The Decline Of Western Civilization: Another In An Ongoing Series

Priorities. We all have'em.

*sigh*

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP the lunacy )
Thank you, Renee Grovenstein Blackwell
 

Punk Does Not Sleep Induce

Coming home from work at the midnight hour, it's a rare occurrence when I can drop off to sleep right after walking through the door. I'm still wired and need to wind down.

Usually, I pop the television to life and catch my recorded "NBC Nightly News," just as I did early Friday morning.

With the news beneath my belt and still not quite ready to turn in, I scrolled through the channels to see if there was anything further to lull me to sleep. I found something, but it wasn't anything to whisper slumberly sweet nothings in my ear.

It was Penelope Spheeris' The Decline Of Western Civilization, the 1981 documentary detailing the Los Angeles punk scene. It had been some time since I'd seen it and I settled in for the next hour.

The kicker for me was hearing once more the band Fear fronted by caustic lead Lee Ving belting out "Beef Bologna," "I Don't Care About You" and "Let's Have a War."

I'd forgotten what a force Fear was to punk and at that specific time. And the performances they put on in Decline - complete with verbal attacks, sexist and homophobic slurs directed at the audience - were raw and powerful.

I went to bed humming "Let's Have a War." And it's been stuck in my head all the live long day.

So, for your dancing and dining pleasure, I present it here for auditory consideration. Please enjoy ...


... and don't blame me if it gets stuck in your craw. I didn't twist your arm and make you press "PLAY" ...

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

The Decline Of Western Civilization: One In An Ongoing Series

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP abusing selfie sticks )

The Decline Of Western Civilization (cont.)

From the post to the photo and right on down to the comments therein, every single thing about this image is frightening.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Acro-Numbskull

"Damned kids and their stupid acronyms
and emoticons and stuff ..."

Never being one who shies away from looking words up (regardless of someone stating "It doesn't make any difference, Michael" / "Don't waste your time, Michael" / "It'll be too late by the time you do, Michael" / or any-number-of-excuses-aimed-at-getting-me-not-to-do-something-but-because-I'm-too-damned-stubborn-I-do-it-anyway) I came across a post the other day courtesy of one of my "instigator" friends Jan Snipes*.

The post contained the following image:

Curious, I clicked on it. 

Actually, I clicked on it because I'd studied it for a few moments in an attempt to decipher what the word "YOLO" meant. I knew it was an acronym for a phrase or some such but I hadn't a clue what it might be.

I did give several mental college tries though: 

"You ousted Larry once"

"yellow, orange, lemon, orangutan"

"Yo! Lo!" (Some sort of abbreviated greeting?)

"Why (as in the shortened "Y") obfuscate lesser orders?"

I gave up. I knew I wasn't even close.

Accessing the link for the image, I found that by the title ("Student Writes #YOLO On Their Math Quiz, Teacher Has A Legendary Response!"**) and enlargement of the picture it was a throwaway witticism not taken too kindly by the student's professor.

So it was off to the internet to find out what "YOLO" meant.

And discovering its meaning ("You only live once" for those who aren't in the know) it equates to two things for me: The (further) Decline Of Western Civilization and the equivalent of the word "whatever."

Allow me to translate:

If the student had a problem with the assignment, tossing a vapid acronym at it in response served no purpose whatsoever. That's why I state it was a "whatever" acknowledgment to the problem; it was pointless. Unless, of course, it was meant to rouse the ire of the teacher, which it did to some degree by what he/she wrote.

It's The Decline Of Western Civilization once more (as I've touched on many a time) in that if you're going to do something other than complete the problem you should at least propose to make an argument of some sort. Any kind of argument. Or ... here's a thought: How about writing a sincere notation stating you are unable to do the problem and need help?

... but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?


In conclusion, I suppose I should "get with the program" and quit being such an "acro-numbskull" and learn the likes of "YOLO" and other inane verbiage. (Nope ... ain't gonna happen.)

 
* (sometimes unknowing) instigator, thought provocateur
** And come on: "Legendary" ... ??? Really?

.......... Ruprecht ( needs to STOP being so harsh ) 444

Acronyms

I'm not afraid to admit: I don't get the "acts*."  

I've harped on this before along with my refusal to use them ... or at least minimize their use in my everyday language. 

It's a matter of conformity: Someone "says" something, acronymically speaking, where I'm forced (if I want to understand) to look up the abbreviation. (And I'll admit: This little rant was brought on by my buddy Ivey who used "TIL" this morning ... which I immediately had to go look up, not having any point of reference.)

So I'm going to start my own AM&CS** which everyone - EVERYONE - is going to have to follow ... adapt to ... deal with. After all, if I have to play the game, then they're going to have to roll with the punches as well. There are two sides of the fence with theirs being TDDoA***, TFDoWC**** ... and their side is not the only one that's going to get the spotlight. Not on my watch.

I'm going to shorten words and phrases that make sense to me. Anyone who reads what I have to say is just going to have to be all the wiser.

I feel empowered! Strong! As if I'm on a 10' tall soapbox, prosyletizing to the masses!

But ... you know what? Thinking about it, implementing something like that is just going to be too much work. So, instead, I'll simply keep doing what I'm doing: When someone spews some compressed, abridged something-or-other I don't understand, I'll just say "I don't understand. What do you mean?" BeyeNo***** that pushes buttons. 

.s++****** Rupe******* ( SS******** )

* short for "acronyms"** short for "Acronym Marching & Chowder Society"
** The Acronym Marching & Chowder Society
*** short for "the dumbing down of America"
**** short for "The Further Decline of Western Civilization"
***** short for "because I know"
****** short for ".........." (as in "lots of dots or periods")
******* abbreviation for "Ruprecht"
******** short for "STOP" ("ss" as in "stop sign")