More than a month after the untimely death of Michael Jackson, the skeletons moonwalking in the closet are now slowly emerging and uniting to perform the entire ensemble dance routine from "Thriller." This is hardly surprising given the unusual nature of Jackson's life, especially over the last fifteen years. Everything from the true identity of his kids' biological parents to the long-hidden video of his 1984 Pepsi commercial accident to recent word about a possible secret son have been tossed around every major media outlet and medium imaginable.
One recurrent topic, unsurprisingly enough, has been that of Jackson's health. The aforementioned accident during the filming of a Pepsi commercial left Jackson with second and third degree burns to his scalp and face, purportedly igniting (no pun intended) his long-running addiction to prescription medication.
I'm waiting for precedents to be set, especially with the news revealed today that Jackson's in-house doctor prescribed him the drugs believed to kill him. When you think about it, this story could transcend just another iconic footnote in pop culture history and genuinely become a major catalyst for change. One would hope.
Over the weekend, I was with some friends and struck up a conversation about steroid use. Obviously it's been all the talk in the realm of baseball for a number of years. Just last week, MMA fighter Josh Barnett was suspended from an upcoming superfight with consensus number-one ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelienenko after testing positive for a banned substance; namely a metabolite (2a-methyl-5a-androstan- 3a-ol-17-one) of the anabolic steroid Drostanolone.) With baseball already being a known realm for steroid abuse and this being Barnett's second offense in seven years, we postulated about how deep this could run. Eventually, the conversation transitioned quickly to what would possibly happen if NFL players were ever implicated in illegal substance. Almost immediately, all parties conceded that while steroids may be present in professional football, there is likely an even greater dependence on prescription painkillers.
I firmly believe that while PED's aren't exactly good for one's long-term health, painkillers are probably even more detrimental when taken in excess. Think about it... it's no secret that professional wrestling has laid an unfortunate claim to multiple deaths before the age of 50. And yes, in many cases, the departed were known to use PED's. However, one topic often glossed over is the presence of painkillers in the equation. Given the incredibly physical nature of their business, many wrestlers rely heavily on painkillers to numb their bodies in hopes of coping with their grueling schedules. This combination takes a toll on their hearts, ultimately resulting in massive health problems.
The thing is, whether you're a wrestler, a pro athlete or the King of Pop, if you have the right balance of fame and resources, you too can have your on live-in or on-call doctor whenever you need to feel better.
With all the history we have in this nation about the very public "war on drugs," you would think some kind of legislation would come forward to regulate painkillers a little more. These drugs are far more dangerous than the average joint, I don't care how you try to justify it. In fact, when it comes to dealing with pain, pot is probably safer than these pills. I don't even know why I wrote "probably."
Look, it's clear that when you have easy access to these prescrips, it's not hard to develop a chemical or psychological dependence on them. In fact, you need look no further than the average college campus to get a feel for how prevalent they can be. In a day and age where Adderall can be taken down like a bag of Skittles to get through finals week, do you really think it's difficult to get a hold of Percosets or Vicodin? And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Don't believe these drugs are that severe? Think Jackson was just too accustomed to living to the excess? Chalk up all those wrestler deaths to their just being roid monkeys? Two words: Heath Ledger.
Ledger died when he was just 28 years old. For perspective, I'm 28 now. It was attributed to a bad combination of multiple prescription meds after resulting in sleep deprivation and depression from getting a little too "into" his role as the Joker.
So the question is, what's it gonna take? We live in a prescription-happy culture. Whatever your stance may be on health care, the way it stands now is that too many of our physicians are simply too quick to whip out their ballpoint and write a solution to be cashed in at the local Walgreens. That goes for many psychologists, too. We're a nation predicated on instant gratification in the 21st century. We want it fixed and we want it now. Doesn't matter whether it's our carburetor or our psyche.
I could get into a whole "chicken-and-egg" examination of this paradox and where it began. However, the key thing is what can possibly be done now to rectify the problem.
We've spent so much damn time trying to regulate drug cartels and dealers on the street, maybe it's time to govern these doctors a little more closely. Not everyone has a Michael Jackson-sized payroll to have a live-in doc. However, if people want it or think they need it, they'll go to great lengths to get it. History has proven that.
If there is one possible silver lining in Jackson's shocking death, perhaps it could be in the potential for a precedent being set against pill-pushing. It's just too bad it takes the loss of a public figure of incomparable magnitude to even initiate the dialogue.
6/25/2009
The Winner, and NEW Political Extramarital Affair Heavyweight Champion of the Wo-o-o-o-o-orld...
Now when I brought back the blog, I initially commented I wouldn't be doing tags. However, I feel this situation demands--nay, requires--a tag. One that I will use for the most appropriate stories, which, tragically, happen more than we know or would care to acknowledge:
"You can't make this shit up."
Seriously, as if Eliot Spitzer didn't set the bar high enough by having an elicit affair with a bloody call girl... and as if John Edwards didn't top him by having an affair during his presidential bid in lieu of his wife's heroic cancer recovery story... this is just... I have no words.
I really do believe power goes to people's heads. Especially in politics. What's shocking is just how severely it impairs their better judgment.
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford took an unannounced weekend trip. Without telling anyone. Over Father's Day weekend.
Then when he resurfaces, he states he went hiking. In the Appalachians. On "National Hike Naked" Day.
Where to begin?
First off, as the single most visible political figure in your state, how did you think you could saunter off to South America in secret without your absence being noticed? I mean, I know Governors get Sunday off... but this is absurd to no end.
Moreover, in the spirit of preserving the illusion of your blissful marriage, couldn't you pick a better weekend to knock Argentinian boots? Seriously guy, Father's Day weekend. You have two sons. Couldn't you at least attempt to keep up appearances?
I think that's what really stuns me... the outright disregard for covering his tracks. If you're gonna be unfaithful as a public figure, at least take the proper preventive measures to ensure no one gets wise. This dude just threw all caution to the wind.
I once thought Bill Clinton could never be topped in this category, for the simple fact that he got caught three times. How do you not learn after fucking up twice?
But in this instance, it's the quality and not quantity that puts Sanford over the top.
So there you have it. A new standard in gross stupidity. Of course it comes courtesy of your friendly neighborhood governor. I hope the people in Argentina are nice 'cause it's going to be a good long time before this cat is received warmly by his fellow Americans.
"You can't make this shit up."
Seriously, as if Eliot Spitzer didn't set the bar high enough by having an elicit affair with a bloody call girl... and as if John Edwards didn't top him by having an affair during his presidential bid in lieu of his wife's heroic cancer recovery story... this is just... I have no words.
I really do believe power goes to people's heads. Especially in politics. What's shocking is just how severely it impairs their better judgment.
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford took an unannounced weekend trip. Without telling anyone. Over Father's Day weekend.
Then when he resurfaces, he states he went hiking. In the Appalachians. On "National Hike Naked" Day.
Where to begin?
First off, as the single most visible political figure in your state, how did you think you could saunter off to South America in secret without your absence being noticed? I mean, I know Governors get Sunday off... but this is absurd to no end.
Moreover, in the spirit of preserving the illusion of your blissful marriage, couldn't you pick a better weekend to knock Argentinian boots? Seriously guy, Father's Day weekend. You have two sons. Couldn't you at least attempt to keep up appearances?
I think that's what really stuns me... the outright disregard for covering his tracks. If you're gonna be unfaithful as a public figure, at least take the proper preventive measures to ensure no one gets wise. This dude just threw all caution to the wind.
I once thought Bill Clinton could never be topped in this category, for the simple fact that he got caught three times. How do you not learn after fucking up twice?
But in this instance, it's the quality and not quantity that puts Sanford over the top.
So there you have it. A new standard in gross stupidity. Of course it comes courtesy of your friendly neighborhood governor. I hope the people in Argentina are nice 'cause it's going to be a good long time before this cat is received warmly by his fellow Americans.
6/17/2009
The Revolution will not be Televised... But it will be Tweeted.
Following the current revolution and riots in Iran has been an intriguing study in the true impact of the Internet in the 21st century.
When this strange, intangible phenomenon became mainstream in the mid 90's, capturing everything in sight (or "in site" as it were) and prefacing the world with the now-familiar "www," I don't think anyone really anticipated the impact it could have.
In a little over a decade it has gone from a time killer used largely for pornographic delight and illegal downloading to a viable source of information.
And truth.
The exposure of the Iranian predicament is evident of that shift. The Internet has become far more sophisticated, evolving impressively along with its most popular "children." The most benignly intended websites such as Twitter and Facebook are now vessels of information we would probably not know otherwise.
I remember last year when riots broke out in Athens over the accidental killing of a teenage boy by an armed police officer. This was a front page staple for many weeks on major news sites. However, it did not receive the same degree of coverage as the economy or the election fallout. I had it on good authority from a friend living in Athens that what we were seeing in the states was merely a fraction of what was going on.
Fast forward a little over six months later. As mentioned in a prior post, Twitter has taken off at a lightning-fast pace, and Facebook has sought to keep up with the site's novel approach to sharing information. Now in light of Iran's recent presidential election and what is being termed as "The Green Revolution," images and video of the protests are being circulated against the will of the Iranian government.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government requested Twitter suspend scheduled network maintenance so as not to impede the flow of information.
This is incredible on so many levels. It's almost as though the Internet itself has become the answer to Orwell's hypothetical "Big Brother." It may not be that far off... it's often been said that you can try and delete a site, an image, a video from the web. But if it's been posted somewhere online, it will always have a life.
And an audience.
The technological revolution has broken ground on a global scale by spreading infectious truth about an actual revolution. We have come full circle; I believe for the better.
Now that is how you bring about change.
When this strange, intangible phenomenon became mainstream in the mid 90's, capturing everything in sight (or "in site" as it were) and prefacing the world with the now-familiar "www," I don't think anyone really anticipated the impact it could have.
In a little over a decade it has gone from a time killer used largely for pornographic delight and illegal downloading to a viable source of information.
And truth.
The exposure of the Iranian predicament is evident of that shift. The Internet has become far more sophisticated, evolving impressively along with its most popular "children." The most benignly intended websites such as Twitter and Facebook are now vessels of information we would probably not know otherwise.
I remember last year when riots broke out in Athens over the accidental killing of a teenage boy by an armed police officer. This was a front page staple for many weeks on major news sites. However, it did not receive the same degree of coverage as the economy or the election fallout. I had it on good authority from a friend living in Athens that what we were seeing in the states was merely a fraction of what was going on.
Fast forward a little over six months later. As mentioned in a prior post, Twitter has taken off at a lightning-fast pace, and Facebook has sought to keep up with the site's novel approach to sharing information. Now in light of Iran's recent presidential election and what is being termed as "The Green Revolution," images and video of the protests are being circulated against the will of the Iranian government.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government requested Twitter suspend scheduled network maintenance so as not to impede the flow of information.
This is incredible on so many levels. It's almost as though the Internet itself has become the answer to Orwell's hypothetical "Big Brother." It may not be that far off... it's often been said that you can try and delete a site, an image, a video from the web. But if it's been posted somewhere online, it will always have a life.
And an audience.
The technological revolution has broken ground on a global scale by spreading infectious truth about an actual revolution. We have come full circle; I believe for the better.
Now that is how you bring about change.
6/16/2009
Enter the Blago-sphere
Rod Blagojevich has to be the dumbest crooked politician ever. And the greediest. At least in the 21st century, and certainly in my lifetime.
For starters, I cannot believe the guy actually thought it was feasible to sell Illinois Senator's position left by President Obama. In this day and age of communication and simple traceability, I struggle to fathom how a man like Rod can walk around with balls that big.
Then to deny any and all allegations, profess innocence and cry "witch hunt" is not only laughable, it's embarrassing. His conduct hasn't even been anything remotely close to amusing. It's been downright painful to watch, the type of crash TV even the most obsessed reality fan could fathom.
Speaking of which, as if this sordid affair weren't already enough to scrape the bottom of the saltiest barrel, it's almost fitting that Blago would volunteer for that "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here" show. I should make it crystal clear that I watch zero reality TV beyond "The Ultimate Fighter." Even then I typically fast forward right to the fights. But the point is, how could you so willingly degrade yourself that much?
Not for nothing, this man was a prominent politician prior to his scandal. Sure, he wasn't high profile on a national level, but he didn't have to be. He held a public office, which is something I've always believes needs to be properly respected and revered by the person laying claim to the title.
There's a saying I've always held dear, whether it's in reference to a prize fighter, a CEO or even a politician: "The title doesn't make the man, the man makes the title."
When you accept a title, especially one so public, you need to uphold the value that comes with it. Respect is earned, not given. And disrespect to a title is pretty damn shameful.
Which is why B-Rod's latest endeavor--starring as himself in a Second City comedy show based on his fall from gubernatorial grace--really crystallizes what a sorry excuse for a person he is. This guy clearly is a leech, plain and simple. It doesn't matter whether he's whoring the Senator's seat or whoring himself for whoring the Senator's seat. A whore is a whore is a whore.
And no amount of lacy lingerie and cheap perfume is enough to salvage his reputation. Or his sorry-ass haircut.
Seriously, people like this should just go away. I've never grasped how people are able to stomach these antics, whether it's a Hilton, a girl next door or the subject in question. We shouldn't enable these people to poison pop culture. And the drivers behind the entertainment shouldn't provide them the venue.
The only differences between this act of sickening self-promotion and O.J. Simpson's failed memoir If I Did It are that Rod didn't kill anyone, and O.J.'s attempt to shine the spotlight on himself never saw the light of day.
That doesn't make me feel particularly better about either fact.
For starters, I cannot believe the guy actually thought it was feasible to sell Illinois Senator's position left by President Obama. In this day and age of communication and simple traceability, I struggle to fathom how a man like Rod can walk around with balls that big.
Then to deny any and all allegations, profess innocence and cry "witch hunt" is not only laughable, it's embarrassing. His conduct hasn't even been anything remotely close to amusing. It's been downright painful to watch, the type of crash TV even the most obsessed reality fan could fathom.
Speaking of which, as if this sordid affair weren't already enough to scrape the bottom of the saltiest barrel, it's almost fitting that Blago would volunteer for that "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here" show. I should make it crystal clear that I watch zero reality TV beyond "The Ultimate Fighter." Even then I typically fast forward right to the fights. But the point is, how could you so willingly degrade yourself that much?
Not for nothing, this man was a prominent politician prior to his scandal. Sure, he wasn't high profile on a national level, but he didn't have to be. He held a public office, which is something I've always believes needs to be properly respected and revered by the person laying claim to the title.
There's a saying I've always held dear, whether it's in reference to a prize fighter, a CEO or even a politician: "The title doesn't make the man, the man makes the title."
When you accept a title, especially one so public, you need to uphold the value that comes with it. Respect is earned, not given. And disrespect to a title is pretty damn shameful.
Which is why B-Rod's latest endeavor--starring as himself in a Second City comedy show based on his fall from gubernatorial grace--really crystallizes what a sorry excuse for a person he is. This guy clearly is a leech, plain and simple. It doesn't matter whether he's whoring the Senator's seat or whoring himself for whoring the Senator's seat. A whore is a whore is a whore.
And no amount of lacy lingerie and cheap perfume is enough to salvage his reputation. Or his sorry-ass haircut.
Seriously, people like this should just go away. I've never grasped how people are able to stomach these antics, whether it's a Hilton, a girl next door or the subject in question. We shouldn't enable these people to poison pop culture. And the drivers behind the entertainment shouldn't provide them the venue.
The only differences between this act of sickening self-promotion and O.J. Simpson's failed memoir If I Did It are that Rod didn't kill anyone, and O.J.'s attempt to shine the spotlight on himself never saw the light of day.
That doesn't make me feel particularly better about either fact.
5/29/2009
I Don't Care What You Did Last Summer... or This Summer... or an Hour Ago... or...
Twitter has taken off like a wildfire, hasn't it? And it's funny to see Facebook trying to mimic some of that popularity via its status updates. But I gotta say, I've noticed a disturbing trend for my update-happy colleagues.
Guys, let me serve public notice right now: I don't need to know your every move. I'm not the FBI, nor am I the federalis. I'm not a sadistic T-800 sent back in time to hunt you down only to spawn some crappy sequels from the year 2000 on.
I like Twitter, I appreciate the concept and see its usefulness. It's especially interesting to see how big companies, sports teams, news networks and even athletes on what's going on. Bill Simmons of ESPN has commented on how revolutionary this could be regarding the sports world, and I agree. There's oodles of potential with this site. Facebook has obviously caught wind of it, and, like MySpace before it, has tried to capitalize on that appeal.
However, Simmons has also provided resistance to Twitter, which is understandable. He did not want it to become one of these "frequent personal update" motives, such as, "I'm walking my dog," or, "Grabbing a skinny mochaccino at the Starbucks on Main." He did see the potential for one-liners, though. And I like that. A way to entertain/engage/inform his readers and fans... just a way to be creative.
But there are some who take the former road to new levels of extremism. This is what originally left me leery of the website. I have a handful of friends who do nothing but offer personal updates with these sites. And it gets to be overwhelming at times.
More than that, it tends to be obnoxious.
There is a certain self-importance that comes with always putting the focus on oneself, and I fear Twitter and Facebook are only serving to augment that egocentric theme.
Now granted, I'm as guilty as anyone of offering the occasional window into the life of Rick, but I try to limit it. I also try to put a humorous spin on things that are happening to me. Sometimes I succeed.
What really kickstarted this for me was a pair of trips about three weeks ago to New Orleans and Washington DC that saw me observing more than usual. Little things that I just felt the need to tweet about by text. It was actually an interesting experience, and that's where I saw the potential for this site. Well, at least for me.
Truth be told, it inspired me to climb back on the fin-adorned soapbox know as Landshark Sandwich and return to commentating (as opposed to commenting) on social trends, quirks, absurdities and curiosities. So I can't be completely against the site.
But that said, all things need to be in moderation. Daily updates that would put CNN's news ticker to shame are unnecessary and heavy-handed. If it's something like a promotion or a new car, then yes, by all means celebrate and tweet to your heart's content. You deserve to inform your friends, you have the right to and it's justifiable.
But if you feel the need to provide information every hour on the hour about your daily fiber intake or the magical musings of The Secret, spare us all. Please.
Some may enjoy such mundane self-glorification, but most of us will roll our eyes and mutter about what an annoyingly arrogant prick you are.
One thing I have learned in life is that certain accomplishments warrant announcement and pride. Others simply deserve the quiet appreciation for your personal growth, and that's greater than any cyber-pat on the back you get.
Please, tweet with caution. The 11th Commandment was really "Keep thy business to thyself."
Guys, let me serve public notice right now: I don't need to know your every move. I'm not the FBI, nor am I the federalis. I'm not a sadistic T-800 sent back in time to hunt you down only to spawn some crappy sequels from the year 2000 on.
I like Twitter, I appreciate the concept and see its usefulness. It's especially interesting to see how big companies, sports teams, news networks and even athletes on what's going on. Bill Simmons of ESPN has commented on how revolutionary this could be regarding the sports world, and I agree. There's oodles of potential with this site. Facebook has obviously caught wind of it, and, like MySpace before it, has tried to capitalize on that appeal.
However, Simmons has also provided resistance to Twitter, which is understandable. He did not want it to become one of these "frequent personal update" motives, such as, "I'm walking my dog," or, "Grabbing a skinny mochaccino at the Starbucks on Main." He did see the potential for one-liners, though. And I like that. A way to entertain/engage/inform his readers and fans... just a way to be creative.
But there are some who take the former road to new levels of extremism. This is what originally left me leery of the website. I have a handful of friends who do nothing but offer personal updates with these sites. And it gets to be overwhelming at times.
More than that, it tends to be obnoxious.
There is a certain self-importance that comes with always putting the focus on oneself, and I fear Twitter and Facebook are only serving to augment that egocentric theme.
Now granted, I'm as guilty as anyone of offering the occasional window into the life of Rick, but I try to limit it. I also try to put a humorous spin on things that are happening to me. Sometimes I succeed.
What really kickstarted this for me was a pair of trips about three weeks ago to New Orleans and Washington DC that saw me observing more than usual. Little things that I just felt the need to tweet about by text. It was actually an interesting experience, and that's where I saw the potential for this site. Well, at least for me.
Truth be told, it inspired me to climb back on the fin-adorned soapbox know as Landshark Sandwich and return to commentating (as opposed to commenting) on social trends, quirks, absurdities and curiosities. So I can't be completely against the site.
But that said, all things need to be in moderation. Daily updates that would put CNN's news ticker to shame are unnecessary and heavy-handed. If it's something like a promotion or a new car, then yes, by all means celebrate and tweet to your heart's content. You deserve to inform your friends, you have the right to and it's justifiable.
But if you feel the need to provide information every hour on the hour about your daily fiber intake or the magical musings of The Secret, spare us all. Please.
Some may enjoy such mundane self-glorification, but most of us will roll our eyes and mutter about what an annoyingly arrogant prick you are.
One thing I have learned in life is that certain accomplishments warrant announcement and pride. Others simply deserve the quiet appreciation for your personal growth, and that's greater than any cyber-pat on the back you get.
Please, tweet with caution. The 11th Commandment was really "Keep thy business to thyself."
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