tao_: World gets shittier at alarming rate

Graham (

tao_) wrote,
@ 2007-05-13 16:35:00

World gets shittier at alarming rate
According to Charlie Brooker, the normally not-as-bad-as-some-of-the others BBC are about to do their bit to ruin television by deliberately fucking up their end credits.

To add to this gloomfuck of a Sunday, Boing Boing reports that Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens have been doing community service as an apology for 'causing' the Mooninites Bomb Scare. Of course, the real culprits behind the scare were the idiotic Boston City Authorities. But only the innocent must be punished, under the New Morality.

Witness the two Brits who are now in jail for doing the right thing.

Also, Scientology claims a scalp by turning the camera on John Sweeney, and suddenly they're the good guys, not a dangerous UFO Cult who live off the gullible.

Up is down, black is white, night is day. So it goes.

(Post a new comment)

How depressing....

chrislcars
2007-05-13 03:51 pm UTC (link)

I only know about two of the things you mentioned, both made my blood boil.

I get very angry about how closing credits are ruined on TV, sometimes I spend 30 minutes trying to find out who the actor was that I just saw, and then they squash it up so much I can't see it. Your trick of adding jokes in the closing credits doesn't work in Australia, I was watching a Simpson's episode (a brand new first run episode) recently and they ruined the closing gag by squashing it into a corner and talking over it.
You know those websites you go to that are covered with ads, popups, pop-unders, and those annoying flash banners that fly in from across the screen? That's what TV is like to me these days. I think I see less junk in my email inbox!

I agree with what you said about the scientologists. They're pure evil, I've boycotted all Tom Cruise movies purely because I refuse to give him any more money. Same with Travolta, and as much as it pains me to say it, Isaac Hayes too. They put children into special scientology schools where they don't learn anything, just make clay sculptures all day. And when they hit 13/14, they throw them into full time jobs, sometimes working 12 hour days. There's even stories of people trying to leave the cult, being taken onto one of their 'cruises', and then never being heard from again. I suspect they just shoot them in the head and throw them overboard.

The funniest thing is that L Ron Hubbard said anti-depressants were evil, and nobody should be using them. Ironic considering he was taking them himself. Also the fact that members of his cult believe that he's a war hero, and won a lot of medals. When his military records were actually released, it turns out the only medals he received were given to every soldier. These guys creep me out, there's a Scientology office in my city, complete with a desk reserved for when L Ron Hubbard 'returns'.

Wow, now I feel pretty lousy after all that. I think this calls for some Monty Python..."Always look on the bright side of life!"

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: How depressing.... frankymole 2007-05-13 07:43 pm UTC (link)
	Some "people" will defend their right to be gullible idiots to the death. But, seeing the gun-toting fascists who run Scientology (which L Ron Hubbard admitted he invented to exploit gullible idiots and become a millionaire...) I feel sorry for the ones they threaten/destroy. Pure evil. Like most "religions" - they all have blood on their hands. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	whizzerandchips 2007-05-13 03:53 pm UTC (link)
	Without wishing to steal your own ideas, perhaps the solution is to wear headphones turned up loud and shout at the world, I can't hear you. Works for me. Seriously though. One of the first things I learnt in a Law course was that the Judiciary are separate and un-influenced from the government. What happened there then? (Reply to this)

global shittiness hike

scrumpleton
2007-05-13 04:37 pm UTC (link)

Thanks for that spirit-crushing flotilla of media logs.

BBC crassness, Boston City stupidity and sinister government scape-goating notwithstanding, the big one for me has to be Sweeney and the Scientologists. Not so much the counter-investigative actions of the cult (which were predicable enough), but Sweeney's tirade in front of the Scientologists' camera.

Perhaps it's been cropped to the key 40-odd seconds to make him appear more unhinged. Perhaps, seen in context, it's clear what caused him to rant. Either way, though - what the FUCK was he thinking?

(Reply to this)

happymutt
2007-05-13 04:54 pm UTC (link)

Is the world getting shittier, or are we just more informed about its generally shittiness? If I turned off my broadband connection and telly, most of my day would have been filled with general, ignorant pleasantness.

I don't have to worry about the BBC killing the credits. I never got them anyway. That's because the BBC delay every program by three or four minutes in the schedules (apart from the news). My tivo works to a fairly accurate clock, so if I'm not careful, it cuts off the end anyway. If I want to know who was in what, I skip on over to IMDB or epguides for more info.

My optimistic spin:
Up is down - Good news for my pension
Black is white - Good news for minorities
Night is day - Very good news for vampire hunters

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	frankymole 2007-05-13 08:00 pm UTC (link)
	Trouble is, a lot of imdb credit lists are compiled by "enthusiasts" from the broadcast credits :D At least Equity seem to be up in arms about it... (Reply to this)(Parent)

rickyy
2007-05-13 08:02 pm UTC (link)

I don't have a problem with the BBC squeezing content into the credits. I'll switch on occasionally to watch something then off again when the credits start rolling. More annoying for someone whose job it is to watch TV I suppose. A shame that programme makers can no longer add content in but not a tragedy. Charlie Brooker's venomous writing works when the target is worthy but after a bit you realise that the target is just about everything he encounters except for Doctor Who.
The rest of your points are spot on. Very interesting indeed.

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	tao_ 2007-05-13 08:39 pm UTC (link)
	It is a tragedy. Charlie's absolutely right on this. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rickyy 2007-05-13 09:17 pm UTC (link)
	That's that debate closed then. Nah. A tragedy would be adverts half way through and in between programmes for 3 minutes at a time each plus sponsoring. Unless this a gateway into that. In which case I'd get my annual £135 back so even then I'd have cause to remain upbeat! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	scrumpleton 2007-05-13 09:33 pm UTC (link)
	Storm. Teacup. Look. It's simple. Speed up the end credits. Some US programmes can rip through the whole crew in about 12 seconds. Leave the bastards no space to overlay their sleazy promos. Use the time saved to add further hilarity and thought-provoking asides to the main body of the show. Would the last person to leave the debate please turn out the lights? (Reply to this)(Parent)

	tao_ 2007-05-13 10:12 pm UTC (link)
	Sigh. See what happens to any episode of series 1 of 'The Sopranos' when you mess about with the credits in any way. You ruin the show. Next. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rickyy 2007-05-14 06:56 pm UTC (link)
	I don't watch the Sopranos so they can dub Benny Hill over the last half hour for me. How about a web-link instead so those who care about the identity of the Wardrobe Supervisor can look it up? Something Chris Morris did with Jam years ago. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

tao_
2007-05-14 07:50 pm UTC (link)

It's clear you don't watch it, or you would never write such a dumb thing. And I suppose your job is so much more important than the lowly 'wardrobe supervisor', whom you disparage so off-handedly. And I suppose that you wouldn't mind not getting credit for work you have done. And I suppose that you are the type of person who thinks that the actors make it all up as they go along, wearing clothes they have just happened to have, using props that were luckily lying about the set, a set which somehow magicked into existence just as they turned the cameras on.

Gah! Please! Spare me the dumb comments! Think before you post!

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	pete_the_lion 2007-05-13 08:29 pm UTC (link)
	i lvoe the last line in the BBC article: "Scientologists believe humans are tainted by the remnants of aliens' souls who were dumped on Earth and blown up with nuclear bombs." (Reply to this)(Thread)

	Sweeney loses it scrumpleton 2007-05-14 09:57 pm UTC (link)
	Anyone see Panorama? Anyone empathise with Sweeney? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Sweeney loses it pete_the_lion 2007-05-14 09:59 pm UTC (link)
	i dunno, half an hour is not really much to go one or look at things properly. I think he was there a week, and everytime he tried to interview a leaver that same twat showed up with his glasses and swagger. the holocaust thing was appalling though... just because Hubbard had beef with psychaitry does not mean they caused the holocaust... mental stuff (Reply to this)(Parent)

	firthy 2007-05-14 12:07 am UTC (link)
	I thought the BBC would be above such antics, unlike the commercial stations. (Reply to this)

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