LAID OFF: DAY 30

Well, yesterday, sad to say, I received my final direct deposit check from my former employer, officially ending our relationship but to be continued since I will mention them by name at some point, especially when they’ve gone belly-up which I predict could be fairly soon. But, that’s neither here nor there right now.

*belly up – the fate of so many companies lately due to bad business practices

Obviously, I’ve had to supplement a few things after realizing I can’t spend the way I used to spend although I’m still spending something that I feel is somewhat contributing to our downtrodden economy. First things first: I had to get a coffee maker to cut my coffee expenses big time.

*a great, great way to save money annually

I can’t really tell you how much this little switch has saved me but I’d put at somewhere between $10-15 a week, something that adds up over a years’ time. Living in California and still waiting on my first unemployment check, it’s no secret that the Golden State is strapped for cash, completely in debt but still, somehow, manages to keep its claim as the world’s sixth largest economy. Go figure.

*The California Seal of Approval. Pretty cool, huh?

Being out of work sucks but it’s not the worst thing in the world. As mentioned many times before, I’m starting my own business via website so I’m stoked. You’re looking at the beginning phases so I’m on my way, job or no job. Hell, I’m actually pretty happy these days. At least I don’t live in the south where many of the states with the highest unemployment rates (Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi) also have some of the highest amount of dickhead governors, the biggest prick of them all being Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. He and the rest of his Christian Conservative brethren are actually turning down stimulus money that would provide their states with more money for unemployment benefits, completely screwing over all those that are unemployed and low on money.

*McCain (The Devil?) gleefully watching one of his conservative demons speak

Yep, Gov. Jindal is refusing money for unemployment benefits because, well, because he’s a moron. He’s also one of these chumps who was originally Hindu and converted to Catholicism in high school. Not happy with your roots, Mr. Governor? If your real name is Piyush, why are we supposed to call you “Bobby”? Well, here’s what I have to say about that:

YOU SUCK ASS PIYUSH BOBBY JINDAL

Seems like it says a lot when the GOP spokesman isn’t even proud of his own damn name. Republicans want to actually let a man who detests his real name lead them to the promised land?

*the Republican promised land? But it’s just a light!

Let me put this shortly: LOOOOOOSERS!!!

So here’s my advice to all those broke and unemployed laborers in the south whose Governors will not be accepting more unemployment money:

REVOLT REVOLT REVOLT

*instead of a French flag, we’ll raise one of the U.S.A.

Bring back the French Revolution, baby! In fact, for those of you in Louisiana, it would be kind of ironic since your area was once controlled by the French. Start kicking ass and chopping heads. Take names later.

 I would like to point out a few things since Laid Off: Day 15. 

1. Why does the GOP continue to call the stimulus package a “spending” package when the whole point is to spend?

2. If businesses are getting hit so hard, why were there still tons of local Nevadans gambling, smoking and drinking at the casino my fiance and I stayed at last weekend?

3. If our country is so saddled with massive amounts of debt, why not legalize marijuana in all states, where the revenue would be a $500 million minimum per year?

Just some thoughts I thought I’d leave you with until we meet again.

Filed under: CULTURE by Stop Pop Culture - 6 Comments »

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: BOBBY JINDAL 

WHO LISTENED TO MR. PRESIDENT’S SPEECH?

I imagine all of you raised your hands since his speech sent television ratings through the roof. Even better, his delivery of an enthused rhetoric was not only inspired, but determined as well. The GOP got all pissy as they usually do because it lacked “specifics” and blah blah this and blah blah that.

As entertained as moved as I was by the President’s speech, Republican Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal provided just as much fun afterwards with his silly and contradictory reply to Obama’s address to the nation.

Bobby and other Republican governors in the south are refusing some money from the stimulus, money that would go to state unemployment benefits. Yes, they’re turning away money. Hold on, there’s more.

*doesn’t he look a little too sickly to you?

“The [Republican] party lost its discipline when it came to spending. It began to defend practices we used to say were wrong when other people did them, like corruption and earmarks.” - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

STOP SAYING THAT!!!

Do we give this asshole an ovation for this or do we smack him across the grill? Remember this: the main Republican complaint about the stimulus package is that it’s viewed as a “spending” package. Yet, here’s their GOP representative blaming his own party for spending. Also, something else to consider:

ISN’T THE WHOLE POINT TO SPEND MONEY?!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Filed under: STOP by Stop Pop Culture - No Comments »

Had a little weekend vacation in Sin City (Las Vegas for those that aren’t familiar with that term) with my beautiful fiance last weekend to visit her mother and other family. Looking around at all the SUPER CHEAP buffets enveloping the city of Las Vegas, it encouraged me to find some pointers for this week’s blog on this subject. A rundown of some things that caught my eye that I thought I’d pass along.

MY COFFEE, MY BREAKFAST AND MY SUNDAY PAPER

Cruised into a Starbucks and since I’m in Vegas, there’s no L.A. Times anywhere to be found. Starbucks, however, had the Las Vegas and NY Times Sunday papers. Knowing the NY Times is the better publication, I scooped it up and told the barista to ring it up with my large cup of joe. When she plugged in the numbers 5.00, I raised my hand for questioning. She said, well, yeah, the Sunday NY Times is $5 now because the cost of printing is so expensive. Thinking she was jerking my chain, I decided to look at the actual price listed on the paper.

5.00

So let’s go over this quickly: newspapers across the nation are losing all kinds of money so they RAISE the prices?! $5 for ink stained newspaper doesn’t add up no matter who’s writing the articles. Unless this paper gives you a blowjob or something, at that price, newspapers are not bordering on crazy, they’ve already become INSANE. No wonder our economy is where it is.

And by the way, to make matters worse, the Las Vegas Sunday paper was still $2.50. And it’s not even written that. Sheesh, what a scam by all the newspapers. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

LET’S STAY ON THE STRIP!

Or, maybe not. Sin City is having MAJOR issues but it’s not the casinos off the strip, it’s the ones on the strip. Why? Well, they’re more expensive of course, from the rooms all the way down to the food. Yes, the Strip is a fun place if you’ve never been but it’s not fun for more than two days because after that, there ain’t much more to do. Unless you want to $99/ticket on some chump doing B.S. magic and trying too hard to look pretty and hot on top of that, stay away from the Strip. Comedy shows and concerts don’t fare better since the prices may blow your mind even more.

Also, let’s not forget some of the other important intricacies of Las Vegas. For example, and I’m no smoker, but you want to sit down and play the slots but forgot to get your cigarettes back in your hometown, a pack of cigs inside the casinos start at $7 a pack. Listen, this is a hotel, not a god damn movie theater. Don’t charge me $3-4 extra for something just because you feel you can. That’s just crooked, dirty and greedy. Then again, it’s also the reason many of you people running the casinos are having BIG PROBLEMS. 

People will only spend so much. If you want to keep your money to a minimum but still enjoy a little bit of sin in Vegas, take your chances at a casino off the Strip such as Boulder Station or Sam’s Town. No, the people and employees there might not be as “perky and hip” as those on the Strip, but they’re normal people and the casino is MUCH MUCH CHEAPER.

LOOK, GUYS, THEY HAVE A BUFFET!

Yeah, every hotel in Vegas has a buffet but some of them seemed to have gotten over their head or gone Hollywood or something of that nature. As mentioned before, off the strip, the hotels provide buffets with decent prices and decent food, sometimes not so decent food but the price is usually right. 

On the strip is a different beast altogether. While there are definitely a few hotels sporting relatively inexpensive buffet prices (meaning $15-20), most hotels seem to think their food was cooked up by Zeus himself, thunderbolts and all. Not so fast, hotels on the Strip.

Sure, you may have good quality food but does that mean you overprice your customers ridiculous amounts when you know there’s a recession going on? When you want to charge us $25-$60 for a buffet, you’ve lost your mind and not only that, you’re STUPID. 

Something tickles me when an entire industry and city is getting its ass kicked by a recession and STILL wants to keep prices high only to wonder where the hell all the tourists and customers have gone? Well, that’s a very simple answer, folks:

THEY’VE GONE OFF THE STRIP!!!

*the only great part about the Strip is you see a lot of these around unlike off the Strip

*many people off the Strip look like these two broads

Filed under: STOP by Stop Pop Culture - No Comments »

I thought it might do us all some good to compare a few brunettes in this category. Let’s take a look, shall we?

$MONEY$

LAUREN CONRAD

The main star of MTV’s The Hills, Lauren Conrad is just another hot rich girl who was a friend of a friend whose father has a lot of connections or something along those lines. The show is about nothing and I don’t care to elaborate because that would be giving the show and its characters a little too much credit. I think many of you feel me on this. However, I don’t lie, and Miss Conrad is a beautiful girl but how does she match up against some of our other contestants?

HONEY

ASIA CARRERA

Asia Carrera was a world famous porn star for about 10 years from 1993-2003. Now, if you can get over the fact that she’s hot and obviously a freak, I’ll let you in on something interesting: Asia Carrera has an IQ over 150! Yep. Bet Lauren Conrad can’t claim anything of that nature.  On the contrary, Conrad wasn’t getting banged on camera all the time either so that’s in her favor by most people’s standards. Either way, she’s one of the most popular porn stars of all time. 

PLAYBOY BUNNY

CARMELLA DECESARE

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Anybody who disagrees with me needs to see a psychiatrist.

Until next week, so long.

Filed under: POP by Stop Pop Culture - No Comments »

Being that the sun is usually shining most days unless you live in the rain forests or the Northwest, it’s hard to imagine a more efficient invention than modern day sunglasses otherwise known as shades. Nowadays, we’ve got people sporting Ray Ban and Oakleys and, of course Donna Karans and Gucci for the ladies. But where’s the love for the dude and the company that started this trend back in 1929? That love is here, my friends. And it’s mad love.

SUNGLASSES

“We doin’, big pimpin’, we spendin’ g’s” -Jay Z

INVENTED BY: SAM FOSTER

Although the original invention of sunglasses can be traced back to 12th century China, the modern sunglasses were invented by the above mentioned man, Sam Foster, whose company, Foster Grant, first began marketing shades in 1929 on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

It wasn’t too long after that that sunglasses became a major fashion trend that continues to this day. HOORAY SAM FOSTER!

*yep, the Blue Brothers threw it down for Ray Ban

*one of the greatest ever is sponsored by Oakleys

*3 women I CAN’T stand make Gucci very, very happy

*wannabe celebrities like Ashley Tisdale like Donna Karan shades

*if Calvin wears sunglasses then they have to be cool

*she deserves a raise from this sunglasses maker

*shades, shades, for everyone!

Anyways, next time the sun’s ashining, whip out the old shades and make sure to thank Mr. Sam Foster before slipping them on.

Filed under: CULTURE by Stop Pop Culture - No Comments »