The Media made me do it, Episode II

[oloriel]

Oh, for fuck's...

Dear German Media,

No, it is not that absurd to name a child Sparrow. Aside from the fact that the kid also features a perfectly normal name, it's kind of silly of you to point out triumphantly that Sparrow means Spatz. So? Yes, in German "mein Spatz" is a common enough endearment, but this is not necessarily the case in the English-speaking world (or is it? Quick flist poll: How many of you were nicknamed "my sparrow" by parents or grandmothers?). Even if it is, a sparrow is still a normal term for a small bird.

But you caaaaan't name a boy for a bird, I hear you cry.

Yeah right, idiots. Because there are no Robins or Merlins - or, for those who speak no English and needed the explanation about what Sparrow means in the first place, Falks running around. And none of them are male. Nuh-uh.

So Robin's a perfectly normal male name, and Sparrow isn't?

Buy yourself a babybook and stop being idiots. I mean, why do you even care what other people name their kids? If you're so bothered about naming babies, make your own. For serious. I mean, an online acquaintance of mine named her offspring Emma Josephine Anoriel, but am I giving her any grief?

Srsly.

Not yours,
The mad linguist

- - -

Dear other German media,

So you're airing Firefly. The complete first season (hah!). Congratulations. I hope you are aware that you're about three to four years too late.
I can already hear it. Same way with Doctor Who. "See? Nobody is interested in this kind of thing. Nobody watched the series!"

No, you're just too late. Everybody in this country interested in the series has LONG SINCE bought the DVDs, the soundtrack, and the RPG.
AND the cunning hat.
Everybody interested in Firefly can watch it at any time they please - not at 10 past 10 in the evening on a Saturday, when even nerds have other things to do than watch TV.

Really clever.

Not yours either,
The occasional nerd girl


- - -

When I am too tired to write about, like, real life, all I do is rant. *nods*

Memes are upcoming.

Comments

[flower-star.livejournal.com]

Uhm ... You know, there are people who might be interested in Firefly and haven't seen it yet? I, for one, do not buy much DVDs and am wary about things I am not sure I'd like which includes Firefly because I'm not that much of a Sci-Fi fan - and the DVD set isn't that cheap, so I'm happy for the chance to have a look. And there are other people who are not active in fandom and might not even know about it yet.

I'm sorry but it just strikes me as seriously odd that you are complaining because they are showing a series that geeks are interested in, even if it isn't new any more. Don't people normally complain because there's nothing on TV they like :/?

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

No, see, I am not complaining because they are showing Firefly as such. I am not actually complaining, more like noticing events with a certain bewilderment. And I am bewildered because they are doing so AT LEAST FOUR YEARS TOO LATE. And at a really stupid time.

Not just because I already bought the DVD set - I doubtlessly would've bought that anyway - but because, if they had jumped onto this particular train when it was actually, you know, new, not only would they have gotten more of an audience - they might also have helped to keep the series alive. Discovering a great series years later (and probably just buying it because well, there's just one season and not much money blown, and it's been dubbed already so no extra cost for that) may be nice for people who never heard about it yet. Discovering it while it's hot and investing in it so there's money/ publicity for a second season? Now THAT would make sense.

Fine, sorry for offending all those who never realised there was, like, a series to accompany the movie Serenity. I suppose that may be forgiveable in normal people. For a TV station, however? Bad form. (In this case it may be excusable as well - Firefly having flopped on TV in the states - but it's also happened with succesful series like the above-mentioned Doctor Who or BSG. I suppose I cannot expect normal people to keep up with TV trends across the wide ocean, but a TV station that runs after every bloody CSI:Hinterpusemuckel might want to do its research.)

And personally I still doubt that "many people who might not even know about it yet" are going to realise that WOOHOO, there's that "new" series on S-RTL with the airing time they chose. Not that I know much about normal people's TV habits, but Saturday night doesn't strike me as a good time for a series.
*shrugs*