To all the teetotalers, shut-ins, and stuck up pricks that don't party, don't imbibe in certain fluids, and in general bash on those who do so with all the self-righteous fury of a M.A.D.D. member scorned:
Shut. Up.
How on EARTH do you figure you'll get a job working in ANY successful industry if you a) can't drink, b) can't network at parties and get-togethers, or c) have your head too far up your ass to notice that a) and b) are equally important in getting your networking skills up?
They say it's all about who you know. This is pure FACT.
To the teetotalers, then, I have but this to say.
Live your life, and we'll live ours. Just don't hate on us for what we do, or judge us for not living by your playbook.
On that slightly somber note, I'm off to ignore the self-righteous asshats, and enjoy Halloween night. Stay safe out there tonight, kids, and have FUN!
Best,
E.Y.H.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Post #6: Party Fouls 1
Hi folks!
After a rough night of Halloween-ing, all I have to say is this.
Party fouls are the ultimate anti-chill activity. I'll make a list of them later; this post is essentially to remind me that I was indeed party fouled, and must later rant and rave about the un-chillness of such an activity. Awesome. Or, not awesome. I'm miserable, but it's okay; I only exist as a non-corporeal entity for your grins and giggles, so I promise I'll be back in laugh-mode A.S.A.P. I promise. Until then, just chill out. I'll be back soon. I think. Or not. Who knows? Not the purple caterpillar, that's who DOESN'T KNOW.
I Googled "Purple Caterpillar," and I got this. It makes sense right now, I swear.
After a rough night of Halloween-ing, all I have to say is this.
Party fouls are the ultimate anti-chill activity. I'll make a list of them later; this post is essentially to remind me that I was indeed party fouled, and must later rant and rave about the un-chillness of such an activity. Awesome. Or, not awesome. I'm miserable, but it's okay; I only exist as a non-corporeal entity for your grins and giggles, so I promise I'll be back in laugh-mode A.S.A.P. I promise. Until then, just chill out. I'll be back soon. I think. Or not. Who knows? Not the purple caterpillar, that's who DOESN'T KNOW.
I Googled "Purple Caterpillar," and I got this. It makes sense right now, I swear.Anyway, lavender insect or not, that's it for me today world. Rest easy all, and have a good Halloween; hope yours goes better than mine!
Best,
E.Y.H.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Edit: It has been pointed out to me that I titled this Post #5, instead of Post #6. I blame Joose. That stuff is deadly.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Post #5: Cars
Good afternoon dear readers. Just kidding, you're not that dear to me. Just kidding again, you are; your pageviews keep my disgusting electronic ego alive, if only just. If you keep coming back, it's only to read my silly rants and raves.
Not that type of rave.
On that note though, here's today's rant/rave: cars.
"BUT WAIT E.Y.H.," you cry, "YOU'VE ALREADY DONE ONE ON CARS!!! WHAT WOULD CAUSE YOU TO BE REPETITIVE? HOW TRITE! HOW DULL! I'M GOING TO STOP READING YOUR BLOG RIGHT THE F*CK NOW, AND GO PICK MY NOSE WITH A PHILIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER."
Except if it was a Philips head screwdriver, he would most likely not be laughing.
Well, you do that then. Meanwhile, as you gouge your gray matter out with a cold metal spike, I'm going to rant and rave more about cars.
After a rather nice car meet last night- during which my S14 was made to feel incredibly, incredibly pathetic- I decided to write on cars that I like. No, this won't be another post on the silliness of rich children in Riverside (like the bastard that drives a Nissan GT-R AND a Mercedes SL500 at my apartment complex, who I completely DO NOT ENVY. AT ALL. NOPE.), instead it will be a post on cars that I wish to own at some point in my life before the age of 30.
So, on to the list. Requirements for the list are a MSRP of under $25,000 (as of Oct. 29, 2009), decently fast, and no older than 1999. That said, let's name the first three... there may be more to come in the future, but for now, this is all you get:
1) Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 2/2S/4/4S
If the Porsche-howl at 5600 RPM fails to stir your soul and you call yourself a car guy, stop reading my blog. Right now. Leave. I reccomend another site. Like FatChicksInPartyHats, which I will refuse to link to in the interests of saving my soul; Google it if you will. That's probably the sort of thing you'd enjoy... you sick bastard.
No image of fat chicks in party hats provided. Instead, a cute bunny!
Moving on though, it's extremely reliable, mind bogglingly fast even in its lowest trim, has the aforementioned spine-shivering howl, and is perhaps the most enduring car design of all time. On the flip side, repairs will cost an arm an a leg should anything go even vaguely wrong, which it won't: it's a modern day water-cooled 911, and is thus bulletproof.
2) Pontiac GTO
A little boring on the outside? Unquestionably. It screams "fat Cavalier," which is never a good thing. But on the inside, the seemingly dull GTO rocks a 400 HP Chevrolet LS2 engine, lifted straight out of the C6 Corvette. Remember the howl that the Porsche makes? The Pontiac rumbles, grumbles, and THEN unleashes the V8 symphony. Top speed, as near as can be reckoned by Top Gear, 175 MPH, with a 0-60 of 4.6 seconds. That's frighteningly fast. Of course, the downside to this mind blowing power is that it turns like an elephant on roller skates, which is to say it slides with the quickness and grace of a three ton pachyderm. Then again, turning isn't the point of American muscle cars; it's about the straight line, standing quarter mile time. And that is clearly awesome.
3) Nissan 350Z
Now, ostensibly, the Z should be at the top. It has the best balance (though isn't the fastest) of any of the three cars, it's the most reliable, and the VQ35DE is one gorgeous engine. So then, why on earth isn't it at the top? Simple. Tuning.
I don't WANT to tune my car to make it top class. I admit, for a S14 driver, I'm lazy. If I can slap a CAI/Exhaust/Chip on a car and be done with it, that's just fine with me. A Z33 though, is, well, if I may be honest, an extremely bland and/or ugly car unless body modifications are done. In stock form, the front bumper ends too soon, the wheels are a bit dull, and unless it is lowered, it has the appearance of Cledus J. Smith's 4x4, in which he goes and has steamy inbred redneck-cousin loving and then tops it off by spraying Cheez Whiz all over his trailer park while running about in his boxers.
Cledus, for your Holiday Needs. Minus his 4x4 and the Cheez Whiz.
Moving back to the subject though, Z's are simply put, too much work, and I'm far too lazy to make a Z "truly" good. As much as I appreciate a nicely modded/tuned car, I don't have the time nor patience to do it myself. Therefore, I'd rather have the most capable car out of the factory possible... and that's not exactly what a Z delivers. Nevertheless though, it IS a very nice car, and based on its own virtues, it shores this list up at #3.
Anyway, that's it for me today. Maybe I'll continue this list someday, or maybe not; we shall see. For now, I'm off to the paradise that is my linguistics class.
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrivederchi!
Best,
E.Y.H.
Not that type of rave.On that note though, here's today's rant/rave: cars.
"BUT WAIT E.Y.H.," you cry, "YOU'VE ALREADY DONE ONE ON CARS!!! WHAT WOULD CAUSE YOU TO BE REPETITIVE? HOW TRITE! HOW DULL! I'M GOING TO STOP READING YOUR BLOG RIGHT THE F*CK NOW, AND GO PICK MY NOSE WITH A PHILIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER."
Except if it was a Philips head screwdriver, he would most likely not be laughing.Well, you do that then. Meanwhile, as you gouge your gray matter out with a cold metal spike, I'm going to rant and rave more about cars.
After a rather nice car meet last night- during which my S14 was made to feel incredibly, incredibly pathetic- I decided to write on cars that I like. No, this won't be another post on the silliness of rich children in Riverside (like the bastard that drives a Nissan GT-R AND a Mercedes SL500 at my apartment complex, who I completely DO NOT ENVY. AT ALL. NOPE.), instead it will be a post on cars that I wish to own at some point in my life before the age of 30.
So, on to the list. Requirements for the list are a MSRP of under $25,000 (as of Oct. 29, 2009), decently fast, and no older than 1999. That said, let's name the first three... there may be more to come in the future, but for now, this is all you get:
1) Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 2/2S/4/4S
If the Porsche-howl at 5600 RPM fails to stir your soul and you call yourself a car guy, stop reading my blog. Right now. Leave. I reccomend another site. Like FatChicksInPartyHats, which I will refuse to link to in the interests of saving my soul; Google it if you will. That's probably the sort of thing you'd enjoy... you sick bastard.
No image of fat chicks in party hats provided. Instead, a cute bunny! Moving on though, it's extremely reliable, mind bogglingly fast even in its lowest trim, has the aforementioned spine-shivering howl, and is perhaps the most enduring car design of all time. On the flip side, repairs will cost an arm an a leg should anything go even vaguely wrong, which it won't: it's a modern day water-cooled 911, and is thus bulletproof.
2) Pontiac GTO
A little boring on the outside? Unquestionably. It screams "fat Cavalier," which is never a good thing. But on the inside, the seemingly dull GTO rocks a 400 HP Chevrolet LS2 engine, lifted straight out of the C6 Corvette. Remember the howl that the Porsche makes? The Pontiac rumbles, grumbles, and THEN unleashes the V8 symphony. Top speed, as near as can be reckoned by Top Gear, 175 MPH, with a 0-60 of 4.6 seconds. That's frighteningly fast. Of course, the downside to this mind blowing power is that it turns like an elephant on roller skates, which is to say it slides with the quickness and grace of a three ton pachyderm. Then again, turning isn't the point of American muscle cars; it's about the straight line, standing quarter mile time. And that is clearly awesome.
3) Nissan 350Z
Now, ostensibly, the Z should be at the top. It has the best balance (though isn't the fastest) of any of the three cars, it's the most reliable, and the VQ35DE is one gorgeous engine. So then, why on earth isn't it at the top? Simple. Tuning.I don't WANT to tune my car to make it top class. I admit, for a S14 driver, I'm lazy. If I can slap a CAI/Exhaust/Chip on a car and be done with it, that's just fine with me. A Z33 though, is, well, if I may be honest, an extremely bland and/or ugly car unless body modifications are done. In stock form, the front bumper ends too soon, the wheels are a bit dull, and unless it is lowered, it has the appearance of Cledus J. Smith's 4x4, in which he goes and has steamy inbred redneck-cousin loving
Cledus, for your Holiday Needs. Minus his 4x4 and the Cheez Whiz.Moving back to the subject though, Z's are simply put, too much work, and I'm far too lazy to make a Z "truly" good. As much as I appreciate a nicely modded/tuned car, I don't have the time nor patience to do it myself. Therefore, I'd rather have the most capable car out of the factory possible... and that's not exactly what a Z delivers. Nevertheless though, it IS a very nice car, and based on its own virtues, it shores this list up at #3.
Anyway, that's it for me today. Maybe I'll continue this list someday, or maybe not; we shall see. For now, I'm off to the paradise that is my linguistics class.
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrivederchi!
Best,
E.Y.H.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Post# 4- Watches
So, as I sit in Sociology discussion- where my TA has admitted that "over 90% of the department are avowed Marxists-" I find that blogging is a more worthy way to waste my time than listen to socialist, anti-American propaganda. What better way to fight the scourge of silly socialism than to begin my series on silly expensive things that I like? Nothing like good ol' conspicuous consumption to show those pinkos... I'm only being half facetious here, to be honest.
Regardless of the Red sentiments I might draw the ire of for this post, I'm here in the middle of a terrible recession to celebrate watches. I don't mean Timexes. I mean the best of the best; the most attractive, handcrafted, Swiss-made, precision engineered monstrosities in existence. Audemars Piquet, Patek Phillipe, Vacheron Constantin...One of these could feed a family of four for a month.
We starve for the sake of your horological fetishes!
Yes, perhaps it's a bit silly in a recession of epic proportions to aspire to own what are perhaps the most ludicrous symbols of excess short of a Ferrari; after all, traditional logic dictates that a watch is merely an accessory to tell time, and if I may be brutally honest, has been rendered functionally obsolete by the cell phone.
So then, why are watches still so dang cool? Elvis Mitchell from Esquire said it best: "If you consider yourself stylish, as opposed to fashionable, your wardrobe does require a dress watch." The watch is an anachronism, a relic of a forgotten era. Then again, so is chivalry, and that's still very much in style, to some degree.
Chivalry: still in style 1500 years later! Minus the swords and incest and such.
However, if you are a man that does not wear jeans that resemble tights, have three inch long earrings, or dress like a complete clown/hipster/trend follower, a decent watch should be an inherent part of your wardrobe. This isn't a suggestion, it's a statement. Obsolete though it may be, a proper mechanical (none of this quartz silliness) should be a well maintained, well cared for part of every self-respecting man's wardrobe. Yes they're pricey, yes they're silly, and yes you can most likely buy a cheap car for the cost of one of the better mechanical watches out there. However, be it a product of commercialized culture or not, a watch is a sign of a well heeled man.
Not a well-heeled man, by any stretch of the word.
On that note, my current fascination is the Audemars Piquet Royal Oak, which my friends inform me is a silly watch at a silly price. I don't care. It is handmade by Swiss elves, is more complex than differential calculus, and looks more beautiful than Beyoncé. Here's to conspicuous consumption, friends.
Fascinating.
Let's have three cheers for capitalism.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Regardless of the Red sentiments I might draw the ire of for this post, I'm here in the middle of a terrible recession to celebrate watches. I don't mean Timexes. I mean the best of the best; the most attractive, handcrafted, Swiss-made, precision engineered monstrosities in existence. Audemars Piquet, Patek Phillipe, Vacheron Constantin...One of these could feed a family of four for a month.
We starve for the sake of your horological fetishes!So then, why are watches still so dang cool? Elvis Mitchell from Esquire said it best: "If you consider yourself stylish, as opposed to fashionable, your wardrobe does require a dress watch." The watch is an anachronism, a relic of a forgotten era. Then again, so is chivalry, and that's still very much in style, to some degree.
Chivalry: still in style 1500 years later! Minus the swords and incest and such.However, if you are a man that does not wear jeans that resemble tights, have three inch long earrings, or dress like a complete clown/hipster/trend follower, a decent watch should be an inherent part of your wardrobe. This isn't a suggestion, it's a statement. Obsolete though it may be, a proper mechanical (none of this quartz silliness) should be a well maintained, well cared for part of every self-respecting man's wardrobe. Yes they're pricey, yes they're silly, and yes you can most likely buy a cheap car for the cost of one of the better mechanical watches out there. However, be it a product of commercialized culture or not, a watch is a sign of a well heeled man.
Not a well-heeled man, by any stretch of the word.On that note, my current fascination is the Audemars Piquet Royal Oak, which my friends inform me is a silly watch at a silly price. I don't care. It is handmade by Swiss elves, is more complex than differential calculus, and looks more beautiful than Beyoncé. Here's to conspicuous consumption, friends.
Fascinating.Let's have three cheers for capitalism.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Post #3: Facebook Part 1 - Tagged Pictures
Due to massive amounts of studying for my Econ midterm, I don't have much time to write a quality post or add pictures. So, in this short amount of time, I'll begin the short first post on a series of (planned) posts about Facebook.
Facebook Part 1:
-Facebook is the ultimate social encyclopedia in college. It just is. You can find out everything about people; examples can and will include how drunk your friend was last night (very), if the cute girl you just met is taken (usually), how hard various midterms and quizzes are (extremely), and whether or not your friend cares about what employers/potential employers/family thinks of them. That last one may not seem obvious, but it sure is. As they say, the devil lurks in the details, and the detail here is TAGGED PHOTOS. If you allow people to "view photos of" yourself, you're telling the world that either a) you're invisible and do not appear in pictures, b) have no friends that own cameras, c) have no friends, d) never drink or otherwise misbehave, or e) don't give a shit about getting a good job after graduation.
"But wait," you cry, "of COURSE I care about getting a good job!"
Apparently not. Employers can and will search you on Facebook, and they WILL find the tagged pictures of you doing the keg stand at "that totally awesome party that you can't remember," as well as the ones of you throwing up afterwards. They may also find the ones of you with penises drawn on your forehead in the aftermath of said throwing up; you may never know.
Well, no, you will know. When you're announcing the Blue Light Specials at K-Mart at age 40, because no one hired you. That's when you'll know.
Until next time, world.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Facebook Part 1:
-Facebook is the ultimate social encyclopedia in college. It just is. You can find out everything about people; examples can and will include how drunk your friend was last night (very), if the cute girl you just met is taken (usually), how hard various midterms and quizzes are (extremely), and whether or not your friend cares about what employers/potential employers/family thinks of them. That last one may not seem obvious, but it sure is. As they say, the devil lurks in the details, and the detail here is TAGGED PHOTOS. If you allow people to "view photos of" yourself, you're telling the world that either a) you're invisible and do not appear in pictures, b) have no friends that own cameras, c) have no friends, d) never drink or otherwise misbehave, or e) don't give a shit about getting a good job after graduation.
"But wait," you cry, "of COURSE I care about getting a good job!"
Apparently not. Employers can and will search you on Facebook, and they WILL find the tagged pictures of you doing the keg stand at "that totally awesome party that you can't remember," as well as the ones of you throwing up afterwards. They may also find the ones of you with penises drawn on your forehead in the aftermath of said throwing up; you may never know.
Well, no, you will know. When you're announcing the Blue Light Specials at K-Mart at age 40, because no one hired you. That's when you'll know.
Oh shit, no pictures in this post... so why is there a subtitle here?
Until next time, world.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Post #2: Up
Hi all!
So, in a short morning rant, I'd like to direct your attention to this link.
Despite the fact that I think that this is one of the silliest stories to make the national press in a while, especially when stories like this contain much, MUCH more tragic examples of childhood neglect and danger, it is what it is, and what it is is front page news.
Therefore, I'm not sure what brought it to that status, or what's keeping it there, especially with 10,204,741 more important stories in the news today, but in the interests of "too soon," I present you with this image:
Pic unrelated?
I think the facts speak for themselves. For not waiting five or six weeks to post this and by posting it on the day of the event, thereby breaking the unspoken "too soon" rule, I am clearly a despicable person incapable of human emotion or compassion.
Depressing, that.
Best,
E.Y.H.
So, in a short morning rant, I'd like to direct your attention to this link.
Despite the fact that I think that this is one of the silliest stories to make the national press in a while, especially when stories like this contain much, MUCH more tragic examples of childhood neglect and danger, it is what it is, and what it is is front page news.
Therefore, I'm not sure what brought it to that status, or what's keeping it there, especially with 10,204,741 more important stories in the news today, but in the interests of "too soon," I present you with this image:
Pic unrelated?Depressing, that.
Best,
E.Y.H.
Post #1: Introduction
Hi all!
After three false starts (perhaps more, but who's counting?), and the urging of a close friend of mine, I've finally started to compile my thoughts, rants, and observations onto a blog; clearly, it's what you're reading now.
On that note, it's time for a blog post, so let the blogging begin!
Riverside isn't the nicest of neighborhoods to reside in. Just the other day, someone was apparently mugged in front of my apartment complex. Lovely. That said, it's really not so bad as us students at the UC make it out to be, especially in terms of the automotive culture of the area. While it, yes, may not be the best neighborhood out there, automotive similarities can be a fairly good indicator of relative wealth. Case in point: one glance through my parking structure reveals no fewer than four late model BMW 335i coupés, which aren't exactly the cheapest car in the world.
Not cheap, this.
Pathetically typical? Or typically pathetic?
Wrong. Sure, in between the 10 and 91 Freeways there is a lovely den of such... vehicles (and their owners!), if one can even call such automotive atrocities vehicles. Big coffee can mufflers, ugly spoilers, it's all there. However, the closer you get to campus, the better the cars get, in an exponential fashion. This isn't a slow increase, it's a lightspeed jump; this isn't a slow increase, it's the difference between a 7.0 and a 7.1 on the Richter Scale. It's huge.
The easiest way perhaps to chalk up this dramatic shift could perhaps be laid on the large Asian-American population at UC Riverside. Speaking as a member of this population- and one who holds cars very, very dear to his heart- a common stereotype some people might harbor attributes Asians with wealth, success, and power.
Wealth, success, and power.
Naturally, as is the case with all stereotypes, there are exceptions to the rule, thus proving it invalid. Myself, I drive a 1995 Nissan with significant front bumper damage, sagging coilovers, and a rattling interior. Oh, and the CD player doesn't work. Here's to Asian wealth, success, and power, all embodied through a car; it seems I've been a bit shortchanged in that department. Not to mention that the XF and a few of the 335's are owned by decidedly non-Asian kids. Now, with that stereotype quashed, and that explanation for the quality of cars near campus eliminated, what can explain this interesting vehicular dynamic shift?
The answer is simple: the further you get from campus towards downtown, the concentration of the wealthy- and the folks who just drive wealthy-style cars- diminishes exponentially. As a primarily working-class town, Riverside's style doesn't trend towards BMW's and the like; expect to see more Ford F150's instead of Mercedes SLK 350's, and so on and so forth. Befitting a practical, largely blue-collar community, Riverside's automotive landscape embodies this practicality, whereas its resident UC Campus embodies... well, typical University of California, academic ivory tower arrogance. Sure, for every one Lexus there are three Corollas, but the fact remains that in many cases, Mommy and Daddy have bought little Jimmy a car he can't handle, hasn't earned, and doesn't deserve.
Look at Jimmy. He doesn't deserve that.
Now, as a staunch believer in capitalism, I love when people spend money they've earned on frivolous things. But, giving your kid a brand new European luxury car in crime-infested Riverside- ranked as the 24th LEAST safe college in a recent poll, whose URL I cannot find for the life of me, and shall thus omit, setting me up for a massive flaming from the two people (perhaps three?) that actually love our school- is just a bad idea. You're setting them up to be an automotive crime target.
Like real life, except with cheat codes.
After three false starts (perhaps more, but who's counting?), and the urging of a close friend of mine, I've finally started to compile my thoughts, rants, and observations onto a blog; clearly, it's what you're reading now.
On that note, it's time for a blog post, so let the blogging begin!
Riverside isn't the nicest of neighborhoods to reside in. Just the other day, someone was apparently mugged in front of my apartment complex. Lovely. That said, it's really not so bad as us students at the UC make it out to be, especially in terms of the automotive culture of the area. While it, yes, may not be the best neighborhood out there, automotive similarities can be a fairly good indicator of relative wealth. Case in point: one glance through my parking structure reveals no fewer than four late model BMW 335i coupés, which aren't exactly the cheapest car in the world.
Not cheap, this.Granted, you may figure this to be a fluke. However, walking across the street to a different apartment complex, I find myself confronted upon entry by a white Jaguar XF.
Equally not cheap.
Equally not cheap.On a completely ludicrous note, between the two complexes, there are at least 12 late model Lexus IS-series sedans.
Twelve of these. Twelve.
Now, you're probably thinking, "Shucks man, those are just outliers! What's a few Lexus-es, BMW's and Jags, they hardly paint a picture of the campus environment, right? Riverside is known for sketchy locals rolling in riced out Civics and the like, right?"
Twelve of these. Twelve.Now, you're probably thinking, "Shucks man, those are just outliers! What's a few Lexus-es, BMW's and Jags, they hardly paint a picture of the campus environment, right? Riverside is known for sketchy locals rolling in riced out Civics and the like, right?"
Pathetically typical? Or typically pathetic?Wrong. Sure, in between the 10 and 91 Freeways there is a lovely den of such... vehicles (and their owners!), if one can even call such automotive atrocities vehicles. Big coffee can mufflers, ugly spoilers, it's all there. However, the closer you get to campus, the better the cars get, in an exponential fashion. This isn't a slow increase, it's a lightspeed jump; this isn't a slow increase, it's the difference between a 7.0 and a 7.1 on the Richter Scale. It's huge.
The easiest way perhaps to chalk up this dramatic shift could perhaps be laid on the large Asian-American population at UC Riverside. Speaking as a member of this population- and one who holds cars very, very dear to his heart- a common stereotype some people might harbor attributes Asians with wealth, success, and power.
Wealth, success, and power.Naturally, as is the case with all stereotypes, there are exceptions to the rule, thus proving it invalid. Myself, I drive a 1995 Nissan with significant front bumper damage, sagging coilovers, and a rattling interior. Oh, and the CD player doesn't work. Here's to Asian wealth, success, and power, all embodied through a car; it seems I've been a bit shortchanged in that department. Not to mention that the XF and a few of the 335's are owned by decidedly non-Asian kids. Now, with that stereotype quashed, and that explanation for the quality of cars near campus eliminated, what can explain this interesting vehicular dynamic shift?
The answer is simple: the further you get from campus towards downtown, the concentration of the wealthy- and the folks who just drive wealthy-style cars- diminishes exponentially. As a primarily working-class town, Riverside's style doesn't trend towards BMW's and the like; expect to see more Ford F150's instead of Mercedes SLK 350's, and so on and so forth. Befitting a practical, largely blue-collar community, Riverside's automotive landscape embodies this practicality, whereas its resident UC Campus embodies... well, typical University of California, academic ivory tower arrogance. Sure, for every one Lexus there are three Corollas, but the fact remains that in many cases, Mommy and Daddy have bought little Jimmy a car he can't handle, hasn't earned, and doesn't deserve.
Look at Jimmy. He doesn't deserve that.Now, as a staunch believer in capitalism, I love when people spend money they've earned on frivolous things. But, giving your kid a brand new European luxury car in crime-infested Riverside- ranked as the 24th LEAST safe college in a recent poll, whose URL I cannot find for the life of me, and shall thus omit, setting me up for a massive flaming from the two people (perhaps three?) that actually love our school- is just a bad idea. You're setting them up to be an automotive crime target.
Like real life, except with cheat codes.Ignoring that you've just made your kid twice as likely to be robbed (Who needs statistics and citations anyway? I'm from the internet!), you're also instilling in them a terrible lack of appreciation for money. Then again, it's just the nature of our society- and that of parents in general- to spoil ones' offspring. We're a free market economy, so if you want to buy your kids a silly expensive car, no one's stopping you. Keep in mind, it's only your fault though if they end up acting like, dressing, or otherwise emulating Spencer Pratt. Consider yourselves warned.
Your child at age 20-something. Minus the reality TV show and marketable looks.
Your child at age 20-something. Minus the reality TV show and marketable looks.With that bit of advice and ranting done for the day, that's all for me. Enjoy your lives everyone, and I'll keep living mine right here in the ever-cozy, ever polluted 92507.
Best,
E.Y.H.
P.S. Yes, I've changed topics, subjects, and focuses of my ire/fascination/hatred about two or three times. You don't like that? Stop reading my blog.
Best,
E.Y.H.
P.S. Yes, I've changed topics, subjects, and focuses of my ire/fascination/hatred about two or three times. You don't like that? Stop reading my blog.
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