Stateside Vindication

I just found an article from Variety magazine about how the American version of The Office is winning over British fans. I feel this is a small victory because I've argued with a few people about the show. These people say the British version is much funnier - the American version just doesn't compare. I disagree.

First of all, these people seem to be obnoxious Anglophiles who use British words around to show how "cultured" they are. Or they're pretentious psuedo-intellectuals who pride themselves on their appreciation of the fringes of pop culture. How could someone like something as mainstream as an NBC show?

I will admit, Season 1's mere six episodes do mirror the British series, but the writers are smart and created scenarios that only enhanced the excellent ensemble cast. The British series never revealed the comic mishaps of more minor characters, instead focusing mostly on the boss and the Dawn/Tim relationship. It was short-lived, so who knows what would have happened had the show lasted another season or two.

Even though the American show has plateaued in Seasons 3 and 4, I can see why British audiences would find it funny - it is funny. Plus, I've come to really care about the characters. The writers are very clever, and Steve Carrell is good in just about every episode without overpowering the ensemble. I would venture to say it's an even better ensemble than (gasp!) America's beloved Friends.

I think NBC's other Thursday night gem, 30 Rock, is turning out to be the better comedy, with all the farce and parody, and Flight of the Concords may just beat both as the best comedy on television. But The Office is still may favorite, maybe out sentimentality. The season finale was great. It met the gold standard set by Emmy-winning Season 2.

The American show has incorporated the British show's awkward comedic genius while becoming distinctively American. So don't tell me the British version is better. Two different shows, two different countries. I'm fan either way, and I'm glad to see British people are, too.

One Sticker I Wouldn't Put on My Car

When I started my series on interesting Austin bumper stickers, I figured, sooner or later, I'd notice one that I would not put on my car. I've been in and out of Austin for most of May, spending some time in San Francisco (a liberal's paradise). But I just got back from a family vacation on Florida's Gulf Coast, which is red country, through and through.

I take certain things for granted living here, and once I'm thrown back into the Deep South or just the rest of Texas (I spent a few days in Houston this month, too), I'm almost shocked by general opinion. Fox News is a legitimate news source? Wait, people still think Bush is a good president?

Honestly, I'm not very political. I'm not as opinionated as my mostly Republican family, and at times, I find the extreme left just as ridiculous as the right. As is the case with this bumper sticker:At the suggestion that we kill off people with differing political opinions, I only become more apathetic.

Peacemongering in Traffic

While stuck in traffic on Riverside (why construction on a Friday afternoon? Really, TXDOT, really. Can't you come up with a better time?) I was behind an SUV with both of these bumper stickers:

Interestingly, this gas-guzzler also had stickers for the Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys. Who says football fans can't also be proponents of peace? Suck that, Fox News.

Very Austin Bumper Stickers

Just about every day, I see an amusing bumper sticker. Most are political or typical of progressive Austinites (who are well represented by this blog). So I thought when I found a bumper sticker that particularly sums up Austin, I'd share it here.

Today's entry:

New Food Blogs

I've added a new blog: The Culinary Purveyors of Austin, sharing the good news of good food to the city of Austin. I've wanted to try my hand at writing as a food critic, and I'd like to write for local publication. I figured a blog was a good way to get some initial experience, though without the sexy intrigue of printed clips.

It is primarily focused on Austin-area restaurants and eateries - no chains or franchises outside the city. I'm keepin it weird and local. I also want contributors, so if you're an Austinite with good taste, let me know and I'll consider adding you. Non-Austinite friends, if you ever decide to visit me, feel free to use this as resource.

Let the eating begin!

Realizations of Significance

I have made some significant realizations in the last week that are the results of sub-concious shifts in thinking, new paradigms if you will. They may seem trivial and superficial, but I assure you, dear readers, they point to larger issues in my life.

1. Houston is not a bad city, and it is much easier to drive there than I thought.
2. Berry's Alumni magazine is clearly focused on a demographic of conservative, conventional Atlanta yuppies.
3. I do not like American Apparel's clothes.

Now to explain the significance of these realizations:

1. While I have no desire to live in Houston and feel much more at home in Austin, driving there is surprisingly easy. Perhaps this is because I'm more comfortable as an urban driver. After successfully tackling two drives through Houston, I now have a change in my mental outlook on driving in general, bringing a better sense of well-being to my life. I.e, very significant.
   
   
2. My alma mater wants money, and as much as I love Berry College, I don't give a shit about the Cage Center. I didn't when I went there, and I certainly don't now. That magazine is not meant to tell us alumni about what our fellow alumni are up to. No, no. It has that appearance, but it is all attempt to get us to give money. And who's the most likely of Berry graduates to give money? Conventional, conservative Atlanta yuppies. Significant? You bet. My school only sees me as a dollar sign. I will say, however, the cover story about the doctor in New Orleans was interesting.
   
   
3. I'm sick of hipsters and their clothes. American Apparel clothing is boring, overpriced, and overrated, and I don't understand why hipsters who work in coffee shops would spend what little money they have on those clothes. Granted I can applaud the use of fair labor. That's great. Wonderful. But what about the moral inconsistencies regarding the CEO? Sexual harassment, anyone? I don't think I can justify $25 on a t-shirt, especially when the head of the company is asshole. If only there were more fair trade clothing options that were stylish...

For more on the American Apparel controversy and lawsuits, check out knowmore.org for a full report.

Insurance for the Self-Employed

If there is one thing that separates the self-employed from those employed by others, it is their preoccupation with health insurance.

Amen.