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Mass Shootings …. Mass Media

By: Billy Beerslugger

In the last month or so about 47 people have been shot and killed in mass shootings by multiple gun persons.  American media picks up on this stuff and runs with it for days at a time in each case.  Updates, bio’s, theorizing, re-enacting, interviews and opinions litter the airways.

Now don’t get me wrong, it is terrible and a tragedy when American lives are lost for no reason.  I am in no way a fan of senseless violence.  However, do I really need to know about this?  Do i need to know 5 people were shot 7 states away from me by a crazed gunman?  Yes I’m guessing it is important to alert the people occupying the town it occured in about this situation, but why the hell does America need to know.  I would say in a vast majority of these cases, thats exactly what the gunperson wants, national recognition.  Shoot a bunch of people, go out in a blaze of glory and get your picture plastered on every news station in the country as well as everyone knowing your full (including middle) name.  Forever known as a crazy badass dude that shot as many people as he could before shooting himself or getting taken out by SWAT team.

All this oversaturated coverage of these events only serves to invite more and more of these tragedies.  Some misguided person see’s this crap on TV and decides they will do the same thing.  Makes me think of when the government shuts down some illegal file sharing site, 10 more pop up and thousands more people check out illegal file sharing sites because they saw them on TV.  Effectively defeating the purpose of what the government set out to do.

So why do people need to know about a mass shooting?  Why is there incessant mass media coverage of it?  Do people enjoy seeing other people in pain?  I certainly don’t unless it’s the show Intervention (my guilty pleasure). Is it empathy?  Are they afraid something like this could happen in their town?  Well I’ve got news for those people.  You could walk out of your house and slip and fall and die.  Every time you get into a car you run a risk.  What are you going to do not go out and live in a paralyzing fear of the outside world?

Yes these events are news worthy but are not all consuming. There’s other stuff going on in the world.  In third world countries 10 people being shot doesn’t mean shit.  It happens all the time.  People die.. life goes on.

So again, I’m not saying it’s not a terrible tragedy that people were shot for no good reason, I just don’t want to be inundated with the details of it.  Tell me it happened and move on.

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Things I’ve noticed

young money, dipset, thats what this is and if i aint good lookin you can bet my bitch is
"...if i aint good lookin you can bet my bitch is."

By: Billy Beerslugger

It was revealed that the opening number on American Idol where all remaining contestants sing and dance to choreography is in fact lip-synced.  Apparently they do sing when they are up there singularly though.  That’s a big fuck you to whoever told me they don’t lip-sync on that show.  It’s up there with Lawrence Welk and American Bandstand now.  Who wants to watch these nobody’s sing anyway?  You want a singer you go out and get Celine Dion, that woman crushes it.

In the past couple weeks i’ve seen Lil Wayne and Bob Wow on ESPN talking about sports.  Now I’m not sure who’s idea this is but what exactly does some dude that drink’s codine cough syrup concoctions and the artist formerly know as Lil’ Bow Wow have to do with me getting my sports news.  I care about their opinions about as much as I care about who wins American idol.  If these guys are any indication of the type of credentials needed to appear on ESPN, Screech Powers from Saved By The Bell should be allowed to go on.  Steve Urkel too.

Recently i tried Pantene Pro V shampoo because there was no other shampoo available.  I’ll tell you what I don’t feel like less of a man. I just feel like a man with really soft and manageble hair.

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American Commerce Building – 18th and Arch

An arttist rendering of American Commerce Center
An artist rendering of American Commerce Center

By: Billy Beerslugger

Sitting currently at 18th and Arch is a parking lot.  I know because I’ve thrown up there.  Some people have pretty big plans for this parking lot.  Developers have proposed a skyscaper which would be the 3rd tallest building in the United States according to their website.

The American Commerce Building would be 1,500ft high toping the Comcast Building by about 500ft. It will boast a restaurant, 26-story hotel,  three to six stories of street-accessible retail, two roof gardens and a 63-story office tower.  The observation deck would be the tallest in the city and probably where Police Commissioner Gordon will put the Bat Signal.

On Decemer 11th 2008 city council approved zoning changes that will allow the developers to start construction as early as Spring of this year.

simcity

I ‘m Mc’Lovin all the huge ass buildings going up all over the city. Reminds of Sim City 2000 when all your commercial zones start popping up skyscrapers all over the place and the city is officially major.

If Philadelphia was a playable scenario in Sim City 2000, what would your first move be?

Check out the Image Gallery on their website, the place looks pretty awesome.