almost every park that isn’t, well, Disney.   Disney is creative on a level that is not matched by any other amusement park.   Their parks are clean beyond belief.   They manage to achieve in all of their “cast members” a service level that no other park comes close to.   Finally, there are no roaming gangs of unsupervised and ill behaved young people at Disney, Disney is for families.

Abbot Jamison claims:

“This is the new pilgrimage that children desire, a rite of passage into the meaning of life according to Disney.”

Well, no, not exactly.   I remember as a shoelet watching the Wonderful World of Disney.   I remember wanting to see “the most magical place on earth” more than anything else I could imagine.   Of course, growing up in the Midwest, that expedition didn’t come easily.   When I was 12 my parents, who were middle income at best, packed us up and took us by car, on a 2 week trip that included a couple of days at Disneyland.   My point is that it isn’t just recently that Disney has been a phenomena, it’s been an icon since the mid 60’s and parents for the past 40 years have managed to deal with it.

I won’t argue with Abbot Jamison that our culture has become more materalistic.   However, rather than directing it, Disney has recognized it and is marketing to it……just like any other marketer who finds what customers want and tailors their message to fit the desire!

As I’ve told you before, I spent about 20 years in the cell phone business.   From time to time when I was in the business, and even today, I would hear people talk about how annoying cell phones were.   How the cell phones would ring at inopportune times and they would “have” to take a call.   I explained to them then, as I do today, that all cell phones have been designed with a secret button that controls those undesired calls; it’s the OFF button.

Just like with cell phones, materialism can be managed.   Helping your children understand the difference between a “need” and a “want” is part of the responsibility of being a parent.   If you don’t do this, there is no doubt that materialism and consumerism will run rampant in your household and your children.   Unfortunately for too many children, they don’t get training on “needs” versus “wants” because their parents have never established the difference in their own lives.

There is no doubt that there are many ills that impact our society.   What I find disappointing in this and other pieces I’ve read written by Abbot Jamison, is that he appears to spend his time focused on symptoms rather than the root.  

As we enter this Advent season, it’s appropriate to remember that our moral code comes from God who created us.   This is the same God who sent His Son to be our atonement and our salvation.   He did this even though many still don’t “want” His salvation but “need” it.

Blaming the likes of Disney for materialism is like blaming excess consumer credit on the credit card companies.   Do both of them promote their products? Absolutely!   Do they work to gain the highest market share possible?   Again, absolutely!   However, in both cases, we as individuals control the secret button to control the offers; we can say no.