Another reason why I'm glad we have dogs...continued

According to this report from AP, according to a recent survey taken by The Pew Research Center, "80 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds in this country see getting rich as a top life goal for their generation."

And they say that MTV doesn't encourage a creeping sense of materialism and entitlement...mark my words, you heard it here first....someday, archaeologists will trace the decline of Western civilization back to 8-1-81, the day that MTV was let loose on American culture...

SACOD 1-23-07

Today's totally self-absorbed COD award goes to a Thousand Oaks resident quoted in this article from the Los Angeles Times.

This one's SO classic that it just has to be copied for posterity in case the Times decides to take it down. And I quote ass copied from the Times (Typo? YOU make the call...):

"Authorities never urged residents to evacuate, but fire-wary homeowners took precautions as flames approached their neighborhoods, which include many homes worth $2 million or more.

Among the concerned residents were Gary and Wendy Asarch of Tamarack Street. They hosed down their backyard and roof and loaded a van with valuables, preparing to leave.

The fire came within about 100 yards of their property, but firefighters helped turn it back, and the Asarches stayed.

Once the danger had cleared, however, Wendy Asarch, a nurse-practitioner, looked at her flooded backyard and fretted: "Of all weeks for this to happen. I've got 130 people coming this weekend for my son's bar mitzvah!"

Congratulations on your COD award...you had your stuff (probably packed in your Escalade Blingmobile) ready to flee for your lives while several hundred firefighters risked life and limb to safeguard your precious property and a wall of 30 foot high flames burned to within a football field length of your home; meanwhile, two helicopters were flying dozens of targeted water-dropping missions to save your and your neighbors homes, and the first comment attributed to you is dismay at some water in your backyard that might impose on your precious party next weekend. (!)

{Medic, this woman needs some PERSPECTIVE, STAT!} (Anyone know if they make perspective suppositories???) (I wouldn't worry yourself too much, the winds that drove the flames up the hill towards your house should be back in the morning to dry out your damp patio furniture....)

Just imagine how bummed out your guests would have been had your house burned to the ground....

Another reason why I'm glad we have dogs...

Besides getting in the way of a golf game whenever our schedules will allow it, this opinion article in the New York Times chronicling the sludge of popular culture that is washing up on the shores of suburban middle schools also makes me glad we have dogs...

Who would want to raise kids in the environment described in the article??? Even if you encourage certain behaviors, you have to let them go swim in the cesspool described in the article...yuck!

If the parents have really abdicated responsibility for the actions and behaviors of their kids, AND resist the school's discouragement of said actions, we are SCREWED! But sadly, it appears to me that many parents are more concerned about being "their kids friend" or being "a cool parent" than making the sometimes difficult choices to shape, encourage and reinforce behaviors and attitudes that aren't "Hollywood".

Who SAYS Britney Spears isn't a role model? (Heaven help us...)

Is it REALLY like this out there?

I THINK it's safe to come out....

I think DirecTV got the message, and 86'd the aural torture that was the Jessica Simpson commercial - they seem to be featuring the Star Trek crew these days....

Whew - now I can put my knitting needles away....maybe she can take one of those memory classes while she's working on her accent training, too...