Sunday, February 28, 2010

HIPSTER RUNOFF

HIPSTER RUNOFF

Should Shamu / the ‘Shamu’ brand be ‘put to sleep’ [via execution]?

Posted: 28 Feb 2010 04:48 PM PST


Have yall ever been to an amusement park? It seems like it is a concept known by kids who were born before 1992. Before television, video games, and the internet emerged as the perfect ways to waste time/keep your kids quiet+entertained on weekends, huge plots of land called ‘amusement parks’ used to exist. On these plots of land, ’sensational shit’ existed. Rollercoasters, rides, live shows, and other places where you could piss money away to ‘have a good time.’ It is sort of like the concept of a ‘playground’, except monetized.

Sea World was a company that seems to have been founded to build a ’sweet ass’ amusement park, but maybe have a few educational values, since they feature aquatic life and creatures from the North + South pole. This was probably a good gimmick in the 1960s-1980s, back when parents wanted to give their kids a ‘hands on’ learning experience.  In addition, before high-speed internet + cable tv with 100+ channels existed, you didn’t really have access to something ’sensational’ on a daily basis.  Back then, watching a whale/dolphin/seal jump out of the water and dance around with a trainer in a wet suit was ‘legitimately entertaining.’

For example, this picture probably looked ‘cooler’/'more amazing’ in 1980. A consumer in 1980 would probably think that they were special to see this sight in person. However, in the 2k10s, the critical mind is trained to ask more questions/understand why it won’t be very special to see a couple of sea animals jump out of a pool of water.

Wonder if Sea World is ‘the most absurd place’ on the planet. It seems like a zoo, except ‘extreme,’ like it just drank a lot of Red Bull / Mountain Dew.

Shamu, a killer whale / orca is the face of Sea World. Even though the park has evolved and added more rides to compete with other dying amusement parks, Shamu has been the mainstay of the brand. Unfortunately, Sea World seems to be ‘in the shitter’ ever since the Discovery Channel + Animal Planet developed HD channels.  It seems apparent that people would rather see animals in their natural element, instead of performing ‘lame ass tricks.’

Shamu seems like a good idea, since graphic designer can probably do a lot with the natural form of an orca.  Unfortunately, the killer whale is the #1 predator on the planet. Even though the great white shark + t-rex have strong brands as ‘bad ass animals’ [via Jaws + Jurrasic Park], the Killer Whale is actually most likely to ‘tear shit up’ in the wild.

Apparently the first Sea World opened in San Diego in 1964. I feel like they probably should have branded around a penguin / dolphin / sea lion / seal / otter /beluga, but instead, they branded around the orca. I imagine a team of 1960s business men thinking that ‘Sea World’ was a cash cow without evaluating the environmental impact of such an absurd, dangerous playpen.

Every 1 – 5 years, a killer whale attacks a trainer and kills/maims the human. This demonstration of man vs. nature never really ends well, particularly for the Sea World Brand. In today’s modern world where we are eager to turn any thing mildly sensational into a meme, it seems like a bad idea to have such a volatile brand ambassador who might eat a human.

@Shamu was supposed to be a playful brand with a twitter presence, but they even had to shut down his account after the recent killing of his trainer. This seems like the equivalent of a professional athlete tweeting something ‘controversial’/killing some1, then deactivating their twitter. Instead, this animal killed some1 and corporate HQ ’shut him up.’

I wonder if Free Willy ultimately ‘hurt’ killer whales, by taking their false brand of a ‘gentle giant’ to the masses. Maybe we all feel let down because we thought orcas were chill bros who just wanted to take you on sweet ass water rides.

Maybe amusement parks that feature animals in captivity are a bad thing.
Should animals be held in captivity to be shown off as ‘freak shows’?
Does n e 1 know if killer whales are happier in the wild, or if they prefer living in a confined space and having fish fed to them after they do sweet tricks?

Just watched this vintage clip of a trainer getting her ass ‘handed to her.’

Worried that 1 ton predators will always end up eating humans.

Do yall feel worried abt trainers when u see them in the air because u think the are about 2 be eaten?

Does Southwest Airlines regret being cobranded with Shamu? Do people who ride on a Shamu plane think that they are going 2 die?

Should Shamu be ‘put down’?
Is Shamu an unchill bro for eating his trainer?
Should the trainer have ‘gotten a real job that helped society’ instead of swimming around with animals all day?
Do u hope the video game industry kills the amusement park industry, since it is easier/more fun to play a vid game than spend $50 for the right to purchase overpriced snacks + ride mediocre rides where u might die?
Are yall more into zoos or amusement parks?
Would u rather buy ur unborn son a Wii or a season pass to an amusement park?
Do yall have any relevant/shitty amusement parks in ur area [via Disney / Six Flags /Knott's Berry Farm]?
Are amusement parks just places where local teens get summer jobs or do the really ‘add value’ to a city as a tourist attraction?
In order to save their brand, should Sea World ‘release’ Shamu back into the wild, or should they execute him on webcam so that they prove to consumers that they are moving on to a new era with a new brand?

NYTimes writes about some ‘Williamsburg Hipster Party Bus’

Posted: 28 Feb 2010 03:22 PM PST

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/fashion/28discobus.html


The New York Times recently wrote some ‘puff piece’ cultural insight article about a ‘party bus’ that transports ‘hipsters’ that ‘live in Williamsburg’ to other relevant parts of New York City. Even though the party bus is a mainstream idea, this ‘innovative business idea’ some how got featured by the NY Times. This is indicative of the recent demand for ‘cultural exposes about hipsters.’

Seems like a chill bus, where you can drink some Bud Heavy and chill with ur bros on the way to a bar.

Here is 1 of the journalistic quotes from the story:

The bus runs on irony as much as diesel. The basic premise is a cultural inversion: Manhattan tastemakers once sneered at the “bridge and tunnel” crowd overrunning their night spots. Now, they haul them in by the busload.

In addition, they ‘glorify’ the city of New York, talking about how ‘the scene’ used 2 be back b4 ‘everything changed’:

"This bus is a little bit like going back to the New York of the '70s or '80s, when it wasn't about the money, it was about the spirit," said Richard Mark Jordan, an actor from Bushwick who was gyrating in the aisle with friends and high-fiving strangers.

Wonder how much it costs to buy a retired bus from Greyhound / a miscellaneous regional carrier.

Might make a ‘party bus’ that brings tweens and lost alts from suburbia ‘into the city’ while allowing them to drink and do drugs.

I did a google image search to confirm that the party bus is a mainstream concept, and found this flyer.

Are ‘party buses’ innovative if they happen in Williamsburg?
Is a trend ‘more meaningful/relevant’ if it happens in Williamsburg?
Should I move 2 Brooklyn 2 meet ppl that I finally have something in common with?
Have yall ever been on a party bus in a Mexican City/during college?
Is the New York Times a relevant website, or are they just trying to get hits from ppl not from NYC who r trying to be ‘cultured’?

Tiny Alt emerges on LookBook

Posted: 28 Feb 2010 10:52 AM PST

Link: http://lookbook.nu/user/113301-Alex-S


A tiny alt named Tim S. has emerged on Lookbook, becoming one of the most popular figures on the Lookbook community. Lookbook is usually a place where alt tweens who are trapped in suburbia go for a sense of belonging. Tim S. is a ‘game changer’ on Lookbook, proving that the alt kingdom might be an ‘equal opportunity’ scene.

Alex S. has listed himself as a 22 year old designer.

The alt community often comes under fire for ‘being judgmental’ and pressuring every1 to aspire to fit into a ‘cookie cutter’ aesthetic. The acceptance of Alex S. on the Lookbook community proves that alt has no color, size, or shape.

Does Alex S. inspire u to be a better alt?
Do yall accept all genders, colors, sizes, and religious backgrounds into your alt scene?
Is every 1 free to be a consumer?
Does any one know the ‘politically correct’ name for a midget / little person / tiny alt / / micro alt /mini alt / mini man?
If you had a tiny alt bro, would u put him on your shoulders at a relevant concert so that he would have ‘the best view in the house’?
Is Alex S. the most important member of the lookbook community?