Sunday, March 8, 2009

Introducing the WTF! Awards

A friend that I greatly value suffered a great loss this past week. It's funny, I don't recall when Marc and I became friends; I feel as if I've known him for ages. Logic tells me that our friendship began sometime after 9/11/06, the day that I began blogging. His sorrow is his to tell, so I will simply encourage you to stop by his blog, read his words and offer what comfort that you can.

As for me, I hope to make you chuckle a bit today. Laughter really is the best antidote to whatever ails you.

Several entries ago, I wrote of the things that made me have to wash my mouth out with soap, the events, behavior, and/or statements that made me exclaim, WTF! I've decided to take it one step further and to officially create the WTF Awards. Unlike the Darwin Awards, no one has to die to earn a WTF Award. The criteria is quite simple: the behavior, statements, or events have to move me to proclaim, WTF! I encourage you to send me nominees for future awards whenever you find yourself exclaiming, WTF! And now, for the first official WTF! Awards.

The Power of the Weave
I first heard this story on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, (TJMS) my favorite morning radio show. Tom, Jay, and Sybil find the news stories that other stations miss or dismiss. The setting is Kansas City, MO and the theme is love gone wrong. A young woman got into her car and was approached by a man who informed her that her recently ex-boyfriend still loved her. She responded, "Well, I don't love him." The ex-boyfriend, who was evidently lurking about, upon hearing her less than favorable response, fired a gun at her, breaking out her rear window. She gunned the motor, wheeled her way out of the parking lot and called 911. For some unfathomable reason, she then went back to the scene of the crime, where the police met her. The ex and his friend were gone, but the police caught up with them and arrested them. At some subsequent point, the bullet that was fired through the rear window was located--caught in the young woman's hair weave. She wasn't injured. The weave stopped the bullet. I'm seriously thinking about getting a weave, just in case anyone decides to try and shoot me in the head. Update: The ex's cousin called the TJMS to say that the alleged victim was stalking him and that she probably placed that bullet in her hair weave and broke out her own window.

'Twas Beauty that Killed the Beast
Academic researchers recently released the results of a study conducted at the University of South Florida that offers an interesting perspective on what went wrong with the McCain/Palin campaign. Sarah Palin's beauty made it impossible for voters to take her seriously. Her sexy good looks were perfect for getting her magazine covers and media attention, but actually worked against her for getting votes. It seems that pretty women are perceived as incompetent. I'm thinking that if Palin had uglied up a bit, then no one would have probably noticed her incompetence.

This Is An Emergency!
My perspective on this story has changed from when I first hear about it on TJMS. Latreasa Goodman, age 27, went to a McDonald's in Fort Pierce, Florida and placed an order for a 10 piece chicken nuggets combo. After she paid for the order, she was informed that there were no more nuggets. Ms. Goodman, asked for her money back but was told that there was a no refund policy but that she could have a substitute meal that didn't include nuggets. Ms. Goodman called 911, (three times) in an effort to get her money back. When I first heard the story, it was presented as, "Woman calls 911 because McDonalds ran out of nuggets." I laughed and marveled at her ridiculous behavior, and called the poor woman an idiot. However, after reading additional details of the story and hearing the 911 calls, while I don't think that this was an appropriate use of the 911 system, I also think that the real nitwits in all of this are the media outlets who published misleading headlines and McDonalds. This woman wasn't asking for police assistance because McDonalds ran out of nuggets, she wanted her money back because McDonalds couldn't fill her order. Given these economically stressful times, I see her point. She ordered nuggets, they couldn't produce them, so refund her money. Instead, this particular McDonalds tried to force her to accept a substitution that she didn't want. The update is that McDonalds has apologized to Ms. Goodman, stating that their policy is to offer a substitution but if the customer does not want the substitution, then the customer is to receive a refund. My WTF! Award goes to McDonalds and the media that went for the humorous headline rather than accuracy.

The Birds Are Coming!
This story has been giving me waking nightmares ever since I read it this past week. I have a bird phobia. If you don't have a phobia of any sort, you may not fully understand what I'm talking about. Phobia's are not rational. A fully developed phobia can render an otherwise reasonable adult incapable of moving. I don't know where my bird phobia comes from, it's just been with me forever. I never go in pet stores because most of them sell birds. Even a bird in a cage sets my pulse to racing. I can tolerate birds flying in the sky, but if one lands near me, I have to escape. So this story horrified me. A tractor-trailer was driving along on a Nevada highway when a golden eagle crashed through the windshield into the cab of the truck. Golden eagles only weigh 15 pounds but they have a seven foot wing span. It seems that the misguided bird was very angry, so the two guys in the truck ran for their lives. The eagle seems to have survived with only a slightly swollen head. Meanwhile, every time I'm in my car, I grip the steering wheel and frantically search the skies for any dive bombing birds.

17 comments:

Beth said...

This did indeed make me chuckle, Miss Sheria! I sure wish I could help you with your bird phobia, though. They're such fascinating creatures. Yesterday I watched a male cardinal get a mouthful of suet and feed a female cardinal. Isn't that sweet? And it's so cool to see such behavior.

I can tell I'm not convincing you....

:) Love, Beth

Beth said...

By the way, I don't care if Sarah Palin looked like the Wicked Witch of the Freakin' West, her incompetence still would have shone through for me! ;)

kelly said...

I would have to say that this was very interesting to me. I too have a bird phobia and have at many times ducked (although in my car with the windows up)thinking they were dive bombing me..too funny. not sure when my phobia either..I just know that they are really freaky to me and scare the hell out of me.. but the WTF goes to the bullet in the weave...LOL...
Kelly~

Linda S. Socha said...

Oh boy. My car was hit w3ith a flying bird....many years ago. Fortunately I was not driving. For years I was less careful about my windshield being totally clean...Ah well....I can deal with this better than the ...shh... S ...creature....
Linda

Ken Riches said...

Have visited Marc several times, it is tragic.

I like your WTF awards, and I will keep my eyes and ears open for contenders :o)

Miss Ginger Grant said...

Pretty or ugly, I'm pretty sure Sarah Palin's stupidity would have reared it ugly head sooner rather than later. Her looks didn't lose the election- her stupidity did!

Mark Olmsted said...

Thanks for acknowledging my loss Sheria.
You become friends with me I think because Margo turned you on to my AOL journal, and after a while I just had to let you know I appreciated the intelligent comments. Then I started reading your journal, and a blogamitie was born that turned into a real one.
As for phobias, mine for buttondown collars is far worse. You never get attacked by birds, I have to see those shirts ALL THE TIME.

Joy said...

"I'm thinking that if Palin had uglied up a bit, then no one would have probably noticed her incompetence."

Love this line! Good one! Like they thought no one noticed? LOL

Sorry about the birds.

Alan said...

Thanks! I needed that this morning. Hope the WTF Awards become a regular feature.

Des and Evan's big daddy said...

A few weeks ago I took my fourteen month old son into a pet store for the first time. He loved everything-even the snakes-but completely freaked out when we got to the birds. I guess he's got the bird phobia too.

If I were to send you all the WTF nominations I know of, I fear you wouldn't have time to read anything else.

Yasmin said...

The Macdonalds story brought to mind when I was running my last pub a customer didn't like the steak although she didn't complain to us she sent it to head office demanding a refund...lol. As for weaves good to know I can perhaps stop a bullet..lmao

Yasmin
xx

Lisa :-] said...

I love your WTF awards... I think I might borrow the idea, if you don't mind...giving you full credit, of course.

Yeah...I'm sure we all would have thought Palin was a genius if she was ugly. Actually, I never thought she was all that great looking.

Char said...

The Palin story....I just have to share this...
My 88 year old Mother is a lifetime, diehard Democrat and just couldn't believe it when Palin was announced as the Rep. VP candidate. She was talking to me on the phone and said "What does SHE know about America, she's from ALASKA!" (She'd forgotten that Alaska became a state!) Bless her heart.

Anonymous said...

I love this. Sarah Palin - WTF, indeed! I bet that if she was ugly someone would have said something about our shallow society and how a woman has to be pretty to get anywhere.

Here's something that made me say WTF.

http://www.lynnspace.com/blog/?p=942

I hope you don't that I'm posting the link here.

Unknown said...

another very bright post. so smart it hurts...

i hadn't heard celine dion's version of eric carmen's "all by myself" before... very nice...

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Cynthia said...

Hi Sheria, these WTF's are quite
amusing. Albeit the first one could have had a horrible outcome.
Love your blog!