I Hate Other Things, Too
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I'm in my fourth year of my Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) program. I've been very busy working on my Honours Project. Come May 2010, I will graduate. I have big plans for after graduation.
1. I will be part of an expedition to capture penguins and make them my friends. I believe that this will help me with my job search, as I will be able to provide niche coverage of penguin affairs.
2. Find a job.
It's going to be pretty exciting. I had toyed briefly with the idea of retiring straight out of university, but I've since taken a look at my finances and noted that I have massive debt. Four years of university worth of debt. But once I pay THAT off, I'm definitely retiring.
OK, I'm going to dip my hand into the old mail sack and try to pull out some amusing hatemail, because that is what passes for content on this site.
Hey, I found one. It's from "PR."
Look, you seriously need to get a life if your idea of living is to create an entire site to spread hatred about a pair of shoes you don't like, but I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know. Fact is, Crocs aren't stupid. You are. They're an extremely clever design, and functionally, nothing even comes close to how good they are. Your only problem with them appears to be you don't like the way they look, and you're a fashion lemming. All that says is how shallow and immature you are. It says nothing about what's wrong with Crocs, but everything about what's wrong with you and others who hate Crocs just because of the way they look. You probably hate your mother just because she's fat. But you're certainly not smart enough to have created such a shoe 'cos if you were, you'd have been doing something more worthwhile in life.
Have a nice day. Asswipe!
The only comment I have in response to this email is that lemmings don't actually jump off cliffs en masse. That's a myth! But, did you know: in 1958, Disney was making a nature documentary and the team wanted footage of lemming suicide, so they just started herding them off the cliff themselves? True facts.
Moving on, we have another email. It's from Jeff Dunn. What a champion. Here's his email:
Whoever is is burning the Crocs I would assume is either in charge of this ridiculous website or a major supporter. Did you run to the mall and purchase the crocs that you hate so much and support the one company that is making the product that you despise. That would be hilarious. It would also make you hypocrites. I truly hate the pants that are so baggy that it looks like most of our youth did a big shit in their pants. It also looks very retarded and then to go with the pants these skinny little punks where shirts for a man who is 350-400 pounds. I am not about to set up a website claiming I want them off the face of the earth. There is probably one already. I will admit however that Crocs are not very pleasing to the eye, I thought they where stupid too until I tried on my brother's. I found them to be very comfortable. Now I use them as slippers at home. I wouldn't throw on a pair of jeans and head out the door with my Crocs on it looks lame. From want I see on this website is just another money racket. If you hate Crocs check out the store and buy my merch. If you really are serious about how much you hate this product, lets see more walk and less talk. Get yourself some explosives head to china (which is most likely where they are made) and blow that fucker up!! (the factory of course) That would really impress me. You can post the pics of that explosion on your website. Then you can shut this bad boy down. I guess everyone needs a hobby, mine is sitting in my living room with my Crocs on reading the comic books I collect.
Laters
Jeff Dunn
Jeff, you could not be more wrong about me. Anyway, if you're reading this and you hate Crocs, check out the IHATECROCS store. You can buy some sweet t-shirts. And the shoes destroyed in the videos are knockoffs that we purchased for about five dollars.
Oh, my. I just came across a series of three emails from someone named Kirkham Stewart. The first email is nearly 2000 words. I haven't actually read the whole thing, obviously. But, I've skimmed it and I will attempt to give you the gist of it. It starts out talking about religion and then turns into what might be anti-semitic hate speech (I can't really tell) and then bizarrely turns into an email addressed to "roger Cohen in the new york times" and then it is addressed to Jewish people and then he addresses whoever crashed his website.
The second email from this Kirkham reads:
i just sent you an email about your issue with crocs. i challenge you to publish it immediately. for all your little world to see. and did you know about croc's philanthropy before you began to bugger them? what on earth have you got against them? do you Really care so much about what other people are wearing? do you own a shoe company? are you just anti-capitalist? do you hate philanthropists? or is it just a certain kind of philanthropist? when's the last time you gave seventy-thousand poor people something to wear, asshole? why don't you put your money where your BIG FAT MOUTH IS?
And then the third email reads:
Kate Leth i just visited her link too. and what a great contribution SHE's making to society! i suggest she learn to speak english if she insists upon sharing her little world of making up faces with the rest of the world. i wonder if anyone really cares. i pity them. maybe SHE TOO can find something better to do than to bring down great philanthropy and apply warpaint to these people's faces. and would you please explain what this madness is all about? and who fuckin' cares?
Kate Leth is, of course, the person who started this website with me. I don't really understand his criticisms. Anyhow, clearly our friend Kirkham has a few issues and we wish him the very best with all of that.
Finally, I have gotten two bizarre emails requesting link exchanges. One from a website that sells tungsten wedding rings, and another from a site that has something to do with ceiling fans. The reason why I found this bizarre was because... well... why would we link to tungsten wedding rings or ceiling fans? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess. And this time, it PAID OFF, guys. Here are your dang links: Tungsten wedding rings. Ceiling fans.
I hope that means I get a free tungsten ring.
Here are some other things I hate:
- The covers for YA novels.
- Kids today.
- People who talk during, or in any way distract from, a movie.
- Dan Brown.
- The following words and phrases: Silly, keener, guilty pleasure, alrighty, joshing, "fustrated", naughty, funky, snow bunny, wimpy, shared a chuckle.
Oh, ALSO, you can follow me on Twitter. @SavourTheSea. And if you're interested in content produced by me that has even less to do with Crocs than the content on this site does, check out Vincenzo Ravina Dot Com.
You can get to the shop by clicking HERE.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 11:47 PM 15 comments
Neat
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 11:44 PM 7 comments
Mission accomplished?
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thanks to everyone who send us a link to article pertaining to the terrible news re: Crocs. If you haven't read it, HERE is a link.
Apparently we were also mentioned on Fox News, which is neat. If anyone has a link to that, I'd appreciate it.
In any case, this won't be a long post because I'm currently in Italy and the only internet access I have is at the library.
Thanks for your emails and good work, everyone. This victory is a bit bittersweet, though. The whole US economy had to tank to bring it about. Poor, poor US economy. And the job loss, of course. It is a shame.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 10:53 AM 74 comments
optimism
Thursday, January 15, 2009
OK, OK. You're right. It has been too long. I've been doing schoolwork and junk. You know how that is. I'm in my third year of my journalism degree and my 20th year of life. It is a busy time.
Anyway, here is a selection of wonderful mail we've been receiving.
The following is from Coby Klar:
fuck u u fuckin blowjob. i from Korea and i wear crocs. crocs cool!
Klar makes some excellent points. I'll admit that I was almost persuaded by his or her argument.
The following is a supportive email from Holly:
So here is my whole thing. The thing I seem to be reading the most on your website from people who love Crocs is how you have no life to be making this website. Well what kind of life do people who love Crocs have if they have time to
1. Search or find this site in the first place
2. Read what you have to say about hating crocs and last but not least
3. Send you an email complaining about you and the website...
Hmmmmm. Good questions right. Now just as a personal note. I used to be a hard core Croc hater, till one day my mother in law bought me a pair for work. I work in retail and I am constantly on my feet, these actually turned out to be very soothing to them. But I am certainly not going to bash you for having an opinion!
Mary had the following to report:
I'm seeing an increasing number of blog entries from Crocs lovers which describe horrific foot rashes gotten from them, identical to the ones I've been getting: My Crocs are kept clean and I have always worn them exclusively with socks, yet each time I wear any of my many pair of Crocs, my feet break out in clusters of extremely itchy sub-derma blisters which erupt within 2-3 days. These blisters tend to cluster at points where the shoe rubber is in direct contact with each stockinged foot. I also get nearly the same allergic reaction, only somewhat more extreme, precisely where the metal Crocs logo rivet rests against my instep, inside the shoe. If I don't wear the Crocs, I don't get this reaction; in fact, I get no foot problems whatsoever. If I wear the Crocs for so much as a couple hours, the blister rash comes back, always in identical form, and takes a week to get rid of.
Have you heard any other similar reports?
We haven't heard anything other than what you've brought to the table. How about the rest of you guys?
The following is an email from Jaime:
I think you are crazy for posting this website I love Crocs. I understand that you have a great hate for Crocs but you don't need to share that with the world. PS I am 10 years old and seem to be more mature than you, but who's to judge how intelligent a 10 year old is compared to a 30-40 year old like you.
Sincerely,
A Very Smart Ten Year Old
To which we responded as follows:
Neither of us is 30-40. And I fail to see how you can glom how mature we are from the website. Especially considering how incorrect you are about our ages.
But, thank you, Jaime, for writing. We receive little feedback from ten-year-olds. Who do you like for the next American president?
-Vincenzo A. Ravina
That email was sent BEFORE the American election. We now know that Obama won. And on behalf of the Canada-based IHATECROCS, I thank you, voting Americans, for voting in someone who seems intelligent. We'll have to wait and see if he actually does good things for your country, but I am optimistic. Good luck.
And yes, before you ask, it did make me feel like a big man to write a sarcastic email to a ten-year-old. We pick up self-esteem where we can, people.
Anyhow, we're getting down to brass tacks on the whole Spreadshirt sale thing. Tomorrow's the last day. Here be coupon codes:
USD$: NEW29
CAD$: CADNEW29
Keep up the good fight.
You can get to the shop by clicking HERE.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 10:11 PM 14 comments
2009
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Hello everyone and happy new year.
This is just a quick message to let you all know that Spreadshirt (the company that makes our IHATECROCS t-shirts) is putting on a 20.09% sale between now and January 16th. So, if you were planning on buying a t-shirt, don't forget to use the below coupon codes to get some money off your order! The codes only work on orders over twenty dollars, however.
Coupon codes:
USD$: NEW29
CAD$: CADNEW29
Keep up the good fight.
You can get to the shop by clicking HERE.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 1:44 AM 10 comments
Hatemail from Newsweek readers
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The best part of getting mail is getting hatemail. It is fun! I will tell you, I am most commonly accused of not having a life, which is always funny to me. I appreciate hatemail, because I am not a very angry person and I imagine that it must take a lot of work to get all worked up and angry at someone you have never met and probably never will meet. It's all very curious. I appreciate the effort of these hatemailers.
Here is a strange one from Michelle. She's civil and appears to agree with us.
Wow,
I can’t believe there are people that have the time to “talk about shoes” –
But, since I happened across your site – thought I would speak my mind.
Crocs are just another example of society’s acceptance of the ridiculous.
With the public at large revering cartoon characters, bad behavior, and just
plain lowering the bar for expectations, is it a wonder that Crocs would be the
epitome of fashion?
Please – don’t waste the internet on anymore stupidity.
Alex, on the other hand, is not coy about it:
how can you be so stupid? i don't like them either , but waste your fucking time doing that.
you must be very miserable, go find a pussy and do something for yourself.
don't be ridiculous, who are you to judge people , if you are the one in the video ,you need to look at yourself in the mirror and do something about you own look, ASS HOLE!
That is just harsh. But it gets harsher! Here is one from "T Gackt":
Nice blog you FUCKIN STUPID ASS DIPSHIT!!!
GET A FUCKIN LIFE!!!
My entire family wheres Crocs. They fuckin rock!
YOU FUCKIN SUCK SHIT!!! WHO GIVES A SHIT ASS FUCK ABOUT FASHION YOU FUCK!!!
FUCK YOUR FUCKIN BLOG!!! FUCK FUCKIN YOU!!!
The poor guy seems to be having problems with his shift key. Maybe it sticks. Here is a perplexing one from Jason:
You are a bunch of idiots to come up with such a stupid website. Jealousy is an ugly emotion. I love the fact that the company is smart enough to advertise on your website , You are nothing more than advertising for Crocs. This is more than a fad and if you would be smart enough to try a pair on you would also understand why smart people were Crocs. Were do people like you have time for creating such stupid websites.
1. I can't imagine what we are meant to be jealous of. Croc-wearers? No. Crocs, the company? Not particularly. I mean, if offered the chance to make millions just by encouraging people to wear stupid shoes, I'd probably go for it, actually. You heard it here first, people. If offered millions, I am willing to sell out.
2. Crocs doesn't advertise here. There's some kind of algorithm that picks up words on the site and picks stuff to advertise. Naturally, it picks Crocs.
3. I have tried on a pair. I found them to be strange and cumbersome. You're right, though. I've never tried to actually become a pair of Crocs. I really never knew that smart people were Crocs. I'm glad they got a chance to regain their human forms, anyway.
4. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LEARN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHERE, WERE AND WEAR. I hate errors like that more than I hate Crocs.
Moving on... An email from Travis!
What is wrong with you people? Have you ever been out of the country? Clogs have been around for some time now, so, how do you deem it necessary to think that we need to abolish something that other people like? I don’t like them either, but its not my business to dictate who wears clogs, nor is it yours. That is why we live in a free country and get to decide on what ugly thing we wear next.
A lot of people who write in to our site don't believe in freedom of speech, just the freedom of being able to wear ugly shoes. Also, he asks whether I have been out of the country. My answer is 'Yes, a great many times.' To Italy, to Austria, to Switzerland, to London, England, to New York City, to Tunisia, to Peru, to Boston... And I've been to many of the provinces in my own country (Canada). I fail to see the relevance of the question.
Sarah really tears into us:
Hey. You guys should just shut up!! Just because you don't like crocs, doesn't mean that everyone else should go along with you!!. And it is definately not important enough to make a stupid website about it or have a FACEBOOK group!!! I like Crocs. They are comfortable and you can pass them off as tennis shoes in gym class because of the strap!! You are just idiots!! You don't have to like crocs. You are entitled to your own opinions, but you don't have to be so public and pushy about it. I have to go buy some more Crocs for school. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
See you never!!
I'm sorry that I was so pushy as to force you to visit my website, click on the email link and have you email us. My bad, as the kids say.
Michael has this to say:
U stupid noobs r so stuped! Crocs are the best shoes ever!U suck for making this website.
And if you thought that was the tersest hatemail, check out this one from Coby:
go fuck yourself,, fuck you..
Anyway, thanks to all of you who sent hatemail! It was all very amusing.
You can get to the shop by clicking HERE.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 12:38 PM 24 comments
Email from Newsweek reader Stacie, former Crocs employee
Saturday, August 09, 2008
In the second installment of our recurring feature called 'Emails from Newsweek readers', I bring you an email from Stacie:
Call me slow, but I just stumbled onto your website today as a link from the Newsweek article. Anyhoo, I love it! Long story short, I worked at Crocs 2+ years ago and it was hands down the worst job I have ever had.
My two previous jobs I had been at for 5 and 5 1/2 years, I lasted a mere 7 weeks at Crocs. I started there as the Art Director which was a new position in the company. Needless to say, it was a cluster from day one. The environment was complete chaos. Everyone running around trying to capitalize on opportunities and doing things half-assed. My supervisor would dump a ton of work on me, then leave early to go running. My average day lasted anywhere from 14 - 17 hours including working over the weekends to meet impossible deadlines.
The ethics of the company were questionable as well. The saying in the office was "you worked at Crocs because you were either related to someone or sleeping with someone" and that was true. The CEO's wife and daughter worked there and the daughter was the completely clueless footwear product manager. The web guy's wife was related to one of the owners. One of the vice-presidents was dating a girl in the Rx division...so on and so forth. It was literally enough to make you sick.
I was there about 3 weeks when I realized I had made a terrible error in judgement and desparately needed to get out. Luckily, another company that I had interviewed with offered me a position which was my saving grace. Just showing up to work at Crocs made me physically ill. I'm am glad that I got out and yes, for more reasons than the fact they are ugly-ass shoes, I too HATE Crocs!!!
-Stacie
Good times! Thanks for writing!
You can get to the shop by clicking HERE.
Posted byVincenzo Ravina at 1:03 PM 8 comments
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