"New Craze" warnings issued

A host of hitherto unknown groups, flocked to get their ten minutes in the sunshine by releasing ominous warnings about the perils of the latest craze, sweeping the planet. The latest craze, which came to a head this week, has already been blamed for a shortage of peanut butter, an increase in lewd behaviour, lax morals, a spike in petty criminality, the internet to slow, the late running of the Newtownabbey Town bus service, a decrease in llama fertility...

You know the form. I go off on one. But the point remains. Why do organisations think they have to offer some sort of expert advice about something that, not three days ago, they were completely unaware of? 

And why is their advice uncritically reported? Sudden expertise is bestowed upon them, when their "expertise" is, at best, improvised.  

It's like everyone has to get their tuppence worth in. Yes, I am aware of the irony. 

Even now, I can see a sad face picture in a newspaper when someone blames the latest craze for fuck knows what, or how it's been banned, or how it should be banned, or how it's gone viral and the rest, as it cycles the well worn, predictable and inevitable path to the destination marked "no longer a craze". A trip strewn with the debris of previous former crazes - a few disconsolate Rubik Cubes, unused ice buckets, frayed Teletubbies, the burnt out remains of hover boards, discarded Tamagotchi's, "as new" Nintendo Wii's  and several hundred thousand unread Dan Brown novels. 

Until the decks are cleared. And something new to fixate and or blame comes along. 

There, I said It

"Alien" is a plodding snorefest only slightly redeemed by one memorable scene. A scene which has now been rendered impotent by repetition and parody.

There, I said it.

"Fail Safe" is a much better film than "Dr Strangelove"