Things to Mull Over for the Week Ending Oct. 24, 2009

The reviews are in! Our office manager, Smitty very excitedly came into our editorial meeting this week with a printed stack of actual comments from around the Internet. Through the ubiquitous power of Google, our Top Ten Reality Singing Performances of All Time was quickly

Our Readers Organizing into an Angry Mob

posted on message boards across the world, from Brazil to Australia. Well, here’s what we found.

Stephanie from Ontario, Canada with a username I’m sure her mother doesn’t approve of said, “It’s clear they didn’t do much research for this list,” and “either they’re lying or deaf.” We can’t help but note that according to our web stats,  Stephanie spent a total of 1 hour, 27 minutes and 41 seconds on our site in utter disgust.

RobbieFan asked, “Could they have picked a worse list from AI?”   KellysMom simply said, “This list is …” Well, being a family friendly site, let’s just say that KellysMom thinks she could save farmers boatloads of money by spreading around copies of our list every spring in lieu of fertilizer. Bradwalk similarly said, “This list is full of …” and then picked a word that we must point out isn’t even a noun.

On another site, Rickenbacker said, “What lame choices.” Our favorite review of all time comes from someone named, Storymilo, who wrote on a completely different messageboard, “D**n, that mullerover site sucks.” That one is actually hanging over the copier now. On a positive side, one post called our site, “laughable”. Seeing the satirical nature of our website, we’ll take that as a compliment.  Now, on to what to mull over …

Apple takes a bite out of Microsoft

Normally, we don’t endorse products with our massive clout.  And won’t start now.  But really – I’m thinking Apple is overtaking Google as the coolest and most successful tech company around.  Google has a slogan, “Don’t be evil.”.  Nice, pithy mission statement.  Somewhere in the past few years, the word “Don’t” fell off the sign in the lobby.  But back to Apple.  They reported their earnings this week, and sold nearly 3 million computers, over 10 million iPods and 5 million iPhones in three months.  Holy cow!  How in the world did they do that?

In short, their marketing makes being in a cult look cool.  OK – owning a Mac doesn’t necessarily, in the strictest form of the word, mean you’re in a cult.  But – it does mean you’re kind of weird.  Have you ever seen someone talk about their Mac sounding like they’d trade their

Steve Jobs addressing his followers

first, and maybe second born before considering parting with their computer?  Or have you seen them gather in anticipation of their leader, Steve Jobs, wearing his turtleneck garb, letting them know the next big thing in the movement.  Think about it!

Balloon Dad’s head still in the clouds

World's Best Spokesman

Well, last week, we posted that something about the Balloon Boy saga seemed – inflated.  [yes - that's the millionth bad pun from the story].  Y’know – he reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister in the first Gulf War.   Remember how he brought denial to an art form never before seen, as in, “The infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds on the gates of Baghdad.”

Balloon Boy’s dad angrily denied allegations of creating a hoax and still does today.  He demands one shred of evidence, while his son who was supposedly in the balloon, his best friend along with E-Mails and his wife, all admit to faking it.  Back in the day, we’d simply say Balloon Boy’s Dad was full of … pluck.

And – that’s it for the week of October 24.  And – don’t forget to suggest your favorite performances on our new list of Top Reality TV Performances – What you said we should have included.  Hopefully, this new list won’t create an international incident as that last one.