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September 30, 2006

What's New? A Movie Review of "The Guardian."

For this movie review of "The Guardian," The Dude on the Right actually thought Asthon Kutcher and Kevin Costner did fine in their roles, but doesn't think this movie will be the recruiting tool for the Coast Guard the way "Top Gun" was for the Navy.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:01 PM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: "Ugly Betty," Why is Jerry Springer Still Dancing, and Concerts in October.

For this podcast, The Dude on the Right already has too many shows to watch on Thursday so can't understand why ABC put "Ugly Betty" against all of his other favorite shows. He also has his idea of why Jerry Springer is still dancing, and ponders setting up some October concerts.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:43 PM | Comments (0)

September 27, 2006

A Roger Waters' Concert Review is Coming Soon, Thanks to The Mystery Dude.

By: The Dude on the Right
If all goes well as planned for this week, tomorrow comes another podcast, this time a solo me o, and over the weekend, a return to the concert scene with a review of Roger Waters as he makes his way to Illinois.  And I can't believe I even did a CD review yesterday, that being "Face the Promise" from Bob Seger.

My choice for seeing Roger Waters came about in a weird way because I was torn, and still am bummed at who I am missing. I've been looking to get back to concerts again after a brief return last year, and had my sights set on this upcoming weekend.  Two acts I love were playing, one of course being Roger Waters, the other being The Cathy Richardson Band, sadly on the same day.  Stu Gotz tried to help me get through my dilemma on who to see, based simply upon web traffic (Roger Waters), but I also had in my head the act I hadn't seen in a while and always enjoyed, and that was Cathy Richardson and her band.  But then an e-mail from staff member, The Mystery Dude, pretty much decided it would be Mr. Waters.  He had a quartet of tickets for the Roger Waters' show, and was looking forward to a little "reunion" of a group of us who went to college together, and thoroughly enjoy Roger Waters.  So my decision was pretty much made for me, and with one concert review, this will hopefully get my off my ass to get "The Concert Hall" section back up and humming again.

So my apologies to Cathy Richardson and her band, because had it not been for a "reunion" of some of my best friends, I would have probably headed your way.  In any case here's hoping seeing Roger Waters kicks me in the ass again to get back on the concert trail.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 7:47 PM | Comments (0)

September 26, 2006

What's New? A CD Review of "Face the Promise" by Bob Seger.

For this CD review of "Face the Promise" by Bob Seger, The Dude on the Right loves to hear midwest rock and roll, and Bob Seger does it with the best of those he remembers. For you teens who like classic rock, check out this from one of those whose songs you probably listen to.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:25 PM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up: Rude Neighbors, Kids in the Way, Some "Jackass" and More, and Less!

For this podcast of "Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up," The Dude on the Right has neighbors who don't know how to party nicely, Stu has kids who have horrible timing, and The Dude tries not to give too much away about "Jackass Number Two." Then there is more, and then there is less, so go ahead and listen.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:59 PM | Comments (0)

September 24, 2006

What's New? How Do you Review a Movie Like "Jackass Number Two."

By: The Dude on the Right
In my years of doing movie reviews I stumbled across a weird thing today:  How do you review a movie that really isn't a movie?  For this case it was my review of "Jackass Number Two," and I didn't know where to go with it, especially since I found the movie very funny in a kind of way that can't be reviewed.  And maybe that is why some of the other movie critics can't like this movie for what it is, because this is a movie that can't really be reviewed in the movie review kind of way.  There is no plot development, they're not seeing this movie for cinematography, and there aren't any special effects for them to go "goo-goo, gaa-gaa" over.  Maybe they just can't see the humor in a guy trying to hitch a ride on a big red rocket (in this case Johnny Knoxville), nor why anyone would want to see what horse semen tastes like.  Yet they try to review "Jackass Number Two" like it's "Titanic."

But really, "Jackass," as I see it, in its core, is a movie about a bunch of dude-friends bonding, each time, because we all do stupid stuff at times, and what worse time than to have all of our friends around us laughing at us when it happens.  Or in a funnier case, when all of your friends are in on a joke, tormenting one of your friends.  Sure the likes of Johnny Knoxville, Bam, Wee Man, Steve-O, and the rest of the Jackass boys take it to another level, but as boys, at least those of us who got outside sometimes instead of stuck behind a Playstation, didn't you want to see if you could actually jump off a roof using an umbrella to coast you down? (It doesn't work).  When isn't someone getting hit in the balls not funny? (Except when it is you and your balls).  And didn't you ever try to jump your bike over anything? (And you crashed on your ass to the delight of your friends).

In any case I did my review of "Jackass Number Two," but as I look back on if after writing this blog, and fellow critics, take this to heart, you can't really review the movie.  There should be only be two reviews for the "Jackass Number Two.": "It's funny as hell," or "I was so disgusted I wanted to walk out and vomit."  Any reviewer who give this movie a middle-of-the road review, like 2 stars out of 4, is copping out by A: Not wanting to admit that the movie made them laugh their ass off, thus reducing their reviewing street-cred.  Or B: Were so disgusted you can't understand why guys think this shit is funny, yet understand that some people find this funny so I have to at least give it 2 stars.  Me, I understand the appeal of the movie, and that's why I gave it 5 stars out of 5.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 7:27 PM | Comments (0)

September 23, 2006

What's New? A Movie Review of "Jet Li's Fearless."

For this movie review of "Jet Li's Fearless," The Dude on the Right wasn't bummed about having to read the subtitles, he was more bummed by the movie taking too long to tell it's story. And even the though the fight scenes were okay, they were predictable.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:51 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2006

This One's not about Sears, but about Jennifer Lopez and Tornados.

By: The Dude on the Right
As the day started out I only had one idea for a blog today, and that was to say that I might shop at Sears again.  This was in follow-up to a blog I wrote a few weeks ago, even though I never fully explained my Mom's issue with Sears.  But the other day my Mom e-mailed me that it seems the letter she wrote to the CEO person at Sears expressing her disappointment with her purchase had a result.  And I was going to share that with you, until, today, I realized I still want to be a Jennifer Lopez stalker.

And not the Jennifer Lopez you might think, the one who gets made fun of for having a big booty.

I'm talking about a different Jennifer Lopez, and it came about like this...

I was doing some computer consulting south of Chicago today, and in the forecast was the chance for some severe weather in the Chi-Town area.  In about the middle of the afternoon I checked the local radar on my cell phone and coming near the dude-pad was a rain-cell with some yellow and orange.  At this point I knew the storms were starting to fire up, but didn't really think nothing of it.  At least until I was heading back home.

Suddenly my cell phone started playing the "Looney Tunes" theme so I knew it was someone I knew, and then I saw it was a text message.  I recognized the call-sign, and it was "The Weather Channel" letting me know that there was a tornado warning in the city I live in.  Yup, that's right, a tornado warning.  "Fuck," I thought to myself.  And then my cell phone started ringing again, and even though the phone number was strange I answered it, and it was a pre-recorded message from Jim Cantore from "The Weather Channel, also telling me there was a tornado warning where I lived.

It was a couple of years ago that I subscribed to "The Weather Channel's" "Notify!" service, and even though I had heard Jim Cantore call me before (because I had set my alert levels to broad), this time it was doing exactly what I subscribed it to do, because the only thing I really worry about, where I live, are tornados, because I can pay enough attention to the weather to know if thunderstorms are coming, if snowstorms are coming, but tornadoes don't give you a lot of warning and my messages from "The Weather Channel" beat my local radio news channels by about 5 minutes, which I wouldn't have even tuned into (I'm a Sirius satellite radio fan) unless I had gotten that initial text message.

So I'm still driving home, and find out that the tornado warnings are north of the dude-pad, and I say warnings because I also got a couple of other messages on my phone on my way home that the tornado warnings were expanding around me.  But I get home, and this is really where my Jennifer Lopez stalking rekindled.

At times I am a Weather Channel junkie.  I can watch it for hours, although I'm not as addicted to the colorful graphics as my sister, she still goes through withdrawals when she doesn't get enough.  Part of my watching, though, is for the weather dudettes, and a while back Jennifer Lopez was my girl.  She was cute, has a great smile, even got pregnant, but I was her fan.  Then I slowly got off of my Weather Channel addiction, except only for the major weather, and in the case of a hurricane, Stephanie Abrams was the new girl for me.  Blowing out there in the wind, hoping shit wasn't going to hit her in the head, she also had a great smile, a bubbly personality, and I was her weather fan.

Until today.

When I get home, wondering if a tornado is going to come blowing away the dude-pad, I quickly tuned to The Weather Channel and there was Jennifer Lopez, looking as smoking-hot as ever on my TV, with a different hairdo than I remembered, and she got me through the danger of wondering if the life around me would be destroyed by a tornado (actually, I was able to read the radar and knew I was pretty much safe, but it was still fantastic to see her).

I don't know if the weather caused any tragedies right now in the Chicagoland area, and I know a lot of it was bad, but a big part of me was glad the pre-recorded Jim Cantore called me, warning of deadly weather nearby, but now that I'm back being a stalker of Jennifer Lopez, I wonder if the "Weather Channel" "Notify!" service could tailor who calls you when the weather blows.  I know I would prefer hearing Jennifer Lopez blowing me bad news, rather than Jim Cantore.

But on a serious note, if you are in an area where immediate bad weather can come and destroy your life, like a tornado, and you don't always make yourself aware, subscribe to a service like "Notify!", buy one of those weather radios at Radio Shack (it helped me when I was a manager of a "Shack" once), or anything.  As much as I would prefer Jennifer Lopez calling me rather than Jim Cantore, and even though the tornado warnings were north of my dude-pad, I felt better getting the warnings, minutes before I was notified in other ways, and if things were bad, those minutes might have saved my life, or at least given me ample time to get my camera.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 8:34 PM | Comments (0)

September 21, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: Tickle Me Elmo Equals Getting Rich - Maybe, TV Viewing is Going Well, Do I Want to be a Loser, and My Niece is?

For this podcast, The Dude on the Right discusses his get-rich-quick scheme he forgot to implement by buying up the new "Tickle Me Elmo's", and is happy his first week of TV viewing went well (he likes "The Class," still hasn't fully committed to "Dancing with the Stars," and is a total fan of "Survivor"). He just doesn't know if he wants to try to be a "loser" or not, and if he does, if he should do it in public.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:31 PM | Comments (0)

September 20, 2006

What's New? A Movie Review of "Gridiron Gang."

For this movie review of "Gridiron Gang," The Dude on the Right almost had a private screening. He likes the story, likes the movie, but thinks it drags on about 15 to 20 minutes too long. He thinks The Rock was great, but wishes the football game scenes were, well, you'll have to read the review to find out.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:26 PM | Comments (0)

September 19, 2006

What's New? A Movie Review of "The Last Kiss"

The Dude on the Right saw "The Last Kiss," and liked it, but thought the trailer was misleading. He thinks this movie actually takes a real-world look at relationships, as apposed to the general romantic comedy the trailer seemed to portray.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:45 PM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up: Stu's Sick, and He Also Has a Cold, Chicken Pox, "The Last Kiss," and "Gridiron Gang."

For this podcast of "Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up," we find that Stu Gotz is sick, and he also has a cold. His little Stu's sadly got the Chicken Pox, even though they had the vaccine, and The Dude on the Right reminds Stu about The Dude's Chicken Pox run. The Dude does tell Stu a little about "The Last Kiss" and "Gridiron Gang," while Stu warns The Dude's niece that having your uncle profess your "coolness" might not be a good thing. What does Stu know?

Posted by Rightdude at 7:22 PM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2006

My Sunday was Supposed to be More productive. I'm Blaming the Spinach.

By: The Dude on the Right
I really wanted to be a little more productive this weekend, but today I woke up feeling a little out of sorts.  I'm blaming it on bad spinach.  In any case I still hauled my ass to my local gigaplex to catch the 10:15AM showing of "Gridiron Gang" so that I could get back to the dude-pad without missing much of the Chicago Bears kicking the crap out of the Detroit Lions, even though Roy Williams of the Lions said his team would prevail.  You would think the Bears' winning would have helped me feel a little better, but then I watched the Chicago White Sox get swept by the Oakland A's, and it took all I had to get my clothes in the laundry and get my ass trying to get some stuff done.

The things I didn't get done were my reviews of "The Last Kiss" (a much darker movie than the trailers tended to show, though still good) and "Gridiron Gang" (a decent movie about overcoming adversity, though I still wanted The Rock to yell 'Can you smell what The Mustangs are cookin'!), some cleaning of the dude-pad (thank god for my dishwasher so I've at least got some clean dishes for the coming week), and getting my TiVo's programmed with their Season Passes for the upcoming week.  At least I washed my clothes so I've got clean and only a couple of week's old underwear, paid a couple of bills, and did this blog.

I think Stu and I are geared to do our weekend wrap-up tomorrow, and I'll do my best to get some movie reviewing done.  Damn spinach.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: I'm Cool, Missing "Beer League," Another September Movie Weekend, and "Survivor" is back!

For this podcast The Dude on the Right is bummed by his movie going selections this weekend, but is happy that "Survivor" is back on his TiVo. He also takes the advice of one of his MySpace friends.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)

September 13, 2006

Watching TV with TiVo, and Not Going to Ohio.

By: The Dude on the Right
With my new TiVo, and now that I have, hopefully, most of the TV recording options I should need, I have to now readjust how I actually watch TV to make it more efficient, as well as get shit done.  I realized these things yesterday during the premier of "Dancing With the Stars" and the almost finale of "Rockstar: Supernova," especially when my main computer's UPS decided to take a crap and I tried to figure our how to get my PC up and running again (you never have enough three-prong extension cords when you need them), yet still watching TV shows, when I could have put off the latter, especially since I HAVE MY NEW TIVO.  I'm such an idiot sometimes.  The important thing I forgot is the ease, if you are watching a recorded show, to skip the commercials (sorry advertisers).  As such I was finding myself still switching between shows during the commercials, then getting wrapped up into one show, then another, and missing stuff.  I make my life so complicated sometimes, and I'm working on getting my new TV viewing schedules straight, but now I've complicated my head even a little more, thanks, to of all things, a movie called "Artie Lange's Beer League," starring, well, Artie Lange,  a movie I was looking forward to seeing, hopefully in the theater.

How can a movie create a dilemma and make my life complicated?  It's because I'm mental I tell you.  Here's the deal.  "Beer League" is a smaller budget movie, opening this coming weekend in only three cities - New York, Philadelphia, and Cleveland.  Sure, you might say "What the hell kind of limited release is that?  I get New York City, but Philadelphia and Cleveland?"  The movie studio, and I guess Artie and his people, figured that these are markets that strongly support Artie Lange and could give the movie a strong opening, especially in terms of dollars per screening.  So, "Beer League" doesn't open at a Chicago movie house, at least right now, which would take me, tops, and hour-ish to get to.  In any case, if I want to see the movie this weekend I either have to hop on a plane to Philly and hope our character artist, Archie Tect, could pick me up at the airport and get me to the movie on time, or drive some 360 miles to see the movie scheduled to play at a movie theater some 15 minutes from my parents' house.  Here-in lies my dilemma (and Mom, if you are reading this, I apologize to you right now).

For a couple of minutes I thought of making this Saturday a day trip to Ohio, to, of all things, see "Beer League."  Fine, I'm crazy like that.  As it shows right now, there is a 2:30 afternoon showing that would work into the planning.  I would leave early on Saturday morning, getting into the area around 1PM, giving me a cushion if the Ohio drivers still haven't learned how to drive on a three-lane highway.  I could catch the movie, it would end around 4PM.  Two choices:  Stopping in to see the parents before the movie if traffic is light, maybe catching some lunch before the movie;  Stopping in to see the parents after the movie and then heading back to my dude-pad after maybe catching an early dinner.  Sounds simple enough, and I know my parents would like to see me, and maybe not so much my Dad, but Mom would think I was nuts, for driving 6 hours to see a movie, spend more time with Artie Lange on a screen than with her at home, and then heading back to my dude-pad back in Illinois the same day.  Mothers don't always understand wacky behavior, and she really doesn't like me driving at night.

Thankfully for me, and maybe sadly for my Mom, I think, at least right now, that rationality has set in, thanks to seeing one of those MasterCard commercials.  It sort of turned into this for a one-day trip to Ohio to see "Artie Lange's Beer League.":

    Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Tollway/Turnpike fees:   $17.80
    Fuel for 720 miles on the road:                              $95.00
    Food:                                                                    $15.00
    Movie ticket:                                                         $  7.00
                                                                                 -------
    Cost to see Beer League:                                     $134.80

    Price to hear my Mom say I spent $135
    to see Artie Lange instead of her:        Not worth: $135.00

Sorry Artie, I guess I have to hope your film does well enough in New York, Philly, and the home of the Michael Stanley Band, so that it opens a little wider, or I'll at least get the DVD, because I can't justify $135.00 to see your movie, especially when it will incur the guilt of Mom.  Being of Catholic upbringing, I think you understand.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 9:04 PM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2006

What's New? A Podcast of: Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up: Stu's 20th Year Reunion, 9/11 and the AFA, and The Dude's Movie and TV Talk.

For this podcast of "Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up," Stu Gotz regales The Dude on the Right with his trip to his high school reunion, there's some September 11th talk and The Dude's being upset at the American Family Association and their being upset with the use of the f-bomb, especially during a 9/11 documentary, and The Dude also tells Stu about his movie going (oh, like that is new?).

Posted by Rightdude at 6:22 PM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2006

What's New? Movie Reviews of "Idiocracy" and "The Protector."

Over the weekend The Dude on the Right had a six person screening of "Idiocracy," and a private screening of "The Protector." Being a fan of the movie "Office Space," it is easy to see that The Dude liked "Idiocracy," and even though "The Protector" is no "Dumbo Drop," Tony Jaa really knows how to break a lot of arms and legs.

Posted by Rightdude at 5:55 PM | Comments (0)

September 9, 2006

If You Liked "Office Space" You'll Probably Like "Idiocracy," and Thanks to my Kids, my TV Viewing Dilemma's for this Fall Should be Solved.

By: The Dude on the Right
First, because you may not read this, nor my review in time (it should be posted tomorrow), if you are a fan of "Office Space" and the over-the-top satirization of life that Mike Judge seems to be able to portray, see, or at this point probably wait to rent/buy "Idiocracy."  Simply put it's a movie set 500 years from now, when, in simplest terms, white-trash and a sports drink have taken over.  Anyway...

If you listened to my podcast yesterday, and you know me, you know that right now I am obsessed with the dilemma of getting a new TiVo in preparation for my fall television viewing.  Too many shows I like, too little time, and too many times they are up against one-another.  Last year was tricky, and I was able to pull off most of TV viewing, except for missing way too many episodes of "Smallville."  My best solution, at times, was to watch one show on my TV, have my TiVo recording another show, and then, in the age of antiquities, have a VCR recording the third show.  This was okay in the days of old, but not with today's technology.  The show I was watching live wasn't being recorded, so I couldn't rewind or pause if I wanted to, and if there was some great audio for a podcast, or a dress that malfunctioned, I wouldn't be able to watch or listen to it over and over again.  At least I had one program recording on the TiVo for easy watching, and although an antique method of recording, the VCR was still working, although not as smooth on the skimming through commercials.  I am being faced with another television season of pain and frustration, especially if I was going to be gone for an evening and I had three shows to record, since I only had two recording devices.

And then came my kids needing some new supplies for the upcoming school year.

My kids, Steve, Ashley, New1, New2, and New3 (the newbies still need some names, but I'm thinking right now one will be named Bam, the other either Spidey or Paul, and New3, well, it's either 'drew or Don.  I'm sorry, I digress), well, they needed some new supplies, namely some food, some testing kits, and some filtering.  Yup, my fish needed some stuff, and I headed to my local PetSmart to get it.  Sadly, but maybe it was fate, the PetSmart didn't have the essential thing I was looking for, so I headed to my local PETCO, and PETCO had it all.  But a couple of stores down from PETCO was a CompUSA, and I saw on their windows was a notice that they were closing, and everything in the store was 20% to 40% off.  My kid's supplies safely stowed in the dude-mobile, I figured what the hell, let's hit the computer store to see if there was anything I couldn't live without.  First I headed for the iPod accessory area and decided I really didn't need anything for my iPod.  Next stop was if there was any chance they had last year's Power Mac G5 at some obscenely low price (no luck).  I scanned through the software but nothing struck my fancy, and CompUSA never had the greatest variety of Hi-Def TV's, so nothing there caught my eye.  But then I said to myself "Self, CompUSA normally sells TiVo's.  I wonder if they have any of those new, dual-tuner TiVo's here?"

Low and behold, at an endcap, there was a stack of them, on sale, and I started to do the computations in my head.  After the rebate offer that was still in force, the net cost for the TiVo would be a little over fifty bucks.  Then I also knew that since I was a TiVo subscriber, and I was adding a new TiVo and not replacing one, I would get a discount on the monthly service fee (I do miss the "Lifetime" upfront fee because mine has already paid for itself on my first TiVo), but in any case, my television viewing/recording dilemma for this fall season is over.  I now have three TiVo recording sources, and in a worst case can add the antique VCR to the mix and watch a fifth show live without recording it.  My fear now:  Six shows to watch at one time.  You can never have too many recording options, although, wait a minute, I think my latest computer purchase had a TV tuner card installed?  Scratch that, my fear now:  Seven shows to watch at one time.  Too much TV, too little time.

Since this blog is already too long, I'll leave my bitching about the American Family Association and CBS' problems with airing their "9/11" documentary for a blog or podcast on Sunday if I can put one together tomorrow.  Right now I've got to get my new TiVo set up!

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 7:37 PM | Comments (0)

What's New? A Podcast: Thunderbird is Great, Sucky, then Great, We're Heading to YouTube, Needing More Tivo's, and a Weird Movie Weekend.

For this podcast, The Dude on the Right loves his Thunderbird e-mail program, then doesn't, then does again. He's a weird dude. He's also investigating posting episodes of "Stu & The Dude Reviewin' the Movies for You" on YouTube. He's also thinking of getting a new TiVo, the one with the dual tuner, to help his fall television viewing.

Posted by Rightdude at 6:38 PM | Comments (0)

September 7, 2006

What's New? Stu & The Dude Reviewin' the Movies for You! Snakes on a Plane

For the latest episode of "Stu & The Dude Reviewin' the Movies for You!," the boys give their take of "Snakes on a Plane." Too bad for Stu Gotz he brought a big turd, umm, snake, to the review taping, and put the pheromones in the wrong pocket. Happy watching.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:10 PM | Comments (0)

September 5, 2006

What's New? Stu & The Dude's Weekend Wrap-Up Podcast: Labor Day Weekend and The Dude on the Right saw "Crank" and "Invincible," and Stu had a Snot-Filled Mustache.

For this podcast, Stu Gotz and The Dude on the Right have survived another Labor Day Weekend. There's some movie talk about what The Dude saw, some talk about The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, and Stu found his mustache filled with snot.

Posted by Rightdude at 7:07 PM | Comments (0)

September 3, 2006

What's New? Movie Reviews of "Crank" and "Invincible."

The Dude on the Right is enjoying his Labor Day Weekend by seeming some flicks, and his reviews of "Crank" and "Invincible" are now posted. The Dude says that both movies give exactly what you can expect from the trailers.

Posted by Rightdude at 5:08 PM | Comments (0)

September 2, 2006

You Can't Get What You Paid For, You Can't Get Underwear, and You Can't Watch What You Want on TV.

By: The Dude on the Right
By blog accounts, this one is long, but damn it's exciting.  Almost as exciting as my day.  Let's get to it...

So, I had an exciting day planned.  First I figured I would catch a movie, and I did.  It was the movie "Crank," and the review should be posted tomorrow (quick hint - stupid fun, with some quality kills and gratuitous nudity).  Then I planned on getting the dude-mobile washed, and I did that, too.  I also needed to buy some new underwear.  Man, what an exciting day.

But two other things became of interest to me as the day went on.  One deals with an always sore subject with me, and that is the FCC and their messed up "censorship" guidelines.  The second is I can see why a major retailer might be losing some customers.

First off, and maybe you never paid attention, nor thought it would affect you, but thanks to our government raising the fines on what five people decide is indecent, CBS stations across the country are having to make a decision if they should air "9/11," a documentary, because of some of the language and content in the program.  Yup, thanks to the moniker of "saving the children," five years after the 9/11 attacks, television stations are having to worry a lot more about anything they might put on your TV, many times, now, because of "back-door censorship" by the government, rather than if the show just sucks.  Me, I find it sort of sad that when kids ask why other people hate the United States enough to crash planes into our buildings, a lot of times we tell them it's because those people don't like the freedoms we have.  Yet at this anniversary of the 9/11 attacks a lot of you won't have the freedom to decide if you want to watch a gripping documentary about that day.  Thank you Senators, House Representatives, and President Bush for raising the fine.  And, oh yea, thank you also to the five people at the FCC who decide, for all of us, what is indecent.

On another note, if the folks at Sears find they are losing customers, they might be right.  I know today they lost one for sure, and probably a second.  Carson Pirie Scott, on the other hand, just gained a new one.

First, why I'm done with Sears.

Me being a dude, you can probably guess the state of my boxers as I went to the local mall in search of some new ones.  First stop - JCPenney.  I've always had decent luck shopping there for clothes, but their Labor Day sale on underwear, and the disarray of the display, left slim pickin's for this dude.  I had three other shopping options for underwear:  Sears, Marshall Field's (now almost Macy's), and Carson Pirie Scott.  Figuring Sears would be the better frugal choice, I cruised around the mall and found myself in their men's underwear section.  They didn't have the brand I was looking for, but the Hanes' stuff was on sale and even though their display was also in disarray, I was able to find enough in the size and color I like to replenish my boxer drawer.  Now I have to preface this a tad because I was already a little perturbed at Sears because of my mother's latest dealing with them (more on that later), but under the assumption that shopping at Sears would save me a few bucks, I was sticking with my underwear purchase there.  That was until I tried to pay for them.

I head for the first cashier area where no one seemed to be working, but people in line seeming to hope someone would show up.  So I head around the corner and down the aisle to the next cashier area, only to find a line of five people and the cashier just getting on the PA system asking for a manager.  I ain't got time to wait for that.  So I head to the next cashier area.  One cashier and this time about ten people in line (granted by this time I found myself in the women's clothing area, where I did find it odd that the men's restroom was there, behind the lingerie display, but being in the women's area, I thought it might be busy), and I headed to the last cashier area on the floor.  Again, one cashier.  Again, ten people in line, and already being upset at Sears, deciding my underwear purchase, no matter the state of my current ones, didn't warrant waiting that long in line.  Being the nice guy I am, I did put the boxers back in the underwear display, but I was still without new underwear to buy, and rather than shop at Marshall Field's, the Chicago institution it is, soon to be named Macy's by the Macy's people, I took a protest of my own against the name change and said to myself, "Self, what the hell, let's give Carson's a shot."

So I cruised around the mall a bit more, and I almost stopped at Radio Shack, and no, not for underwear, but no one else was in the store and I didn't want to be pestered by the sale's folks there, so I took a pass.  I'm sorry, I digress.  Back to Carson Pirie Scott.  Walking to the men's clothing area, there, in the middle of one of the aisles, was a well organized display of the Jockey underwear I was originally looking for.  And you know what?  They were on sale.  At this point they were still a little more expensive than if JCPenney's had had them, and Sears still had the best price of all with the Hanes, but I really needed the boxers so I figured I would suck-up the extra couple of bucks.  I head to the cashier area, staffed with two cashiers and only one person in line, they finish their transaction, I put my underwear on the counter, and on top of the savings I was getting from them just being on sale, the sale's associate seemed to scan a coupon that I didn't have.  Suddenly my underwear purchase was cheaper than both JCPenney and Sears, and with that, Carson Pirie Scott has gained a new customer, and combined with the following, I will find it hard for me to return to Sears.

The other customer that Sears may have lost is my mother, and this blog is already too long, so I'll save her complete story for another blog.  To put it simply right now, I took her to Sears to get a new microwave a little while ago, a KitchenAid (Mom likes KitchenAid).  It was a special order, and the Sears' folks were also hired to install it.  The install folks came, put in a microwave, and Mom was initially happy, only something didn't seem right, her spices fit between the microwave and the top of the stove.  Eventually Mom figured out that it wasn't the microwave she paid for (sadly, it was a lesser microwave).  The Sears' folks did refund my Mom her money, correcting for the microwave that was installed, but from what Mom tells me, the salesperson who handled the refund, rather than taking any responsibility, told my brother (he took care of getting things straight), that the KitchenAid people must have shipped the wrong microwave.  The more I think about it, that excuse seems like a quick copout, and it is also burning up my Mom because she feels the same way. 

Anyway, more on Mom's microwave during a later blog, otherwise this blog might go on forever, especially if I get into another tangent about the cool fountain at the mall, why I was thinking of heading into Radio Shack, and my experience at the car wash.

So Sears, sorry, but I'm not planning on shopping with you anymore, and I have a feeling my Mom might be done with you also.  Carson Pirie Scott, the next time I'm looking for clothes, I think I'll stop by your store first.  For a sale, you're not as expensive as I assumed you were.

Sometimes you can't seem to find the underwear you want, sometimes you can't seem to get the microwave you paid for, and sometimes you don't have the freedom to watch what you want on TV.  What a wonderful world.

That's it for this one!  I'm The Dude on the Right!!  L8R!!!

Posted by Rightdude at 8:01 PM | Comments (0)

September 1, 2006

What's New? A Podcast: Not Going to New Jersey, Football is Coming, I Have Friends, and Congrats Ladies on your "Labor" Day.

For this podcast, The Dude on the Right reflects about the end of summer as it is Labor Day Weekend. He looks forward to football but is sad to see baseball going, is happy he has a few new MySpace friends, and wants to congratulate all of the mother's this Labor Day.

Posted by Rightdude at 8:15 PM | Comments (0)