How Germans Do Beer Commercials

 After all this Bud-Lite chatter....I sat this week and reviewed the typical German beer commercials.

In about 90-percent of cases....there's some scene of a mountain stream, and 30 seconds of calm chatter about the effort to make a pure beer.  Occasionally, it'll be a beach scene, with the calm chatter.  

The other 10-percent of German beer commercials?  Mostly light humor (what both men and women would laugh about).    

The Heineken folks?  They typically do a comedy-type situation....30 seconds....something that the typical beer drinker would be amused about.

If any of them had gone the trans route?  It would have had to be amusing and I don't think the trans community would be happy over the use of their brand to sell beer in a funny way....at least in Europe.  

Netflix's Queen Cleopatra 'Saga'

 This past week, I attempted to watch the 'Q-C' series off Netflix.  

First, it's a four episode series.....45 minutes each.  

I would say they had this idea of doing a 50-percent piece where experts (historians) talk in the background to explain the moment in history and what is recorded history.  The other 50-percent is actors chatting and giving their view of the moment.

In most of these historical pieces done in this manner....it's about 75-percent with the historians and 25-percent with actors simply going through the sequences, without a lot of chatting/dialog.

The Queen displayed being 'black' (African)?  Well....in the case of Cleopatra....she was Arab/Greek.....not black.  It's funny....over and over, the production team insist that Egypt is Africa, and thus the queen is black. It's simply a untrue statement.

What I would suggest....it would have made sense to do one 75-to-90 minute historical piece....instead of four episodes of 45-minutes each.

I admit....I gave up about 10 minutes into episode two.  

I won't dump on this to a severe nature, but they spent a lot of money for what should have been a low-budget historical documentary. 

How I Think Grocery Operations and Retail Stores Will Run Beyond 2026

 First, I think most will have evolved into a private-club operation where you need membership cards.  That means a security entry point as you enter.  No membership (tied to your credit card)....no entry. 

Second, as you conclude your trip....it'll involve a security guy checking your receipt and bag.  

Third, I think a number of grocery operations will be out of a warehouse situation, where they come by and deliver what you ordered....keeping you out of their warehouse as much as possible.

Fourth, I think from the remaining stores trying to run as a public operation....prices will be inflated by as much as fifty percent because of theft problems....making them less desirable to shop at.

Finally, 'red' states probably will put very serious laws into effect where 14-day stays in jail will be a fairly common thing for retail theft. This will eventually convince people to pack up and move out of these states.   

That NY City Story

 From the news folks....apparently, it's said that last night Prince Harry and his woman....Meghan....were in NY City...in a taxi, and the paparazzi folks (in  several cars were chasing them....creating a highly dangerous situation.

I sat there for a while...trying to analyze this.

Having been to NY City on three occasions in my life....I'd generally say three facts:

1.  In most of NY City, top speed is 45 mph.

2.  With traffic density and poor alignment of lights...you'd be better off taking the subway, or walking....instead of relying upon a cab.

3.  99-percent of 'real' people travel through NY City in a limo....NOT a cab.  

So I've come to what I think was going on.

I believe the cab with Harry/Meghan was being chased by one car, and it was filled with four guys wearing red MAGA hats....yelling 'THIS IS MAGA COUNTRY', and chanting other Trump phrases.  

Yeah, it was probably a wild evening and the four guys this AM....don't remember much from their booze/drug binge evening.  

My Advice About Living In A Shit-Hole Blue State

 First assess how you define a shit-hole blue state.  Maybe you live in eastern Oregon, and only meet an average of eight nutcases per year, and it's not that bad living in a rural location.

Second, if it's reached a point of leaving/exiting....where exactly are you moving to, and is there a possibility that it's a shit-hole blue region/state?

Third, identify the top ten reasons which affected you the most, and ask yourself....how did these things occur?

Fourth, if there are relatives involved in helping make your state a shit-hole blue state....how much interaction do you want with  them....at the new location?

Fifth, is your connection to cable TV, or social media part of the negativity,  and should you end your cable TV connection, or terminate your social media accounts....as you make the move?

Sixth, assessing your 'drag-nature'.....are you confident that you won't drag bits and pieces of your shit-hole state over to the new location?

Seventh, if there was a political or religious group who helped to create your shit-hole state....are you willing to part company with them in this exit?

Eighth, is there any part of you really attached to living in a shit-hole state....making this a dismal planning idea, and that you might move back to the shit-hole in twelve months?

Ninth, are you prepared to dress different, feel different, socialize differently, and be accepting of a non-shit-hole location?

Tenth, about twelve months into this move.....will you still be traumatized, and should you be seeing a mental health doctor as part of the move/exit?  

Ten Things I Now Believe

 1.  I think from the 200,000-odd folks who serve on company boards in America now....the vast majority have no relationship or understanding over their consumers.  

2.  There's probably a ten-person team over at Anheuser-Busch working on a plan to dismantle/take-down Bud-Lite, and reinvent a new same-taste beer out of thin air.

3.  If you say right-wing mobs exist....then left-wing mobs also exist.  

4.  If your company has collapsed (gone under), and you (as an employee) think you have some negotiation power here to arrange your exit....you might be one of the reasons why the company failed in the first place. 

5.  Generally, disposing of your gun into a garbage dumpster is not strongly recommended, but it's not exactly illegal either (just in case your first name was Hunter).  

6.  Archie Comics said this week that they are going to make one of the main characters (I'm guessing Jughead) into a trans person.  Just guessing but I think this is the bitter end of the comic company.

7.  Some talk out of NY City indicates 50-percent of hotel rooms in the city are now covered by migrants....meaning if you were a tourist and wanting to stay in the heart of the city for a week...you probably won't find a room.  

8.  In California, if you brought up affordable housing and asked what'd it cost to buy a typical average home....it'd be a minimum of half-a-million in some locations.  

9.  From the old Maxwell Smart series....the evil empire that Max fought against was KAOS, which never had a meaning.  I think 75-percent of viewers believed it stood for something.

10.  You noticed now....after anyone makes a speech at the national level....roughly forty journalists rush up to explain what they said....taking twice the time that the original guy spoke on?  

Alabama Law on Homelessness?

 In my home-state of Alabama....draft bill HB24 is moving up and will likely be passed (overwhelming legislative support).

So the law (if it reaches passage)....says that two or more arrests for loitering will be a Class C misdemeanor.....meaning that your punishment then is is potentially up to 30 days in jail, and a $500 fine.  It also says that the LE guy must offer to transport the person 'somewhere' (I'm guessing out of the city or county limits), or request they leave peacefully before making an arrest.

It's what I'd call a 'hobo-law'...something that existed a good bit in the 1930s, and kept vagrancy in most states to a minimum.

Direct weapon against homelessness?  Yes.

If you are just laying around, loitering, or camping out on public ground....the LE guys will just encourage you to leave the city or county.  Will judges issue out the 30 days deal in jail?  I have my doubts....it just means spending more on food and handling....most counties in Alabama don't have room for 30 to 60 more 'guests'.  What I could see....three days to seven days of jail...to impress upon you the nature of things.

Will it trigger something to happen?  I'd suggest one of two scenarios: either the church-charity folks get all hyped-up to provide shelter space, or homeless folks get the idea to leave the state entirely.

This to be challenged in court?  Maybe, but it's encouraging people to take action or face consequences.