Many people say the catalogue that used to appear in mailboxes with regularity, is a dying breed. It's probably so, because snail mail itself is falling off in numbers every year. Fewer people send letters and other mail now by post. Electronic mail is in and snail mail is ending. So the noble catalogue that sold so much merchandise for more than a hundred years may not be around much longer.
I still get a few catalogues in my mailbox at Christmas time, and some retailers who sell only by mail or the internet still send them, but that is about it. Christmas time brings forth many catalogues and it makes me feel good to get them. They are as much nostalgic t em as practical.
But I do sometimes order from a Christmas catalogue. This doesn't mean that catalogues are gone altogether. They exist in on line versions. There are even web sites that show many catalogues the person can view from his or her computer. Catalogue Central is one of those. Then there are sites from which you can order catalogues to be sent to your snail. Try this one to see what that is about.. mailbox.http://www.catalogs.com/
But isn't that really just advertisements? What is the difference between a catalogue selling goods and an on-line advertisement? I looked up the word to see what it is an it says a catalogue is "A publication, such as a book or pamphlet, containing such a list or display". I suppose that means it's just bigger than the typical print advertisement. Seems to me any commercial advertisement you find on line is also big. In fact it is comprehensive enough to lead to other ads. So maybe catalogues exist only in paper form, not on line.
In the big picture of life losing the noble catalogues isn't a big matter to mourn. Most kids have no idea what they are and surely don't look at the pictured of the sexy lingerie ladies in catalogues like we used to do when I was a kid. Still, to me it is another end to something I grew up with, found dear, and will miss. It goes to reason that a catalogues will become extinct before magazines and newspapers do, though they are dying as well. It's cheaper to post catalogue style ads on line now and people have no patience to wade through a paper catalogue anymore. One of the drawbacks of the age of electronics is the loss of patience and the attention span.
I feel sorry that kids will never feel the excitement of pulling the Sears catalogue from their parents' mailbox and the anticipating of receiving the item they purchased using that catalogue. Half the fun of getting the purchase was the wait. But that was in the days when people had patience. I think I preferred those days to what we have now. Do you
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Superbowl Celebration
The results of any football contest are not so important to me that I weep, jump for joy or elevate the game to any great importance, but I am happy for the city of New Orleans, it's residents, and the symbolism that New Orleans is not "dead". The headline in today's Times Picayune newspaper is a big 'AMEN'. Clever one, I think.
The natives behaved well last night in their celebration in the streets. Americans have a controlled enthusiasm for their sports champions which reflects their regulated, controlled manner in most things. They rarley pillage and burn in joy or sadness as happens elsewhere. Tuesday is a big parade for the team here in New Orleans. They will be out en mass for that one too, and I expect a drama queen kind of feeling about the parade. "Look at us, aren't we lovely". Well, they deeserve to sturt here after so many years of suffering.
Late in the game when the outcome was a near certainty I could hear residents of this subdivision come outside and whoop cheers of elation, fireworks were set off in the streets, cars honked horns, cries of joy could be heard through the doors of homes. In many areas of the city people spontaneously stopped their autos and joined whomever was celebrating at the intersection they happened to pass by.
It was a mini example of what I heard many years ago when I was in Wurzburg, Germany when Germany defeated Italy in a world cup semifinal soccer game. But that celebration was a negative one as well as a fun time, in that the natives went overboard and smashed windows of businesses, set fires, and expressed a kind of nationalism that was over the top, almost ugly. Happily that kind of celebration is unlikely here.
The Saints team overachieved this year. But don't most champions do that? The franchise cobbled together a team of losers, misfits and castoffs, mixed with some genuine stars in the city of imagination, and they imagined they could go all the way to a championship. They made imagination a reality. I hear from many locals that it was the "destiny" of the city to win the championship, as redemption for the near destruction of New Orleans from hurricane Katrina. The hope is that this event can inspire the city to do better in the more important areas a city must display in order to be a better place in which to live. Resilience won that football game. It's a nice feel- good story.
Beneath the celebration New Orleanians know there are ugly scars and problems with the city. Will the natives attack those as robustly as the football team attacked its opponents? That is the major question emitting from the end of a football game victory that so many here find to be a defining symbol of the city. Is this game the begining of an era of accomplishment or just a happy one the locals will forever remember and cherish?
The natives behaved well last night in their celebration in the streets. Americans have a controlled enthusiasm for their sports champions which reflects their regulated, controlled manner in most things. They rarley pillage and burn in joy or sadness as happens elsewhere. Tuesday is a big parade for the team here in New Orleans. They will be out en mass for that one too, and I expect a drama queen kind of feeling about the parade. "Look at us, aren't we lovely". Well, they deeserve to sturt here after so many years of suffering.
Late in the game when the outcome was a near certainty I could hear residents of this subdivision come outside and whoop cheers of elation, fireworks were set off in the streets, cars honked horns, cries of joy could be heard through the doors of homes. In many areas of the city people spontaneously stopped their autos and joined whomever was celebrating at the intersection they happened to pass by.
It was a mini example of what I heard many years ago when I was in Wurzburg, Germany when Germany defeated Italy in a world cup semifinal soccer game. But that celebration was a negative one as well as a fun time, in that the natives went overboard and smashed windows of businesses, set fires, and expressed a kind of nationalism that was over the top, almost ugly. Happily that kind of celebration is unlikely here.
The Saints team overachieved this year. But don't most champions do that? The franchise cobbled together a team of losers, misfits and castoffs, mixed with some genuine stars in the city of imagination, and they imagined they could go all the way to a championship. They made imagination a reality. I hear from many locals that it was the "destiny" of the city to win the championship, as redemption for the near destruction of New Orleans from hurricane Katrina. The hope is that this event can inspire the city to do better in the more important areas a city must display in order to be a better place in which to live. Resilience won that football game. It's a nice feel- good story.
Beneath the celebration New Orleanians know there are ugly scars and problems with the city. Will the natives attack those as robustly as the football team attacked its opponents? That is the major question emitting from the end of a football game victory that so many here find to be a defining symbol of the city. Is this game the begining of an era of accomplishment or just a happy one the locals will forever remember and cherish?
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Superbowl New Orleans Style
The city of New Orleans has gone mad about this game. Most business will be closed today and many schools have already canceled classes for Monday. I find it weird that a football game played on Sunday brings about school closing on Monday. But they expect the fans to be worn out from celebrating or drowning in sorrow and, as a result, have high absence in school.
New Orleans had a mayor and city council election last night, the most important election for people of the city . Only about 40% of the voters bothered to cast a ballot as they were watching Mardi Gras parades, waving the Saints banner and many out of town in Miami, Florida (about 50,000 are there, most without tickets to the game) for the Superbowl. It is said that politics is the favorite sport in my state, but even that has been overshadowed by the Superbowl.
Hotels here are almost filled to capacity. It's odd, given so many people are out of town in Florida and the game is in Miami . During Mardi Gras the hotels usually are sold out the weekend before and through Mardi Gras day, not this early. But many thousands of people displaced to other cities in the U.S. after Hurricane Katrina have come back here to be in the city and watch the game here.
If it wins the game this city will experience a party like it never has before. The streets in the French Quarter area have been packed and rowdy with celebrants from all over the world. A victory/loss parade is scheduled in the city for Tuesday with Mardi Gras float and style. This is unusual because we never have parades for "special events" like this Superbowl event. I can't go out in public without seeing Saint paraphernalia, including the ever-present logo. And there have been so many songs written about the team in the past few months. You hear them everywhere in this music crazed city. People seem to be obsessed with the team because the success of it is something that is finally positive here after the destruction of the storm and dysfunctional existence of New Orleans since the storm.
An ironic twist to this game is that the star QB and the star receiver for the Colts are both native New Orleanians. My state is famous for its athletes, particularly football players. To have one of them beat the local team (Payton Manning, the Colt QB, is considered the best player in the NFL) would be surreal. And so it goes in surreal New Orleans,
New Orleans had a mayor and city council election last night, the most important election for people of the city . Only about 40% of the voters bothered to cast a ballot as they were watching Mardi Gras parades, waving the Saints banner and many out of town in Miami, Florida (about 50,000 are there, most without tickets to the game) for the Superbowl. It is said that politics is the favorite sport in my state, but even that has been overshadowed by the Superbowl.
Hotels here are almost filled to capacity. It's odd, given so many people are out of town in Florida and the game is in Miami . During Mardi Gras the hotels usually are sold out the weekend before and through Mardi Gras day, not this early. But many thousands of people displaced to other cities in the U.S. after Hurricane Katrina have come back here to be in the city and watch the game here.
If it wins the game this city will experience a party like it never has before. The streets in the French Quarter area have been packed and rowdy with celebrants from all over the world. A victory/loss parade is scheduled in the city for Tuesday with Mardi Gras float and style. This is unusual because we never have parades for "special events" like this Superbowl event. I can't go out in public without seeing Saint paraphernalia, including the ever-present logo. And there have been so many songs written about the team in the past few months. You hear them everywhere in this music crazed city. People seem to be obsessed with the team because the success of it is something that is finally positive here after the destruction of the storm and dysfunctional existence of New Orleans since the storm.
An ironic twist to this game is that the star QB and the star receiver for the Colts are both native New Orleanians. My state is famous for its athletes, particularly football players. To have one of them beat the local team (Payton Manning, the Colt QB, is considered the best player in the NFL) would be surreal. And so it goes in surreal New Orleans,
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Aging Difficulties
I like the amusing poem Shakespeare wrote, The Seven Ages of man. It purported, tongue in cheek, to how that humans go through even stages in aging and how stage one and stage seven wind up being more similar than different. But in between the 'puking infant stage' and the 'old man with spindly legs' stage, allot goes on with aging that is odd.
Why for example, in some U.S. states can 14 year olds legally marry (with the parent's consent) but those same 14 year olds can't legally drive a car, drink alcohol or join the military in any state? It's a good example of the confusion of ages. Humans are told to "act your age" but what does that mean? I know that a 6 year old girl who plays with Barbie dolls is acting her age, and a 25 year old girl doing the same isn't. Interest spans determine those kinds of age definitions.
But what about the arbitrary age rules society imposes on us but seem incongruous.Need some examples of age confusion? In the U.S one must be at least 35 years old to be president. But to be a Congressman he or she need be only 25 years old. Why the difference? If a married couple aged 16 each wanted to see an R rated movie at the theater, they couldn't. Strange, huh. You have to be 18 years old to vote in the U.S. now. But 30 years ago a voter had to be 21 year of age. Does this mean people are three years more mature now than those of 30 years ago?
And why are their "elderly" seating sections in buses? Is everyone over 65 so infirm they have to have special seating. Too, how did the elderly one get to the bus in the first place? No doubt he or she was capable of walking to the bus and is also capable of sitting where ever he or she finds a seat.
Why do senior citizens and kids under 12 get discounts at events, like a movie. Do people under 12 or over 65 behave so differently at the theater that they deserve a lower admission price. When dating a younger woman or man are there not many who snicker at "the age difference", as if age is the single criteria for finding love. And why are infants 'cute' but toddlers are "terrors"?
Age is a confusing subject. I wonder how old we would be if we didn't know how old we were. We probably would be better off because we wouldn't decide so much our our choice based on our age. Well, I just hope I make it to 100 so I can be a kid again...yep, wear diapers, blurt out whatever I want, lose my memory and be swaddled by a nurse 80 years my junior.
Why for example, in some U.S. states can 14 year olds legally marry (with the parent's consent) but those same 14 year olds can't legally drive a car, drink alcohol or join the military in any state? It's a good example of the confusion of ages. Humans are told to "act your age" but what does that mean? I know that a 6 year old girl who plays with Barbie dolls is acting her age, and a 25 year old girl doing the same isn't. Interest spans determine those kinds of age definitions.
But what about the arbitrary age rules society imposes on us but seem incongruous.Need some examples of age confusion? In the U.S one must be at least 35 years old to be president. But to be a Congressman he or she need be only 25 years old. Why the difference? If a married couple aged 16 each wanted to see an R rated movie at the theater, they couldn't. Strange, huh. You have to be 18 years old to vote in the U.S. now. But 30 years ago a voter had to be 21 year of age. Does this mean people are three years more mature now than those of 30 years ago?
And why are their "elderly" seating sections in buses? Is everyone over 65 so infirm they have to have special seating. Too, how did the elderly one get to the bus in the first place? No doubt he or she was capable of walking to the bus and is also capable of sitting where ever he or she finds a seat.
Why do senior citizens and kids under 12 get discounts at events, like a movie. Do people under 12 or over 65 behave so differently at the theater that they deserve a lower admission price. When dating a younger woman or man are there not many who snicker at "the age difference", as if age is the single criteria for finding love. And why are infants 'cute' but toddlers are "terrors"?
Age is a confusing subject. I wonder how old we would be if we didn't know how old we were. We probably would be better off because we wouldn't decide so much our our choice based on our age. Well, I just hope I make it to 100 so I can be a kid again...yep, wear diapers, blurt out whatever I want, lose my memory and be swaddled by a nurse 80 years my junior.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Who's Famous Now?
My subject is a rhetorical question, and I have no answer to it anyway. It seems that the 21st century is beginning as the century in which people have become famous without reason.....the reality TV cultural creation. I wonder what that says about us as a people, that we treasure nothingness above substance, that we create celebrity from a lump of coal and then believe the lump is gold.
Anyone can become famous now. Random people became famous for being famous in the first decade of the 2000's. Famous for being nothing is in now, as mediums promote the loudest and most boorish of fame seekers instead of those with talent. "Stars" these days don't need to have any real talent to become famous. The growth of reality television, celebrity bloggers and paparazzi combined with the speed of the Internet has created a mindless desire for gossip fed by an instant path to stardom for anyone who is brazen enough to degrade him or herself in seeking it the "reality way".
Have we, as individuals in society, lost the ability to be critical thinkers? We now tend to consume a lot of information that isn't important, and too little that really does impact our lives. What gets lost in that misperception is reality and substance, excellence takes a back seat to promotion. And what matters now is not what talent you have and expose, but rather how much of your personal life are you willing to expose. the more the reality star humiliates him or herself the brighter the star glows with the public. And the reality star who is a train wreck is particularly adored because so much of the public today takes satisfaction in seeing their pseudo stars melt down.
Maybe it's why so many more people today aspire to be celebs than inventors, engineers, scientists. teachers.... anything substance that requires hard work to achieve. But as we make unimportant people into important ones, do we miss what the really important ones are doing? And will this obsession with false idolatry increase or just be a passing fad?
Anyone can become famous now. Random people became famous for being famous in the first decade of the 2000's. Famous for being nothing is in now, as mediums promote the loudest and most boorish of fame seekers instead of those with talent. "Stars" these days don't need to have any real talent to become famous. The growth of reality television, celebrity bloggers and paparazzi combined with the speed of the Internet has created a mindless desire for gossip fed by an instant path to stardom for anyone who is brazen enough to degrade him or herself in seeking it the "reality way".
Have we, as individuals in society, lost the ability to be critical thinkers? We now tend to consume a lot of information that isn't important, and too little that really does impact our lives. What gets lost in that misperception is reality and substance, excellence takes a back seat to promotion. And what matters now is not what talent you have and expose, but rather how much of your personal life are you willing to expose. the more the reality star humiliates him or herself the brighter the star glows with the public. And the reality star who is a train wreck is particularly adored because so much of the public today takes satisfaction in seeing their pseudo stars melt down.
Maybe it's why so many more people today aspire to be celebs than inventors, engineers, scientists. teachers.... anything substance that requires hard work to achieve. But as we make unimportant people into important ones, do we miss what the really important ones are doing? And will this obsession with false idolatry increase or just be a passing fad?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
New Fringe Mardi Gras Krewes
Blame it on the fact that New Orleans has suffered a bizarre flooding (in 2005) which has changed its Mardi Gras parade tradition even more than the normal evolution of new parades coming and old standbys slowly dying. Fact is, since the hurricane destroyed so much of the city we have a few new, interesting, weird, mostly satirical, minor, but entertaining Mardi Gras parades to see.
The newest is the Krewe of Delusion, a collection of new and old marching groups gathered under a heady, self-made philosophy and governance that declare New Orleans to be the center of the universe (one of our many delusions). Harry Shearer, the actor, filmmaker, commentator, voice on 'The Simpsons' and New Orleanian, is its ruler. Only locals can get away with this kind of thing.
“Benevolent autocratic dementia is a form of government we believe in,” Shearer said as representative of the krewe. It fits because that's the kind of government New Orleans has always had, a demented one. The tools of the parade will be satire, poking fun at local politics, local traditions, the dysfunctional city government and itself.But there are more new "unusual" ones parading since the hurricane.
The Krewe du Jieux (New Orleans Jewish Mardi Gras Parade who's king wears a massive golden bagel around his neck), Noisician Coalition (a rag tag group of musicians who play their own "invented instruments" dressed in whatever and described by the founder as a"collection of fools") and the Camel Toe Lady Steppers (described as a group of classy ladies who like to dress "real fancy"....bizarre might be a better description), and Krewe of Bananas give away their satirical bent with their names. The Krewe of 6t’9 formed after Hurricane Katrina and puts on an annual Halloween parade. Haha That's right, 6t9. Ask your mom to explain what that one is about, I won't do it.
Then there is the flood of illegal Hispanic immigrant who poured into New Orleans after the hurricane in search of work. There still here and want to participate in the Greatest Free Show on Earth too. The Krewe of Amigos de los Amigos formed last year to pay homage to the city's expanded Hispanic presence. The Amigos will serve as security escorts for the Delusion parade, donning Mexican wrestler outfits and holding up wrestling ring ropes population. Stereotypes make sense during Mardi Gras because they make us laugh.
Then then there is the AllKreweists, founded by a group of mostly non Hispanic and completely legal transplants who came to New Orleans to do recovery work after the storm and fell under the city's spell. They fell in love with the city, made it their home, and want everyone to know they are already as crazy as the rest of us who live here. And so it goes here at Mardi Gras
The newest is the Krewe of Delusion, a collection of new and old marching groups gathered under a heady, self-made philosophy and governance that declare New Orleans to be the center of the universe (one of our many delusions). Harry Shearer, the actor, filmmaker, commentator, voice on 'The Simpsons' and New Orleanian, is its ruler. Only locals can get away with this kind of thing.
“Benevolent autocratic dementia is a form of government we believe in,” Shearer said as representative of the krewe. It fits because that's the kind of government New Orleans has always had, a demented one. The tools of the parade will be satire, poking fun at local politics, local traditions, the dysfunctional city government and itself.But there are more new "unusual" ones parading since the hurricane.
The Krewe du Jieux (New Orleans Jewish Mardi Gras Parade who's king wears a massive golden bagel around his neck), Noisician Coalition (a rag tag group of musicians who play their own "invented instruments" dressed in whatever and described by the founder as a"collection of fools") and the Camel Toe Lady Steppers (described as a group of classy ladies who like to dress "real fancy"....bizarre might be a better description), and Krewe of Bananas give away their satirical bent with their names. The Krewe of 6t’9 formed after Hurricane Katrina and puts on an annual Halloween parade. Haha That's right, 6t9. Ask your mom to explain what that one is about, I won't do it.
Then there is the flood of illegal Hispanic immigrant who poured into New Orleans after the hurricane in search of work. There still here and want to participate in the Greatest Free Show on Earth too. The Krewe of Amigos de los Amigos formed last year to pay homage to the city's expanded Hispanic presence. The Amigos will serve as security escorts for the Delusion parade, donning Mexican wrestler outfits and holding up wrestling ring ropes population. Stereotypes make sense during Mardi Gras because they make us laugh.
Then then there is the AllKreweists, founded by a group of mostly non Hispanic and completely legal transplants who came to New Orleans to do recovery work after the storm and fell under the city's spell. They fell in love with the city, made it their home, and want everyone to know they are already as crazy as the rest of us who live here. And so it goes here at Mardi Gras
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
New Fringe Mardi Gras Krewes
Blame it on the fact that New Orleans has suffered a bizarre flooding (in 2005) which has changed its Mardi Gras parade tradition even more than the normal evolution of new parades coming and old standbys slowly dying. Fact is, since the hurricane destroyed so much of the city we have a few new, interesting, weird, mostly satirical, minor, but entertaining Mardi Gras parades to see.
The newest is the Krewe of Delusion, a collection of new and old marching groups gathered under a heady, self-made philosophy and governance that declare New Orleans to be the center of the universe (one of our many delusions). Harry Shearer, the actor, filmmaker, commentator, voice on 'The Simpsons' and New Orleanian, is its ruler. Only locals can get away with this kind of thing.
“Benevolent autocratic dementia is a form of government we believe in,” Shearer said as representative of the krewe. It fits because that's the kind of government New Orleans has always had, a demented one. The tools of the parade will be satire, poking fun at local politics, local traditions, the dysfunctional city government and itself.
But there are more new "unusual" ones parading since the hurricane. The Krewe du Jieux (New Orleans Jewish Mardi Gras Parade who's king wears a massive golden bagel around his neck), Noisician Coalition (a rag tag group of musicians who play their own "invented instruments" dressed in whatever and described by the founder as a"collection of fools") and the Camel Toe Lady Steppers (described as a group of classy ladies who like to dress "real fancy"....bizarre might be a better description), and Krewe of Bananas give away their satirical bent with their names. The Krewe of 6t’9 formed after Hurricane Katrina and puts on an annual Halloween parade.
Haha That's right, 6t9. Ask your mom to explain what that one is about, I won't do it.
Then there is the flood of illegal Hispanic immigrant who poured into New Orleans after the hurricane in search of work. There still here and want to participate in the Greatest Free Show on Earth too. The Krewe of Amigos de los Amigos formed last year to pay homage to the city's expanded Hispanic presence. The Amigos will serve as security escorts for the Delusion parade, donning Mexican wrestler outfits and holding up wrestling ring ropes population. Stereotypes make sense during Mardi Gras because they make us laugh.
Then then there is the AllKreweists, founded by a group of mostly non Hispanic and completely legal transplants who came to New Orleans to do recovery work after the storm and fell under the city's spell. They fell in love with the city, made it their home, and want everyone to know they are already as crazy as the rest of us who live here. And so it goes here at Mardi Gras time....
The newest is the Krewe of Delusion, a collection of new and old marching groups gathered under a heady, self-made philosophy and governance that declare New Orleans to be the center of the universe (one of our many delusions). Harry Shearer, the actor, filmmaker, commentator, voice on 'The Simpsons' and New Orleanian, is its ruler. Only locals can get away with this kind of thing.
“Benevolent autocratic dementia is a form of government we believe in,” Shearer said as representative of the krewe. It fits because that's the kind of government New Orleans has always had, a demented one. The tools of the parade will be satire, poking fun at local politics, local traditions, the dysfunctional city government and itself.
But there are more new "unusual" ones parading since the hurricane. The Krewe du Jieux (New Orleans Jewish Mardi Gras Parade who's king wears a massive golden bagel around his neck), Noisician Coalition (a rag tag group of musicians who play their own "invented instruments" dressed in whatever and described by the founder as a"collection of fools") and the Camel Toe Lady Steppers (described as a group of classy ladies who like to dress "real fancy"....bizarre might be a better description), and Krewe of Bananas give away their satirical bent with their names. The Krewe of 6t’9 formed after Hurricane Katrina and puts on an annual Halloween parade.
Haha That's right, 6t9. Ask your mom to explain what that one is about, I won't do it.
Then there is the flood of illegal Hispanic immigrant who poured into New Orleans after the hurricane in search of work. There still here and want to participate in the Greatest Free Show on Earth too. The Krewe of Amigos de los Amigos formed last year to pay homage to the city's expanded Hispanic presence. The Amigos will serve as security escorts for the Delusion parade, donning Mexican wrestler outfits and holding up wrestling ring ropes population. Stereotypes make sense during Mardi Gras because they make us laugh.
Then then there is the AllKreweists, founded by a group of mostly non Hispanic and completely legal transplants who came to New Orleans to do recovery work after the storm and fell under the city's spell. They fell in love with the city, made it their home, and want everyone to know they are already as crazy as the rest of us who live here. And so it goes here at Mardi Gras time....
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