174) Snap Crackle Stop 10:51 PM

A couple days ago, FritoLay announced that it will discontinue its biodegradable chip bags on all Sun Chips flavors except for Original. This came after a chorus of consumer complaints over the loudness of the bags.



The crinkly, crackling, compostable bag has been compared to a "revving motorcycle" or "glass breaking," according to the Wall Street Journal. And who can ignore the oft-mentioned Facebook group, SORRY BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THIS SUN CHIPS BAG that currently boasts 49,173 disgruntled snackers.

Yes, the eco-friendly bags make more noise than the ones that clog up landfills. And just think of all those suffering. From the Facebook group, as quoted in the WSJ - it's "the worst when your stoned at 2am and trying to not wake up the house," one person said. Likewise, the dieter who sneaks a handful of chips doesn't want a 95 decibel crackling salute. And movie theaters? Forget about it.

While I'm all for being receptive of consumer feedback, it's a shame that it had to come at the price of eco progress. The biodegradable bags were the first of its kind, a revolution in the mass packaging field.

We demand change, but we don't want it at the expense of our comfort or resources. Separating out the recyclables takes more time, organic food costs more, fluorescent lighting is harsher, and compostable bags are louder. While the green consumer movement hums along, it seems we're not yet at the point where we think the environment deserves a little sacrifice on our end. Someday, will it get so dire that we'll be able to suck it up and handle a louder chip bag?

173) I Like it on the Floor 8:00 PM

"I like it on the floor."
"I like it on the stairs."
"I like it hanging from the edge of a table."



Suggestive Facebook statuses such as these have been populating News Feeds this month, in the latest Breast Cancer Awareness Month effort. The "it" in this case refers to a woman's purse. Reminiscent of last year's push, in which women posted the color of their bras in a cryptic way, the key of the campaign is to keep the boys guessing, and thus, raise awareness.

Read that last paragraph over again. If it didn't make a shred of sense to you, you're not alone. Let's break it down.

It's apparent that whoever (no article I've seen can pinpoint the source) came up with this year's idea was riding high off last year's successfully viral bra color status update concept. To their credit, the coy intrigue did pay off - the connection between bra color (naughty!) and breast cancer was easy for everyone to grasp. That's why the choice to use purses this year is puzzling. It's almost as if they came up with the innuendo-laden statuses first and then worked backwards. (Who the hell goes around saying, "I like my purse on the floor"??)

The sad part is, they were close to an innuendo campaign that makes perfect sense. Statuses like, "I like doing it in the shower" work perfectly if the "it" refers to a self-breast exam, which has everything to do with breast cancer awareness.

I'll admit, an innuendo-driven campaign is a great way to boost participation. What female doesn't want to seem a little naughty (aka get a little social media attention) in the name of a good cause? And what better way to get the attention of males? According to the Daily Mail, "the ‘don’t tell the boys’ element of the game has been a roaring success, with ‘I like it on the floor’ becoming one of the top searched internet phrases of the moment." But if the point is to keep men in the dark, what does the final reveal (...purses...and breast cancer) really mean to them, the sex with no breasts?

I applaud the powers that be who are thinking of ways to use social media to raise awareness for an important cause. This one just missed the mark a nip.

172) In The Closet 9:17 PM

The other day I heard someone say, "I'm a closet Britney fan," and I got to thinking about the expression. Generally understood to refer to an enclosed recess for linens, household supplies or clothing, the closet has evolved connotations of deep secrecy. According to its usage, it's the place we go to be our true selves, to engage in all the behavior that we deem socially unacceptable.

Skeletons in the closet, gays in the closet, 7 minutes in heaven (in the closet), R Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet"(see below) - somehow the small, dark confines of the closet provides protection from the judgment of the rest of the world.



The irony is that when used as an adjective ("I'm a closet anarchist" or "I'm a closet McDonalds fiend), it becomes a qualifier. It allows us to reveal something about ourselves that we want others to know, but don't want to be judged for. By being just a closet something, we don't fully embrace said something, and acknowledge it as uncool, unpopular or even unsavory. By insinuating that we only indulge in the privacy of our closets, it somehow becomes acceptable.

That being said, what we choose to reveal in our closets says a lot about the type of person we want to be perceived as.

171) It Gets Better 10:21 PM

Late last month, sex columnist and all-around awesome guy Dan Savage launched the "It Gets Better Project" in response to the recent rash of gay youth suicides. Using YouTube as a way to reach often-sheltered gay teens is one of the best uses of the platform I've seen in awhile. It's a collaborative effort that mixes advocacy with personal messages from those who've survived the horror of high school. Best of all, it creates a direct portal to a target audience in need.

Savage explains to Entertainment Weekly:

“Schools would never bring me in or any gay adults in,” he says. “And their parents are often homophobic, which adds to their distress and isolation. It occurred to me that I was waiting for an invitation and waiting for permission, and I didn’t need anyone’s permission anymore because of YouTube and digital video and Twitter and Facebook. I could post a video and look into a camera and directly address these kids before they commit suicide, instead of feeling bad after they commit suicide.”

Dan Savage and his partner, Terry, of 16 years:


As a bonus, here's a video contributed by comedian Sarah Silverman that raises a poignant point:

170) The Social Network 10:17 PM

Tonight, a few observations on The Social Network:

1) Was it just me, or was there some serious Jewish vs. Aryan subtext in the Zuckerberg vs. Winklevoss twins face off? (P.S. - Winklevoss? You cannot write a better silver spoon Harvard elite name.)


versus:

and in real life...at The Social Network world premiere...:


2) The moment when Mark realizes that he has to add "Relationship Status" and "Interested In" to Facebook before it went live is perfection. Let's all take a moment to revel in the idea that deep down at the core of social relations is our desire to mate. Or as Eduardo Saverin eloquently puts it in the movie - everyone wants to get laid.

3) I've seen several status updates on Facebook in the past few days that comment on the metatastic (hmm...new favorite made up word) irony of a status update on Facebook about seeing The Social Network. Love Mark Zuckerberg or hate Mark Zuckerberg, you'll still use Facebook to let everyone know what you think.

169) Glee Appeal 8:17 PM

First, full disclosure: I don't watch Fox's hit show Glee. I've heard and read the buzz, but have only watched a handful of isolated performances. But what fascinates me about the show is its rabid fan base of all ages. It clearly has huge mass appeal, despite its resemblance at first glance to past tween phenomenon High School Musical. (I know, a sacrilegious comparison.)

Yes, there are the dramatic story lines of unrequited love, underdogs and other high school social maladies. Yes, there is the oh-so-cute and talented Mr. Schuester (I think we all had a Mr. or Ms. Schuester, whom we worshiped in high school - the most impossible of impossible crushes). Yes, there are the crowd-pleaser group performances, those feel good, belt-it-out songs of karaoke glory, like Don't Stop Believing. And who doesn't love a knock-out cover? (How much of a guilty pleasure was the Britney Spears episode?)

But what I think draws people to Glee on a deeper level is its ability to choose popular songs to insert and thereby bolster their plot lines. By putting these hits in the context of a high school drama, it gives them meaning that one can easily relate to. And I think this is what we ourselves do when we hear a song. Often, we interpret the lyrics as they relate to our own lives, infusing meaning that is relevant to us. (Have you ever heard a song that you thought was a love song about the opposite sex, only to learn later that it was written about God? Exactly.)

It's a little easier to show than to explain. A couple examples:

"Rachel's heartfelt vocal delivery gets to the core of the song's lyrics, which are made all the more poignant by the episode's context. (She finally gets to kiss her dream boy, Finn, but almost immediately afterwards, he denies it ever even happened.) When Rachel clutches her hairbrush, stares into her bedroom mirror and belts, "Don't tell me you're sorry, 'cause you're not," she's singing on behalf of the heartbroken teen in all of us." (From Billboard.com)


Sure, she's just casually singing in front of the glee club, but her impassioned performance and smoldering glances make it very clear she's talking only to her special someone.

In the end, it's the super combination of the aforementioned factors that makes Glee such a pop culture hit. They've hit on a formula that is massively appealing, plain and simple.

168) Do It Differently 9:36 PM

I have major writer's block tonight, so here are just a few examples of what I call "doing it differently". Take something ordinary and routine (how many identical flight safety monologues have you ignored in your lifetime?) and simply do it differently. It's amazing what a little variation and a hint of flair can do to help get your message across - even if it's a message that everyone's heard before.







(Mini aside - got home safely, and am blogging from my parent's couch in Palo Alto. My Miniature Pinscher Kyli is curled up with her head on my lap. Bliss.)