Yo?

Everyone knows I’m a big Apple fan. My iMac has got to be the best big-money item I’ve ever bought (taking the throne from the down comforter I bought in college that kept me warm for many years until, sadly, Scooter used it as his own personal throne one too many times). I’m keeping iTunes in business (although I am a little peeved that the third season of Battlestar Galactica is unavailable. I’m sure it will be available soon, right?) And my iPod (plus a thick sweatshirt) helps me forget that I’m in Siberia at work.

The whole Apple brand is meant to appeal to someone like me. In general, the advertising is geared towards young, liberal, cool people. (Stop laughing, that’s what I am in my head!) Or, more specifically, women. And that’s fine, I’m willing to have a company cater to me. More companies should. But the new iPod makes me think that Apple may be taking the liberal thing a bit too far.

Unlike Chris Leavins’ iPod (he's the guy from Cute With Chris, and if I weren't totally lame I would have a proper link so you wouldn't have to cut and paste the following, but it's late and I'm tired, so just cut and paste already: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HToumdLClM ) *, my iPod is populated mostly with songs by a bunch of really white people. Astute readers will note that I grew up before rap “music” made young white suburban teenagers try to pretend they were from the ghetto. My formative years were spent listening to so-called “new wave” which featured a lot of really pale guys from Europe who used drum machines and too much hair gel. I missed most of the grunge scene, and I haven’t really bought much music in the last fifteen years. It’s not that I have anything against non-white musicians, it’s just that they weren’t playing on the radio stations I listened to.

My iPod, however, seems to think that I need more balance in my life. A couple of times now, it has come up with some interesting patterns when shuffling songs. For example, it will play “Texas Flood” by Stevie Ray Vaughn, then “Mr. Bojangles” by Nina Simone, then a Sinead O’Connor song, then “I want a little sugar in my bowl” by Nina Simone, then an instrumental piece by Ottmar Liebert. Eventually it just goes whole hog, and I find myself singing along with Nina Simone in “To be young, gifted, and black”.

Oh well. I think my iPod is just jealous because it wanted to be black, and is red instead. At least, I think that’s what it is trying to tell me.

In any case, I leave you with these words of wisdom: “If you’re young, gifted, and black, your soul’s intact.” Now you know.

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(*) It's all clear now, no need to cut and paste, here's the info on Chris Leavins' iPod