You want to talk about Ethics!

Tragedies occur everywhere and everyone has to try move on past it. In Valley City, we have been struck with two disasters right after one another. I do not want to get into details on either of them because they are not my place, but there is one thing about these events that has gained attention. If you were in Comm 200--Intro to Media Writing, you remember discussing journalistic ethics and behavior.



What is right and what is wrong? Who allows the media to pick and chose what goes in a newspaper and what gets broadcasted on air? Why is it that only a select few have this right and everyone else has to endure what they decide is ethical?



If you do not know what I am talking about, Sara Gullickson, an 18-year-old from Spirtwood, North Dakota, was submerged in her car for a half hour before being rescued. It was the next day that the article hit the times record, with a picture of Gullickson lying unconsciously on a gurney. What type of newspaper would do this? I later found out that this is done all the time in bigger cities, such as New York, Chicago, or L.A., but in a community where every face is recognizable, then this is preposterous.



Of course, this raised a cry of ethics. The T.R. tried to defend itself by saying that it was only trying to show how fast the rescue squad could work, but there are better ways to show this and leave an unconscious girl aside. It was not illegal, but I had never seen anything more wrong.



The next week, another tragedy struck, and this one hit much closer to me than Gullickson. A very close family friend was found dead in her house, at the age of 15. Jenna Diemert was a fun-loving girl and always wore a smile on her face. The moment I heard of her death, I sank into such a state of shock; I accused the person who had told me of lying and playing a horrible May 8th joke.



Where will the media take this? There is way more to this story, involving the type of death and where she was found? Is this the type of information that is allowed to be placed in a newspaper? If a reporter can try to justify an unconcious girl, how will they try to justify this?



It all comes down to what is right and what is wrong? Ethics, and where do certain people stand? I do not think either of these instances should gain that much publicity simply because they are personal, family affairs. With Gullickson, she is still in the news because of her recovery and that is different, but the photograph they used on the FRONT PAGE was sick.



With Diemert, there are already so many rumors going around and people trying to convince everyone else of what happened, that I do not even want to think of how the media will affect this. Since when did a family event become elligible for public endorsement?


Since this is my last post for class, I want to close with something I read by Oscar Wilde:

“Its failings notwithstanding, there is much to be said in favor of journalism in that by giving us the opinion of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community.”

That's all folks....

Who Better To Save The World Than A....

HERO!

Or multiple, since the show phenomenon is entitled Heroes. That's right, the NBC show that captivated the world and definitely caught my attention to the point of obsession (and everyone knows it). For those who have seen the show, you will agree that it is amazing; and for those who have not, I urge you to start. Once you get hooked, you will not be able to stop. *You will see where I am going with this as soon as you reach the end of my blog. I decided to use a creative attention getter to get your attention. HAHA*

Okay, so, in this show, normal people all over the world discover they have special abilities. Take for instance, Claire (played by Hayden Panattierre) who cannot be hurt, harmed, injured, or, for lack of a better term, die at all in the show! She is joined by Peter Petrelli (played by Milo Ventimiglia) who has the ability to absorb other people abilities and pass them as his own. I could go on about the cast, but you get the idea. Basically, it becomes a battle between good and evil, as many science-fiction shows are. But what really draws the attention of so many are the visual effects and the way the story continues, each web interweaving. The real battle takes place with every hero coming in contact in ways that you would never expect.

So where am I going with this? Isn't it obvious already? It is about obsession. The way the media and entertainment industry can bring people to a point where they can't miss the next episode. It happens all the time with baseball or basketball; it's just a different market doing the work. And the kicker is that these industries know exactly what they're doing and know how to do it well.

For example, when the Heroes finale was on, is was Monday, April 27th. I was in my room, and suddenly my mom came in to tell me that I had another neice. Instead of being excited, I told her to get out. My show was on! I know that I may have gone to an extreme here, but I do not think I was the only one this has happened to while watching a show. The way the media is involved with this is through the advertisements and announcements telling people to buy and buy and buy all the stuff that deals with the show. Season packages and desktop wallpapers are all purchased by people because THE MEDIA has told them to do it. And who wouldn't listen to the media. It is very convincing!

If you agree, you will understand where I coming from on this. Although my example was trivial, because, I can safely say that I know people who are the exact same way about their favorite team, or favorite star. Even if the show they watch is an awards show or a movie, it is the media that draws people in and makes them WANT to watch.

If you have a show you cannot miss, think about it? What makes you watch it? Your subconscious or a reminder on the television saying that it is coming up. How about a billboard or a annoucnement in the paper. It's just one of the many ways the Entertainment Industry and the Media come together for a common good.

**One more quick thing: Watch for Season Five of Heroes coming to NBC soon!

Technological Burden

So, four years ago I bought a brand new Dell Computer. I was so excited because I had a very old Mac in my room which was not serving the purposes I wanted. I spent $850 on this computer, a reasonable price for a 15-year-old I would say. Well, my mother decided she wanted to have a better computer downstairs for her use as well (and, her typical use on the computer is to check email and sign-up for the Keith Urban fan whatever). Within two weeks, we each had a new computer coming to us, and a week after that, wireless internet hooked up for them both.
It was not long after this that I decided I should have talked my mother out of this purchase of her computer. I didn't know how to tell her but she did not know how to use the computer as well as she thought. She called my downstairs one day and told me the Internet was broken. I looked at her with one of those my parents don't understand anything looks and she told me that the site she wanted to access--hotmail--was not allowing her on and that meant the Internet was broken. I told her that hotmail was a site and that is not what controlled the functionality of the internet. She, of course, being the mom, tried to convince me that I was wrong. Easily, I logged into facebook and proved to her that I knew more about technology than she did.
It seems funny, when you think about it, that everyday functions are now being done by the computer. What once took hours now takes seconds. Communication is at the push of a button instead of the end of the Pony Express. The older generations do not have the same grasp of technology that those under 20 or 30 have. It is all to do with how they grew up.
For instance, if we look at my mother, a computer was introduced to her at the same time it was to me. Since I was still in school and was young enough to grasp the concept, this modern device came easily to me. My mother, not so much. It is not easy to teach an old dog new tricks.
Would it make sense to sit down with every adult and teach them these technological advancements? Probably not. Some, given time, can come to solve the basic problems, but most cannot come to understand all of the keys and functions without step-by-step instructions.

If one thinks about it, it will not be long before our generation is too old to fully comprehend all the latest gadgets and gizmos. Technology is constantly changing: Hybrid cars, GPS, ect.

Soon, the world will be run by computers. The movie iRobot gives some depth on this idea, as does Eagle Eye. Both show the burden of having technology that is too advanced for its human counterparts. If this result will ever happn, no one can be sure, but soon, all the simple jobs will be gone. Education will be done by computers and human intelligence will become just that--human!

My mother did not know all there was about her computer when she bought it and we do not know all about the computers we are now creating. Whether there is a connection, no one can say. Just wait and see!

Personally, I cannot wait for super smart computers....ones that will do MY homework for me. :)

"Waiter, Bring Me Water"

Shania Twain, country singer phenomenon, on her UP! album in 2002, sang the hit Waiter, Bring Me Water. In these present times, it seems this song may be appropriate to describe the conditions of Valley City. Fargo. Grand Forks. North Dakota in general.

In 1996-1997, North Dakota experienced the great flood, which left Grand Forks powerless for some time. Many can recall the incident, and many also prayed that it would never occur a second time. They got their wish: This year’s flood is worse than 1997.
Again, a big thank you goes out to Mother Nature. Without her additional snow, we may have had an enjoyable spring, but that is too ordinary. It was not like, as North Dakotans, we could not handle the snowfall, but what set this year apart is that the snow never ceased. Since the snow was also very wet, when it landed on the ground, it soaked in and froze. As the winter months continued, the snow accumulated on the ground, piling up into mounds that would take weeks to melt. When the sun did finally shine and some of the snow did melt away, it froze and the piles grew ever taller. This is simply related to the fact that the ground was frozen and none of the water could soak in and disappear. It needed to go somewhere, and this led the water to the streets.
Aside for the amount of snow that fell this year, 1997 did not have the over ground flooding that North Dakota is experiencing now. This comes back to the amount of snow that did not melt. Now, it is April and temperatures are reaching the 30’s and 40’s. This means the snow that did not melt previously is beginning to add water to the river. And, since the temperature is increasing, snow becomes rain. The water levels in rivers across North Dakota—including the Sheyenne, James, and Red—have risen to dangerous levels, threatening the residents in the 39th state.
Record snow fall plagued North Dakota in December alone. The amount of snow left people immobile and the freezing temperatures rendered the snow in the same manner. The combination turned into the nightmare now being faced by the state.
In order to solve this, citizens and lawmakers alike have turned to creating sandbags and contingency dykes throughout residential neighborhoods. The water has already broken through one dyke, since they are not meant to withstand days of pressure. This morning, my family was told to evacuate their house, which is located on 8th Ave. Later, dorm residents were asked to not return or to leave as it is. What will become of the flood of 2009? Only Mother Nature can truly tell us where our fates lie. And, knowing the unpredictable force of this woman, soon Valley City could be known as Valley Lake. It looks like we have to wait and see.

You sing it, Aretha Franklin!

I have to admit, although it is not something I wanted to say, I am entering a stage of writer's block. I am running out of material to blog on, and this is weird for me because I never run out of stuff to say. This can be a good thing, or bad, considering your point of view.
So, as I sat at Speech Practice one night and an interesting topic was brought up: Do children (today's youth) respect their elders?
Who does not remember hearing their parents say, "Respect your elders" every time we would get into a little spat with someone. Heck, we were kids. We did not know any better. But, growth and maturity come with age, and now, looking back, we did have plenty of respect for our elders if you take a look at today's youth.

What is respect? According to dictionary.com, there are 16 definitions for the word RESPECT. Here are three I find important:

to hold in esteem or honor
to show regard or consideration for
to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with

I do my observation hours out at BCN, and as I sat there one day, a student walked in crying out, "Hey douche-bag." I looked and saw that he was referencing the teacher. I was appalled! I knew if I ever called one of my teachers a douche-bag, my mouth would more than likely be tapped up tight. The teacher was very relaxed and just spoke to him back, but I still couldn't believe that I had heard that come out of his mouth in reference to a person in a position of authority.
Another personal situation I have had with this came on Saturday, April 4, during my regional tournament. My head coach asked me to give the pep talk to my kids, and so I walked in with smiles and excitement. I tried to share my enthusiasm with the kids, but most would not stop talking for me to get a word in. I told one student she had to be quiet because I was older and it was my turn to talk. She mouthed back at me, and then a junior girl stepped up, "He's not just older, he's our coach. Respect him enough to let him talk!"
I do not blame the kids though. I believe (and please, no one take this offensively) that parents are becoming younger and younger, and therefore, kids are being raised in different households than we were brought up in. Drugs, drinking, and sex are all things that are moving down in the schools. I was alarmed when I heard that a seventh grade girl at my high school was pregnant. Honestly, I didn't even know that was possible.
It comes down to what parents do an say. Since parents are still in their late teens-early twenties when they are having kids, they are still living their lives, so children are raising themselves. It is a sad notion when you walk into a second grade room and hear the F-word come out of the children’s' mouths.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T...find out what it means to me." It is funny to say this, but it means less and less as our generations continue. It is time to teach children how to have respect once again.

I leave you with this quotation from James Baldwin:

"Children have never been very good at
listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate
them."

Where are we headed?

As I sat in my Intro to Education class on Monday morning and heard something that I had never expected to hear. In North Carolina, a man walked into a nursing home and killed 8 people. My instructor, Amy Anderson, told us that one lady covered her face because she didn't want to watch the man kill her.


My heart fell as I listened to this story. What kind of sick, twisted monstor does something like this? These people are 80-90 years old and this man thinks that they will be able to defend themselves against his treachery. I just simply could not believe it!


I know that I am supposed to focus my blog on Arts and what not, but I am also allowed to speak on Culture, and I believe this is a cultural issue unlike any other.

I pose you this question: Where are we headed? Where is our culture going if a man will walk into a nursing home and kill 8 innocent people?


And where are we heading when a murderer gets sympathy for it? When I was looking for information about this, I found an article saying that the gunman had cancer. Does this make it right? But also, what is the right way to respond to this situation? Murder to deal with murder? Where is the Meander Right? The Right to a Trial by Peers. That has been replaced by an officer with a gun.


Our society is going to a place where no one is ever going to be safe. Our discussion in my class on that morning then brought us to deciding what a school could be called:

• Daycare
• Social Institute
• Knowledge Facility
• Jail

Safety is something that our country used to pride itself on, but as of late, there is a serious lack going around.

"Sunday's incident was the third major shooting in the south-eastern US this month. On 10 March, a 28-year-old man killed himself, his mother and eight others in a shooting spree in Alabama. Days later, a Cuban immigrant killed his estranged wife and three others in Miami before taking his own life."

What does this lead to? As individual citizens of the United States, should we begin to focus on what is really important? Let us all go back to second grade: We have the teacher preaching up there, "You have certain needs. Love and Belonging..." When our second graders have a better idea of friendship and belonging than our adults, we know there are issues.

It comes down to doing our part. Remember Abraham Maslow? He integrated a hierarchy of needs into American Education. And just as it should be, love and belonging falls right after safety. Ultimately, that is the need that we do not have: Safety.

How do we fix this? We start to care. We start to understand and accept. As a culture, we can all start to realize that people are people, no matter what the color of their skin or the number of years they have lived. Life is too precious and when one man can take another's, where does that leave us.

I am reminded of a set of dialogue from the 2004 Blockbuster iRobot.

Detective Del Spooner: What if I'm right?
Lt. John Bergin: [sighs] Well, then I guess we're gonna miss the good old days.
Detective Del Spooner: What good old days?
Lt. John Bergin: When people were killed by other people.

Let's get away from this. In North Carolina, they have a way to go, but as a world, we can head ourselves in the right direction.

When in Europe...

Do as the Europeans do?
Okay, it does not quite flow the same, but still, it was a cultural experience unlike anything else.

Singing Through Amsterdam and London

42 residents of Valley City (or nearby) travelled to Europe for Spring Break and it was truly a culture shock. We travelled first to Amsterdam, and right away, saw people whom we would never have called different than ourselves. At points, it was hard to remember which face belonged to our group because they all looked alike.

When I prepared for this trip, I expected the basic Eurotrip type feeling: Girls in bikinis accompanied by a lot of alcohol and drugs. True, all of this was there, but what lay hidden away behind was a culture that we may have long forgotten about. These people live in a place that has such a unique design and natural beauty, I could not believe people take it for granted. This website, which gives basics on the Red Light District, said something I found very believable: They have all this, but that is not what they are about! Having seen it, I can truly say I believe it is true.

The thing that really got me while in Amsterdam was the Anne Frank House, which is now a museum. If you have not seen it or read the book, I feel pity on you (not to be mean). But, of course, this book is way too popular to not be read, so crises averted. Back on track, we were allowed inside the house in which this family hid for nearly two years; one can't help but feel a brand new respect for what these people went through. People sat, staring at the walls--ones that Anne had seen every day--and cried. It was hard not too! This is something we grew up hearing. It's the same with 9/11. It is one thing hearing about the towers going down, but when I went to New York in April last year, and saw the GAP where the towers used to stand, it brings a whole new perspective on everything.

Another huge cultural experience was in the cuisine: Croquettes! These are like a meal that has been deep-fried. They are quite tasty (in moderation) and found to be quite enjoyable. Along with these, the Pancake Houses were extravagant. At one point, a student had a pizza on his flapjack. Another received a pancake that was topped entirely with ice cream. Our waitress couldn't believe that we did not top our pancakes as such. She was even more shocked when we compared sizes. "But they are dis thick, no?" she asked. And we explained that in America, we stack our pancakes. I swear, she about fainted.

Our trip then took us across water to London. It was comparable to our New York or L.A., except with more history. And boy, did it have history. For one, Westminster Abbey took me completely by surprise. There lay people that had formed their country. They were responsible for great things: Handel and his music, Shakespeare and his writing, Mary, Queen of Scots and whatever it is that she did.

Basically, through this blog, I wanted to capture just a little bit of what their culture has taught me about my own. I want to know about the stereotypes that people from Holland or England think when they come to the states. The one thing I did not sense was the Eurotrip environment.

Wouldn't it be nice...

Wouldn't it be nice to be as famous as Chris Brown? If you haven't heard the recent news about Chris Brown, after he attacked fellow singer Rihanna, he is now being allowed to see her and have contact with her. He abused her one night when they were a couple, and they have recently been seen chatting and making amends.

Ah, this must be the life. To abuse someone and then turn around and be forgiven just like that. I mean, everyone must go through the exact same thing, right? Forgiven so easily and paid for commenting on an article. What a pile of crap! I mean, honestly. Let's think about this. Chris Brown abused Rihanna, and as a star, of course the entire world found out. But instead of facing the repercussions that others would, he is let off with a warning.

I know that this has been discussed in previous blogs, but I would just like to reiterate how stupid celebrities take their power. They are not the most amazing people in the world. I have seen my share of talent here on campus, and some of our students have more talent than some of the celebrities who gain millions of dollars for their performance.

Maybe I am alone here, but I am tired of celebrities taking advantage of their figures. They get out of so much because of a movie they have been in or a television show they appeared on. It is to the point where most of the laws being broken are not being enforced because the ones breaking them are too good to punish? Shia LeBeouf after his DUI was told to go back to work. He was not allowed to do anything extensive because he hurt his hand during the crash.

Okay, so next time I get picked up for a DUI (not that it has happened), I will just tell the officer I have to get to a movie set. If it works once, it should work for me.

Celebrities are to the point where their public image is no longer apparent because they are doing good things. It is different if a person is the center of attention because of donating to a charity or something of that sort. However, when one hears a story about celebrities doing things that ruin their reputation, than that is very different.

For instance, Zac Efron, everyone's favorite High School Musical star, was recently in the news because his mother bought him condoms. If this is not a hard-hitting news story, I do not know what is. Is there a reason that this is being reported, and especially since Efron's main fan-base are children. Some of these children probably do not even know what a condom is, so why tell them?

Celebrities need to realize that there is more to society than what they do in a movie. Because one day, and I hope one day soon, celebrities will be treated like people. The United States is founded that all men are created equal, but I guess celebrities are the exception to the rule.

Advanced Children? Add to the solution...

How many of us remember the days of our youth? I am not speaking high school glory days, but actual youth. Back in 1st or 2nd grade when everything was new information and students had an undeniable urge to learn. And then, as children progress in their education, they lose this desire and it is replaced with utter disgust of the entire school concept.

However, at this young age, each of us discovers something about ourselves, whether it be a passion or a talent. We all find out that we are unique and we must build upon these abilities to find our true potential. And this is not something that can be done alone.

Students who are too smart for their own good are not a problem in our society, but not encouraging them to reach further can grow to have damaging effects. In 2005, a 1st grade student was finding her mathematics class boring and had trouble paying attention. This was not due to her lack of motivation, but was a result of her already in-depth knowledge. If the student already understands the material, why is it necessary to reteach the information to them? To them, they are just wasting their time, even as young as 1st grade, and if they are not pushed, then they will have to settle and their edge will die out.

However, if these students are encouraged to do better...to achieve more...they feel a sense of accomplishment and these traits remain as are. The students can strive to meet their own goals, but when someone assists them, the outcome is far greater.

The debate arrives in the time they spend on their studies. If a student enjoys school, that is one thing, but to devote every second to this can be just as harmful as committing no time. When is it too early to push these students even more: Basically, advanced placement classes.

In Tampa Bay, 9th graders are allowed to take advanced placements classes, which means they are learning information that some of us would not have learned until our senior year in high school, or maybe even our freshmen year in college. This is where the fine line between a devoted student and an obsessive one comes in. The student may spend too much time doing homework and not enough time doing kid things. Many people may tell them "you are only young once." Is this true? Or are some kids growing up to early?

According to Kim Jorissen, English teacher at BCN high school, "Teaching is a lot like acting. You must keep the student engaged. If they are not picking up on the information, some of the problem could be in their attitude, but the majority rests upon the teacher. Not every student learns the same, but you have to teach as if they all wanted to learn, and the ones who care will pick up what you are putting down."

This is the paradox: When do we push the students, and when do we back away? "We should push them, if that is what they want. If it is going to harm their character or themselves as people, then yes, we should back away. But if taking trig is not hard for them as 9th graders, then why not let them? If it does not weigh them down, then who are we to stop them?" says Micki Bucholz, a sophomore at VCSU.

I guess on this issue, I am in the middle. I cannot decide which is better; hiding children's talents from them when their young or allowing them to become too smart? Is this was NCLB (No Child Left Behind) is about? Or is there more to it?

Who can talk the bestest?

Dribble, pass, sprint, spike, serve, swing! American pastimes. Who doesn't enjoy watching a basketball player running up the court or feel the adrenaline when one of the baseball players hits a grand slam? How about the enjoyment when a humorous duo takes first place at a competitive speech meet?
Where does this take us? Where exactly is our society heading when people are idolized for being in sports and yet, those who partake in the arts, are criticized. For example, why is it that students who want to better themselves by speaking in public vicinities are not as good as sports stars because they don’t actually do anything.
For the longest time while I was in school, I was told that speech was not actually a sport because no work was ever done. “How hard is it to speak in public?” Well, I always wanted to ask them back, “How hard is it too—” Fill in the blank…
The thing is, in sports, the player – and every player – is a part of a team. They have someone else to help them play their game. There is another person on the court to assist the game. In the arts, such as speech, theater, and choir, the person is on their own in front of the judge. Therefore, the student has to be able to act on their own. This makes the arts harder than people often give credit for.
Now, I don’t mean to sit here and rant on about this, but, when I was at work a couple weeks ago at BCN, there was a huge uproar because of basketball. The head speech coach and I were planning around the basketball team, and then, we find out that they planned against us. Since the district is two schools, we have to drive back and forth 20 miles to get to practice. This creates issues because not all students are allowed to drive on their own.
Now, in other schools, this same thing occurs. Sports stars are idolized and anyone who participates in the arts is looked at as people that are talentless. So, where does that put us? Why is it that we have to divide our students into these two groups: Sports and arts?
Tina Bryn, my head coach, said something that really interested me a couple weeks ago. “My kids are going to pick what they want to be in, yes, but I am going to encourage them to try both sports and arts. It is important to have an understanding of what each activity takes.”
I don’t know where we are heading. As I walked through BCN last week and heard people referencing speech as a waste-of-time activity, I almost wanted to turn and ask, “And where is basketball going to take you?” Of course, there is not forcing people to change their minds. That is what makes our country so special: We all get to decide for ourselves.

If you want more information, look to the experts. Americans for the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts are both websites that place emphasis on how important the arts are for schools and in general.

Child father brings about culture shock!

So, as I perused the internet on Monday night at work, I came across a link that said that a man in Saudi Arabia ate 22 live scorpions. Another link shows a boy of 13 living in Britain whose girlfriend just gave birth to a baby. A father at age 13. Another link shows a video of a woman doing something called funny face yoga. What do all these links have in common? They are all the news that is taking over. This is what is being broadcast online for people to observe and to comprehend. Now, the real question: Why should I care? Why should anyone care? News in our culture and our society has been changing. This is evident in the different blogs that we are all posting. There is so much out there to learn about, that people tend to write about stuff we don’t care about and leave the actual information for us to discover on our own.

Is this what our society is leading us to? If we look at the 13-year-old father from London, would it really make any difference if we lived a few hundred years ago? Back then, 13-year-old boys were often turning into fathers, so why is it that today's age is so shocked at this development.

It is evident that we are changing: Look at the WHITE HOUSE for example. Barack Obama would never have gotten to the White House even 50 years ago. So why did he? Because, our culture is teaching us to follow our own minds instead of giving into what history has taught us. Obama is president because we made it so. The people who live in the United States. And he gained it because he wanted it.
That is something that our country has always believed in: Choice. If one chooses to become a doctor, they can. A lawyer, they can. A teacher, they can. There is nothing stopping any of us from reaching our goals as long as we are determined and willing to do the work that comes with it.
Isn’t that an act of culture? What exactly is culture? According to dictionary.com, culture is a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period. That is one of the 12 definitions. So, is the United States a culture? Is North Dakota a culture? Is Valley City?
The thing that surprises me is the attitudes people have to one another. I was observing at Barnes County North on Monday, in the 6th grade classroom, and I have to say, I have never seen so many kids have so little respect for their teacher. Shut up was a common phrase used during the day when the kids did not like what the teacher had to say.
Honestly, only one word came to my head when I saw their lack of disciple: Their parents. Not that their parents had done a bad job, but these kids were not taught to value their elders .To listen to what their elders say and know what they were in the same position once upon a time. It is all a matter of perception. These kids do not perceive anything wrong out of their treatment.
It also comes down to the fact that parents are getting younger and younger. Students are having kids in school, and the children grow up in an unstable environment. Just think, now there are 13-year-old dads: What’s next? 15-year-old grandpas. Who knows?

Roses....I don't have time to smell Roses

I woke up this morning to a shrilling sound from somewhere in my room. I checked my alarm clock, nothing; my other alarm clock, nothing; my cell phone, nothing. My ears hurt from the unwanted sound. My mind finally made me look out the window to see what the commotion was all about. Outside my window, I watched as several people skated around on the pavement around a car which had smoke rolling from the hood. The car went down Boss hill! In this weather! The driver locked their brakes early on, and skidded all the way down, smashing head on into a parked car, which hit another car, and the chain reaction continued.
Okay people; let's just look at a couple clear facts:

*We live in North Dakota
*North Dakota experiences snow and ice
*Ice causes roads to be very slick
*Slick roads can cause crashes

That's just it! Our people have learned to go....go....go....without any concern. It is an absolute fact that people no longer worry about conditions as long as they can get in their car and drive. Basically, as people hurry themselves to finish everything in a short amount of time, the work is not done as sufficiently.
For instance, a homework assignment meets procrastination! A large paper is due at midnight, and the author does not begin to write until eleven. Now, if the writer is good enough to create a five page masterpiece within an hour, than more power to them, but that are not most people. For the rest of us, the work should take more than the allotted amount of time. Therefore, when the writer is given their paper back with a low or failing grade, should they be mad at the professor or themselves.
It is critical that people slow down. Europeans have embraced this ideal long before us in the states. People need to slow themselves down in order to understand exactly what is going on around them.
Take for example, this situation with a 22-year-old male grad student. His academic life is going well, but there is no time for a social life. Read the article from Go Ask Alice to see what she suggests. People need to slow down. As someone always tells us when we are younger: “Stop and smell the roses.”
That is just it.
People don’t listen.
People don’t want to listen.
And in turn, things such as easily avoided car accident occur. What happened to smelling the roses? What happened to appreciating everything that lay in front of you?
Until recently, I have taken life for granted, and I know I am not alone. It is funny what small events can change one’s perspective on something as important as life.
There are easy ways to slow down and enjoy everything that is in front of us every day. People are in too much of a hurry to really understand that every day is a gift, not a right. We have the privilege of living as we do: Why would someone try to mess it up by moving just a little too fast?

That's Our Culture

A 78-year-old man is tossed like a rag doll on a highway in Connecticut. He lays motionless on the ground, bleeding, and alone. That is to say, except for the dozens of citizens driving right past him. One man on a scooter circled around the body, taking pictures on his mobile phone. No one bothered to call for help, and by the time help did arrive, it was far too late. The man had already died.
What does this story tell us? Old men should watch where they are walking? Men on scooters have great hand-eye coordination? Or that people did not care enough to use their cell phone (which most everyone has nowadays) to call the police and get this man help? He died, not because of his clumsiness, but because people did not help him.
On Saturday, January 31, my car rolled three times on my way to Finley, North Dakota, for a speech competition. I was able to get myself out, but was without help. I figured the best thing for me to do would be walk to Oriska, which was four miles south. A kind family arrived, and allowed me to use their phone and sit in their truck for warmth.
However, this is not what shocked me. While my car remained upside down as it had landed, dozens of vehicles stopped to rescue me. I never expected to watch people rush to my car to help. I had been helping a student out at BCN write a speech on the Bystander Effect, and proving that it did in fact occur. After my incident, I could no longer help her.
The Bystander Effect is when people will not help someone in trouble because of another person around the same vicinity. If there are several people around, then many will choose not to help. It is not their problem: It is the way we have been raised. Our culture has taught us to watch out for Number One. Keeping ourselves safe has been programmed into our brains from the time we are toddlers until the time we are 78.
Why is this? Why do we choose not to help someone in need? Is it just country folks that help? This phenomenon started in 1964, with Kitty Genovese. She was walking home one day and was viciously stabbed outside her apartment. The killer flocked off when people showed up, but no one called the police or tried to help Genovese. The killer returned and stabbed her once again, until she was officially dead.
People seem to sit back and watch as people die. All around us; we are all guilty. There is something wrong with the way our society is being raised. We no longer care enough for our neighbor and this is going to create a mess load of problems in the future. Think of it this way: If a 78-year-old man was tossed and you drove by, would you stop to help? What if that person was you?

Arts and Enter-tainment

Has the entertainment industry gotten a little lazy lately? Could that just be my own speculation? Well, if you look at it from a certain point of view, such as the summer hit Pineapple Express, where the movie is just a waste of money, then where exactly is the movie industry going?

For those who haven't seen Pineapple Express, it involves a man whose job is to serve his clients and smoke weed. Not an appropriate movie for some people, and an uncomfortable topic for others. The other character sells weed for a living. Together, these two go on an adventure to save themselves from two shady Asian killers. (That's honestly what they are!) And in the end, a building blows up and everybody dies except the pot smokers.

Believe it or not, this is the extent of the movie. The majority is filled with jokes about weed or someone getting their face thrown into a wall. This is the sad thing: This is where the movie industry is going. Movies are not focusing any longer on actual entertainment or cleverly written scripts with talented actors. Instead, we get two humor-obsessed actors striving to get that one last laugh.

This is not a new phenomenon either. This has been happening for quite a few years. If a movie is not a smash-hit in the first weekend, then its nothing. And this creates the problem with the way we as a society are living. Why is it that we idolize the actors who go out there and make fun of others for a living? Is that really something we want to be able to brag about?

When Superbad came out in 2007, it did amazing in the box office sales because it was a new type of movie, when in fact, it was just the start of a trend.

However, the actors are not always the problems. Sometimes, the director is the one making the bone-headed moves. The reason is simple: They messed up on a different film and instead of calling it quits, they have to try again. Steven Soderbergh had little luck with one film, so instead of learning from it and making changes, he creates another film that does not change his appearance to the public.

So where is the industry headed? Although 2008 had some record hits with movies such as Batman: The Dark Knight, the entire year was not as successful as they had originally predicted. If the industry relies on movies such as The Pineapple Express, then viewers are going to get tired fast.

According to Katie Hansen, she feels that the movie industry "is getting more artsy. Movies are going back to visualizations and clever stories, such as The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button. Pixar is at its most sophisticated level yet, and Disney is going to go back to their original works. The industry as a whole is going to flourish, but the live action movies are going to get old."

Let's hope the movie industry does change, for the better, and movies are once again what they should be! Artwork as it is supposed to be; brilliant writing and actually storylines. The cheap pot-head movies are okay, but I would go for The Wizard of Oz anyday!

No shocker!

Does it really surprise anyone that the celebrities were out on January 20 for the inauguration of the 44th President. We all knew that Oprah had become a big follower of this national icon, but who else? On Tuesday night, J. Lo came out for the festivities. Not to say that it is wrong for a celebrity to support a presidential candidate. Some of them should be able to think clearly enough during an election to make a decision actually based on information rather than where their image would serve better purpose.

Basically, the question I am trying to answer is whether or not celebrities should openly announce a presidential candidate to support. For instance, in the beginning of the election, people became very aware that Oprah Winfrey supported Barack Obama. Now, is this an ethical problem, or just one that I cannot place a judgment on?

Here is the situation: Are the voters there to see Obama or Winfrey? Oprah obviously has her own stardom, and when added to Obama's stirring reputation, there is a conflict of interests. Honestly, I cannot figure out if some people supported Obama or supported Oprah.
Let's put it into perspective: If Oprah was not famous, would Obama have won? Yes, it sounds harsh, but isn't it true? There is no sure way to know, what may have happened.
For this semester, I have chosen to cover Arts/Culture as my beat (as I did in high school) and this felt like a perfect piece to start with. I have always wished that celebrities could not influence our society to make decisions just because they can pick up a script and make themselves be someone else. I can do that. So, if I said that Martin Kelly would make the perfect president, would people vote for him because I support him. I am actor, so people follow what I say.
Obama was well supported by the acting community. As was McCain, but I will not start dwelling on the republican/democrat issue. I want to focus on celebrities misusing their stardom. Don't take this as me saying that celebrities are misusing their fame by supporting a president, but do they have to do it during the election? I want to see a president elected purely on what he tells the nation.
In the long-run, celebrities have often been able to influence policy. A perfect example of this is when Angelina Jolie traveled to Iraq to visit with the troops and refugees. Would she if she were not famous? It is sad to think that celebrities may only do half the things they do for attention (Owen Wilson's attempted suicide; Britney Spears shaving her head).
Maybe I am just rambling on this, but it is something I am an advocate of, for both sides of the track. Isn't it ridiculous when celebrities have a crises but do not receive any privacy to mourn and recover.
Celebrities will always be around, whether we like them or not, but what they do with their power is not set in stone. I challenge you in four years to think for yourself. Don't let Oprah do it for you!
That's all for now! "See" you next week!

Start of a new year....

Here we go again. It seems that everytime a new year begins, everyone tries to change themself in one way or another. This year, I want to become more knowledgable on everything. The standard is high, but the task is not too hard to accomplish.
Now, at first glance, even I am thinking there is no way to accomplish this resolution. When I say everything, I am really referring to becoming a more well-rounded individual who can talk on a subject without having to make stuff up. It seems the more someone tries to convince themself they know something, the less they actually know.
For instance, the presidential campaign of 2008. I knew straight up that Barack Obama was my guy. I was newly 18 and very thrilled to vote for the first time. I felt like a true American.
However, one night, while discussing the campaign with my mom, she asked my why I liked Barack. It was hard to come up with an answer. I had never thought about it. I knew what the issues were, and I knew what side I was taking on them, but I had never stopped to figure out what position Obama was on the same issues.
Society has taken a position where, as my Communications instructor Robert Walsh would put it, "we look down on people who are intelligent. Since when is it a bad thing to be smart. I find that ridiculous!" This is true! As people, we are all guilty of trying to act smart, but in reality, we are no smarter than the kindergarten students sitting in our classrooms.
I worked at a daycare and on November 4, after I had finished voting, I had to go to work. I had a van full of kids who were all telling me how excited they were to vote for the first time too. I asked them who they voted for, and all but three kids cheered out McCain. John McCain had won the election at Jefferson Elementary School. That is when the kids began to tell me about the issues and how McCain was going to fix our country.
I was shocked! At this moment, I made the deal with myself that I would become more informed. Since then, I have been consistently visiting sites such as CNN and New Yorks Times to keep up on the information circulating around us. Even trips to the Internet Movie Database can help; it may be entertainment news, but it's news.
Okay, well I guess I will finish it up now. I was thinking a blog would be so hard to write, but this was relatively easy. I am really looking forward to the semester with my class, and hope to learn alot about all of you!

Until next time....