Thought of the Day....Why are We Paying for Television?

Must buy a Mac...

I recently purchased a home and have been caught-up with the moving and transferring of our services from the city.  One of my biggest peeves has been my search for internet and television broadcast providers.  While companies offer dozens of packages and deals, we always end up getting screwed into paying hundreds of dollars for services we never use.  As I continue towards my search for getting screwed in the ass, I stumbled upon a question that I think needs to be answered...Why are we paying for television channels?

Television has become an ad-soaked medium for companies to reach their consumers.  Whether you are a sports game, or a soap opera, our television has been filled with advertisements and product placements such as this one

Or you can check out this gem from days of our lives...

Other services such as the radio and websites provide us with quality services free of charge due to their advertisements.  Should we prefer an ads free service for the radio or internet, we have an option to pay extra; however, I know few people who are willing to do so.  With so many advertisements and product placements, there should be no reason for us to pay premium dollars for many of the channels that cable companies provide us with (save for HBO and others that do not show advertisements during their shows.) 

Now I know that some people might argue that the internet is no different because they pay a monthly fee just as they do for their televisions; however, these two are far from being similar.  The internet acts like a medium for us, while the websites provide a service.  Many websites are available to you for free because they are sponsored by advertisers.  This is very different from the tv!  not only must I purchase tv service, but I also have to pay channels and watch their advertisements.   I doubt that people would pay to visit a website filled with ads, so why are we still willing to pay for Tv?  

oh well,

Flush out

View this Blog: Don't Panic

I was browsing online and saw this site.  Some of the pictures are weird, but I liked most of them?  If you like photography, you should check it out.

Dont Panic

BTW, if you know any other photography blogs, just send the link in the comments section

Rioted and Looted so Hard Last Night LOLZ!! Best Time Ever!!!

WTF?
We live in a democratic society where everyone has an opinion and they have a right to be heard.  Throughout history, once a people feel ignored or persecuted they often rise and protest against the state.  a recent example of this can be seen in Iran where thousands of brave souls have risked their lives to rise against their state and be heard world wide.
Recently the cities of Toronto,Vancouver and London have received unwanted publicity due to their recent rioting and "sacking".  While many claim that there is an underlying cause for their anger and revolt,  it is wrong and unfair to associate these opourtunists to the struggles faced in Iran.

Most recently in London's riot, many believe that the rioting was triggered by the death of unarmed black man at the hands of the police.

This is far from the truth.

We're Rioting.....from high prices!

Many British political scientists and politicians have began laying the blame for these riots on each other - the left claiming that this was due to the frustration from the nation's segregated communities, while the right blamed England's failed attempt at multiculturalism- while little has been written about the most important issue about these events...Rioting has become cool.

Sweetness

Also, with the creation of Social Networking sites and tools, people are more connected than ever.  Unfortunately, our generation is suffering from becoming a lost one due to our inability to create a significant history - few significant wars, and cultural movements.  Due to this, many of us strive to be remembered and want to be involved in historical opportunities.  These protests not only connected people, the perpetrators were given a false sense of being involved in a historical event.

People taking part in these protests don't give a damn about the struggles of minorities, or the death of a black man. rather, these people are opportunist.  These people are not acting towards a cause or an idea; rather, they are acting for the simple case of acting....kind of like the Paris Hilton of civil disobedience.  These cowards saw an opportunity for civil unrest and took it. These people became obsessed from the idea of what they can take from these acts, rather than what they can change.

Flush out

A Man on a Toilet...and his Plan to Save the City

I recently went online during my "session" and read a wonderful piece of literature from the Toronto Sun.  This article  suggested three horrible ways Mayor Rob Ford can save Toronto and then offered readers to give their suggestions. So i did, and here they are.

1. Go paperless

Make you ride the bus...It can do that

Today more things are going paperless, and we should do the same with our services.  First on the cutting block are libraries.  As I wrote earlier, Toronto has 99 Libraries, much more than New York, LA and Chicago.  We should find ways to have Library books and resources available online for us to use so that we don't need as many.  

Another Idea is to have a TTC pass on your smartphone.  We should have an app where we may buy tokens and passes and when we get to the bus or subway, we simply scan a barcode to verify that we have paid.  This method can also be used for other forms of social services.  The city of Toronto should find other ways to take advantage of the popularity of smartphones.  

2. Make Toronto more pedestrian friendly

Get off your ass Toronto

Anyone who has been to Europe knows how great it is to walk on the street in the middle of the night.  Toronto should have an area where people can gather and not worry about the cars.  Cities such as Florence have poles that sink during the day and rise at night to prevent cars to go through.  These poles can be placed throughout the city such as Yorkville, Little Italy or even the just-proposed French district.  

I also believe that the city should strive to have more bike lanes on these high traffic areas.  I understand that toronto's weather does not make biking very comfortable for the enitre year, but by having more access to lanes that are specifically designed for bikers, more people are going to use this method of transportation rather than using their cars.

3. User Fees

Everyone's Everything's got a price

Many people in Toronto are against cutting any services and instead want to go the way of the Millerites and tax their way out of this hole.  Well, I suggest that if you want a service, than you pay for it.  Essential services must be cared for; however, things such as community centers, and pools could have a small charge to offset the costs.  You could even charge a small monthly fee for the library if you want to keep it open.  Toronto can not conitnue to drain it's citizens to pay for the services of others; instead, people should be responsible with these services and pay for what they use.