Ever wonder why comics are dying?

So I finished watching the online June 11, 2008 episode of the Colbert Report, and they had on David Hadju. This person had written a book about comics books called "The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America", which from the blurb on Amazon is an examination of ...geez, I was just going to copy and paste it, but really, there's no really good blurb I can pull out w/o doing the whole thing. Anyways, if anyone cares, they can go on Amazon or any other online bookstore website. Anyhoo, as I watched the episode, I was first thinking that this isn't one of the regular comic book historians b/c I'd never heard of him. Then I was shocked and horrified. Not at the attack on comic books in the 1950s, heck no. But how horribly Hadju presented the history of rise of the Comic Code Authority, and the demise of numerous comics and publishers. He couldn't even present his own thesis on the show! Colbert had to try and help him stay on his thesis about what the govt was doing! If I was a non-comic book reader, I'd be like "who cares?" *huff huff*
Yes, I was arguing w/ the guy as I watched the episode, and yelling facts and names at him. And I'm not upset only b/c of his horrible presentation, but b/c I know how much he left out, simplied and completely ignored in the interview. I wrote a paper on the persecution of comics in the 1950s, covering the USA and Canada. It was for my Level 400 History course, and yes, I got top marks for it. Yes, I know it's a 5 min interview, but if your argument is that videogames/death metal/TV shows are a scapegoat for society's ills just like comics were in the 1950s, state that! Don't go describing how parents held book-burnings w/o linking it to the brainwashing that occurs at Christian camps. I really don't think this guy has anything new to bring to the examination of comic book history, and his presentation certainly hasn't helped. And no, I never read his book. And I don't intend to.

Insurance Woes

No, it's not that I need to make a claim *knocks on wood*, just that I updated my address, and the rep takes over 10 min to "make changes" and had me on hold the entire time. When she comes back, she immediately tries to upsell me their inclusive package, and only bases her quotes on my current rate. Then at the call closing she slips in that my monthly deductible's going up by $4. You better believe I was mad, and quickly pointed out that she should've told me that after putting me on hold for over 10 min, and certainly before she tried selling me the other options. And then she tries to go w/ "oh I'm sorry, but that's the new rate." Like heck it is, I wanted an explanation. Supposedly it's merely b/c of my postal code, which is in a 5 yr old area, w/ a 5 yr old house which hardly hears any sirens in the area. I pointed out the illogic of a higher rate in a safe new suburban neighbourhood vs downtown only a few streets from the homeless shelter. She could only say that's what that statisticians come up with. Of course I ask for a manager and she offers me a 24 hr callback from an officer. Well I point out that since they close at 8pm EST, that leaves them 1/2 hr to call me at home. So I'll see if I get a callback. *sigh* I wonder if they'd be worried if I mentioned I worked for the federal Dept of Justice? And yeah, it's true, after you work in customer service, you really can't stand poor service.

And I don't know if anyone else gets this feeling, but everytime I talk to an insurance person, I always feel like they're going to put a curse on me if I don't take whatever they're pushing.

Wanting to move out already

Now, some people might consider this mean or rude or ungrateful, but I completely remember why I'd moved out in the first place. On the 2nd day that I got back. The Saturday was when I had less than 2 hrs of sleep, so of course I try to sleep in on Sunday after getting to bed around 1:30 am. Now, I'm one of those people who aren't comfortable sleeping in strange places, so I only get a light sleep (lighter than usual). I eventually get up around 11:30 am. My dad b!tches me out for sleeping in. Excuse me?!! I vacuum the flipping living room and basement the day before, move hundreds of kgs of furniture and I can't sleep in?!!? Anyways, yesterday my dad was talking to my brother on the phone and he just tells me to get changed (I schlup around in ratty old T-shirt and shorts around the house b/c it's more comfortable). Completely out of the blue. So of course I ask why. Then he starts screaming at me to put on my clothes and decide whether I want to go out for dinner or not. WTF?! So now everytime he pisses me off, I just tell me "No wonder why no one want to live with you." B/c really, who wants to live w/ that kind of abuse?

Anyways, work was interesting today. Had a big meeting. It's wonderful getting a mug for just getting employed by them, and not having to work 1 year for a keychain and then 5 yrs to pick something outta a catalog. Tomorrow will be running around a former-convent, if I can get any energy b/c it'll be a really early morning.

Still unpacking. My desk looked so clean before I opened boxes. Also planning on going down to Anime Expo to see Seki Toshihiko. *drool* Argh, but I'll probably panic and freeze and/or freak out. So expensive though. Have to renew my passport, get plane tickets, rent hotel, get spending money. And only a month to do it all. I did get days off work (which was much easier than I'm used to from my previous employer), but H wants to do other stuff and go to other cities also. I'm thinking "dude, you may be on summer vacation but I'm not." But on the other hand, it'll be totally cool to travel w/ her, and we haven't seen each other for a year. So I'm really hemming and hawing. I guess I'll ask my supervisor if I can get a few more days and see if it's okay. Only thing is that during that time period, tons of people will also be on vacation also.