And on PBS tonight...
Tonight on PBS, Frontline is doing a story called “The Mormons.” I’m hoping that it’s an accurate and balanced piece. From the ads that I’ve seen it appears that it tries to be factual. I’m hoping that it will clear up some people’s misconceptions. I’m sure it will bring up questions for other people. I’m here to answer anything that anyone would like to ask. I’m just hoping that I get a chance to see the Frontline program since I’m working month end tonight and I have class tomorrow night.
A fun thought about Star Trek (the original series)
Word of the Day for Thursday, April 26, 2007argot \
AHR-go; -gut\, noun:
1. A specialized and often secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a particular group.2. A secret language or conventional slang peculiar to thieves, tramps, and vagabonds.
Note for Future
Do not bring a Hooter's leftover box to EMBA Classes.
Is it the Media's fault?
Sometimes it amazes me how television has changed. When I was a kid, Dukes of Hazzard was considered vulgar and moved to late night TV. Watching the DVD’s now, Daisy was more covered in her bikini than a lot of today’s kids in the sitcoms. As if I needed a reminder of the type of violence and disrespect that we now accept seeing on television, I caught an old re-run of the Andy Griffith show. In the show, a spoiled brat kid disrespects the law, his parents and teaches other kids (Opie) how to behave the same. The show ends with Andy pointing out to the father that if he doesn’t allow his child to have consequences to his actions, how will he become a well functioning member of society? When the son tells Sheriff Andy that he would rather his father go to jail than have his bike impounded, the father finally gets a clue and Andy offers to let the father continue his conversation with his boy in the privacy of the woodshed behind the sheriff’s office.
DH and I looked at each other and decided no way could that show be filmed today. First off, the father wouldn’t have brought his boy down to the sheriff’s office; he would have sent his lawyer with a discrimination suit. If the father had come down and the woodshed was mentioned, he would have sued for the sheriff encouraging child abuse. And the premise wouldn’t have come up in the first place because the kid would have been playing video games instead of riding his bike on the sidewalk. Of course, come to think of it, the kid wouldn’t have a father, he would be living with his single mother and the only male role models he would have would be the homosexual couple next door and the drug dealer on the street corner. The last real father I remember seeing on television was Bill Cosby and that's been a few years now.
So is it the fault of the media and the video games that we’ve become so dependent on sex and violence in our entertainment? No, it comes back to individual responsibility. If no one watched the violent shows, if R rated movies didn’t make money, then eventually the bean counters in Hollywood would kill the projects. We would still have some of the "artistic vision" people pushing the edges of the envelope. The problem I see is as the edges get pushed, what used to be the edge starts seeming normal and we as the viewers forget that it used to be disgusting to us, we forget to complain, and we forget to turn it off.
Again, is it the fault of the media and video games that children are disrespectful and violent? No, it’s the fault of the parents who let them get away with that type of behavior and accept it as normal. Acceptance ends up being tacit encouragement and those who don’t know any better will let their children push the envelope even further until there are no boundaries at all. And when children without boundaries breed, the next generation has to do even more to get attention. It's a vicious cycle.
Labels: media, violence
Stupid things I've heard in the media over the last few days...
1. You mean the gun fired every time he pulled the trigger?
That means it was a semi-automatic, he couldn't just hold the trigger down to fire, each round must be fired separately. What did you want, a gun that only fires at random intervals?2. Why wasn't the school locked down as soon as the first two students were found?
Did they really know at that point that it wasn't a murder suicide, but then wouldn't the first thing you look for be the suicide weapon? 3. We should make psychological profiling a requirement for college admission.
That is just so wrong. It opens the door for banning anyone who doesn't have the same political affiliation as the university, it makes applying to college cost prohibitive and we'll be back to only the rich and connected being able to get a higher education.4. This wouldn't have occurred if guns were banned.
Funny, I thought guns were banned on campus. Cho didn't follow the rules though, most criminals don't follow them. If he hadn't been able to get a gun, he would have found something to use to create havoc.5. He was picked on in high school because of a speech impediment and because of his shyness. That and other traits he had fit the profile of the typical school shooter.
WTF!!! We have a "typical school shooter" profile. Many kids are picked on in high school and they don't turn into nutcases. Not to mention if he came to the US in 1992 that was long before the 23 year old was in high school. But we're supposed to blame high school bullying for his going snap and for his hatred of rich kids? Why don't we blame the media for continually pitting the rich and the poor in politics for Cho's views.6. Was he a Republican or a Democrat?
Does that really matter? What difference would it make, are you going to start banning kids of that political affiliation from college? 7. The showing of the suicide tape with commentary comparing him to Rambo.
This is just too stupid to even comment on.Even if he had a high capacity magazine and hit a person fatally with every single round, he had to re-load at least three times. That would have given a concealed carry holder at least three times to safely eliminate the threat. But Virginia Tech doesn't allow legal permit holding Concealed Carry holders to carry on campus.Edited to add:
Heard over the weekend:
After the handgun ban in England, overall gun violence has increased but there have been no more school shootings.
Wait, after the handgun ban gun violence INCREASED? I thought gun bans were the cure to violence not the instigator of even more violence.Labels: VA Tech
20 years ago right this minute, my mother showed up at the hair salon, informed me that what I was wearing was not appropriate and took me to Nordstrom’s for new clothes. 45 minutes later I escaped and walked to my friend’s apartment where I had stored my wedding dress and walked from there to the temple for the ceremony. Cathy who was dating my husband’s best friend helped me dress for the ceremony. Heaven only knows where my mother was at during the time I was supposed to be getting ready. Probably still at Nordstrom’s. We had planned a ring ceremony to be done on the temple grounds so that DH’s mother could be part of the ceremony but my mother quashed that because she was worried about how long the photographer had been waiting for us.
Needless to say, even though it’s been 20 years, it seems like just yesterday. It’s amazing how time flies when you’re having fun. I’m just so glad that I have more than this lifetime to look forward to with the wonderful man that I married. Our vows were not “as long as you both shall live” they were “for this life and throughout all eternity.” It’s such a comforting thought to know that in the life to come, I will have the comfort and companionship of the man I consider my best friend, my conscience, my confident, and my only lover. It’s only been a moment and I’m looking forward to every day with him throughout time and beyond it.
Labels: anniversary, temple marriage, wedding
Warning
Do not attempt homework under the influence of Lortab.
Easy things that are hard to do?
Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.
Dale CarnegieCarnegie was always the master. I've heard that a lot of the book "The Secret" which is a huge hit right now comes from Carnegie's work and the work of some of the other earlier gurus on success. If the tips are timeless, why is it so hard for people to implement them?
I have a list of the Laws of Success from Napolean Hill on my desk. I have to admit that the first one is what I often have trouble focusing on - -
Have a definite chief aim. I know people that do have a definite chief aim in their lives. Everything they do contributes in some fashion to that aim. I have many things that I want to do but I'm still having issues with what and who I want to be. That definite chief aim is still a bit fuzzy. About a year ago, I put together a life mission statement but I have to admit that I haven't really been using it as a definite chief aim. I've been floating, letting life and projects pull me along instead of managing them and pulling them along. Could it be that I don't really want what I think I should want?
Maybe it's time to step back and re-evaluate and write a new mission statement either that or start acting on the one I said I wanted last year.
Labels: focus, goals, life
Happy Easter!
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful opening to Spring. I understand that Michigan and a few other places had Easter Snow (or Passover snow). We had a late night thunderstorm that was wonderful to listen too.
I spent the weekend finishing up the Winter finals. Tomorrow Spring Semester starts. In the meantime, I did get the pictures taken of a few new things so feel free to browse the gallery. It should be set up for you to leave comments over there too.
Stasha's Gallery
Tips for would be models from a photographer's wife
I realize that a lot of girls wanting to be models think that they can behave as if they are superstars but until you reach that pinnacle, here are some tips to make your reputation and get you requested for repeat work.
- Show up on time – 30 minutes to and hour after the booking time is not “fashionably late.” If at all possible, be early.
- Determine ahead of time if a makeup artist will be provided, until you reach star status, you will be expected to do your own hair and makeup for a lot of the smaller budget shoots. Also, if hair and makeup are provided, expect to pay for them or have them deducted from your pay.
- Do not bring children to a professional shoot. DUH!!
- No excuses – The photographer doesn’t care that your other boss is a jerk who wouldn’t let you off early to get to the shoot on time and that’s why you smell like fry grease.
- Know more than the standard Y,T,S poses. Be comfortable in your body and know how it will move. Think about the product, you are there to show it off, not show off yourself.
- THINK! – or at least be prepared to pretend to do so. In an art shoot, you may be asked for suggestions. If you are not asked for suggestions, do not be offended if any suggestions you make are ignored. Sometimes however, a suggestion may be appreciated. You just have to have the ability to feel your way.
- If an artist you are working with offers to provide a meal, accept or reject graciously. Do not lecture him on the evils of meat, the danger of calories and how hard it is for you to maintain your shape.
- Be aware of what to wear. Know ahead of time if you need to provide clothes or are they being provided for you. When the photographer booked you, he checked a box on the agency sheet saying what he needs you to wear if it is a product other than clothing. If he marked, black bikini he does not mean white, blue or teal or even worse, jeans and a t-shirt.
- Act like a professional, not a brat.
- SHOW UP ON TIME and be ready to shoot.
