True Slumdog Millionaires?

This last Sunday, I was watching the 81st Academy Awards. As expected by many, Slumdog Millionaire won for Best Picture (among numerous other categories). I don't know how many of you have seen it, but it is by far the best movie I've seen this year.

But then I got to thinking: what is it about this theme (that is reproduced over and over) that appeals so much to us; this theme of 'rags to riches'.

This idea is produced so much throughout our culture. On the big screen, movies such as the Pursuit of Happyness and Rocky, even Disney's Aladdin, use it. On TV, game shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (like in Slumdog Millionaire) and Jeopardy (perhaps you've heard of Ken Jennings?) and reality shows like Survivor and American Idol show us the story of people coming from little or nothing and reaching this level of wealth and fame that seems so unachievable to the rest of the population.

Is this why our culture idolizes famous movie stars? Should we feel in awe by the amount of success they have achieved (whether it be from luck or talent)? Should we hope that one day, our lives will be like that? Is this fascination driven by something that we try so hard to hide: jealousy?

Should Weight Be Regulated By Law?

I was reading parade magazine and I stumbled onto an article on laws banning obesity in Japan. Health officials check the waistlines of citizens over 40, and those considered to be too fat to undergo diet counseling. Failure to lose weight can lead to some hefty fines. Does the U.S. need a government backed system to put an end to obesity?

American Politics in The Dark Knight

I recently watched The Dark Knight (yeah, I know, I'm behind on my movies) and was struck by how subtly American propaganda was weaved throughout the entire movie. I didn't even realize it until I started reflecting on the differences in how The Dark Knight portrayed Batman versus how movies/cartoons have portrayed him in the past. There were a couple instances in the movie where Batman used violence to get information out of people. He dropped a man from a painful, but not lethal distance to get him to tell him where the Joker was and then he beat the Joker until he revealed the locations of Rachel and Harvey. I really can't recall the Batman I remember from childhood using violence and torture to get information out of people.



The movie never even raised any ethical questions or objections about Batman's tactics; it was just taken for granted he was doing what was necessary to save his friends. I think this is trying to subtly influence us to believe that these kind of tactics are fine, so when we hear about the U.S. government waterboarding prisoners and saying it's fine and necessary, we won't even stop to question it because the media will have already caused us to internalize that torture is okay when done by the "good guys" (which used to be enough the make the good guys into bad guys, but apparently not any more).

There are a lot of other ways the movie parallels the conflict between the United States and Muslim terrorists. The Joker was clearly meant to represent the Muslim terrorists. He uses tactics similar to theirs, such as kidnapping people, videotaping his victims, and then releasing the videos to spread terror. He uses the threat of hurting innocent people as a way to blackmail Batman (who represents the U.S.) He blows up civilian targets, like hospitals. The Joker is portrayed as an insane man who "just wants to watch the world burn." This is exactly how most Americans view Muslim terrorists, refusing to believe that the Muslims could actually have any legitimate complaints against America. Obviously, they are people who want to destroy everything that is good just for the fun of it and they can't be reasoned with. And of course, one should never negotiate with terrorists or accede to any of their demands and Batman upholds this principle throughout the movie by refusing to give in to the Joker's demands.

There is also the matter of the super spy machine that Batman builds which is able to spy on everyone in Gotham city. Though there is concern expressed about the ethics of spying on private citizens, ultimately, the message that is sent is that in extreme cases such actions are acceptable.

In other words, the Muslims want to watch society burn, we must do anything we can to stop them, including spying on ordinary citizens and torturing the bad guys.

And people say that Hollywood is full of liberals.

Rent a Dog?

A few days ago I came across a magazine article about renting dogs. The article focused on one specific company but through browsing online I have found a few more companies. They allow a family, or a person to rent a dog for an allotted amount of time. This seems convienent they say for the busy person who normally wouldn't be able to take care of a full-time animal. The standard rate for flexpetz is, "For a $99 administration charge, a $99 monthly membership fee, and a $150 mandatory training and orientation session, a customer can rent as many dog day afternoons as desired, for an additional $45 each. "
They say it is a shared ownership.While it seems like this company takes good care of their dogs and has certain restrictions and hoops to jump through before you can rent one, I still seem to have a problem with this. I can't help but feel bad for these dogs. Dogs are loyal companions, but when tossed around how do they become loyal to anyone? I feel like this has to cause physciological problems for the dogs. I just don't think it is right. If your lifestyle doesn't allow a dog that can be a permanent member of your family I just don't think you should have one at all, whether it is for an afternoon or a few weeks.
I have copied in the web address for the Flexpetz website if you want to check it out:
http://www.flexpetz.com/about.html

Identity and Plastic Surgery

What kind of culture do we live in? These days if someone doesn't like their appearance or feels that they are not attractive enough they can simply save up a few thousand dollars and get some plastic surgery. How do people get to the point of surgery? We've all seen that it can go bad just as easy as it can be good. Ashlee Simpson for example, was always the underdog compared to her older sister Jessica. This ultimately pushed her to get a nose job, which I must say turned her into a total swan. Don't get me wrong, there was absolutely nothing wrong with her original nose, but now she is just gorgeous and has surpassed her sisters beauty. Jessica on the other hand, was gorgeous to begin with and had work done and it didn't go so well. Her lip enhancement looked awkward on her face and some would say she tried too hard to achieve beauty and failed. Why do these girls feel such competition with each other and other famous people that they will alter their appearance with permanent surgery. We've all seen how surgery can go extremely bad with stars like Michael Jackson, or Tara Reid. The people had absolutely nothing wrong with their appearance but have somehow been psychologically ruined to think they are not attractive enough. This is so sad. I wonder if our society understands what it does to these poor people. Famous people are idolized by fans who imitate them. They should be setting a positive example for their fans but they are not. If we didn't have all these tabloids that pick apart stars, would they feel so compelled to please us all with their physical appearance? Today in class we discussed identity. I think as a culture we are taught to seek an identity. If we are unsure of our own identity, it is called an identity crisis and one feels they don't belong in society. Is identity physical or psychological? Is it important to ones well-being, or is it irrelevant? Hollywood seems to think identity is just physical appearance.

Change

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi
Most of us have heard that quote... and many of us like it, but how many of us actually live it? It is so easy to go about our everyday lives and never think beyond our bubble. We wake up, get ready, eat, go to place A, plan what we're going to eat after going to place B, go to B, eat, go to C, go to work, go to school, go to bed... wake up and do it all again.
What would happen if we thought about other people and bigger things happening in the world?What if we went beyond voting for change and actually got our own hands dirty? Do we actually believe that we can change the world and that each of us has a purpose and has something to offer?

Steroids in Baseball

What is going on with the steroids scandal? It will not go away. Players are being drug through the mud for mistakes made years ago and some are getting in trouble for lying under oath to Congress. It is good to know Congress has so little to worry about that they will dedicate so much time to the sport of baseball. I understand using steroids is bad and the players were not supposed to use them. Lets be honest, though, players like Alex Rodriquez were rewarded for their usage. They received enormous salaries and brought in a large number of fans due to all the records being broken. If baseball was truly interested in banning steroids why didn't they start testing long before Congress began investigating the scandal?

what is the "right" age?

I am 21 and newly married. Before our wedding a lot of people were telling me that I was too young. So I am wondering is there an acceptable age to be married? A specific length of time you need to be married to someone? To me marriage is not "ok" or "not ok" depending on your age, but I wonder if I am in the minority on that though. It seems like every where I turned someone was telling me that. Funny thing is, all the people who were telling me that, are now engaged themselves :)

A Simple Thank You

I work in a resteraunt and recently had an elderly gentlman seated at one of my tables; he was dressed nicely in slacks and a sports jacket and he was treating himself by going out. Through our conversation throuhgout his dinner he told me that he had visited a poster shop earlier that day. He was searching for the famous poster of the WWII soldier coming home and passionately planting a kiss on his girl. This held special significance because the gentleman sitting at my table had fought in World War II, and as a token of gratitude the poster was given to him as a gift. I was also informed this was the first time in fifty-some years that he had ever been thanked for his service. My manager bought his meal that night and he left with tears in his eyes; but it left me wondering, "What are we doing wrong in this country that we can't even thank a man for fighting for our freedom?"

Do we do enough for our soldiers? Is the occasional discount at Denny's enough to thank these men and women for risking their lives? To be honest, I don't know what we could do that would be "enough" but I know fifty years is too long to go unthanked. Is our freedom something we take for granted, do we too often look over the blood spilled to achieve this freedom?

The Wii Fit is a interactive exercise program created by Nintendo that you can do in your own home, instead of going to the gym and hiring a Personal Trainer. People can now get a customized workout with little expense. The exercises include: yoga, strength training, balance and aerobics. People of all ages and shapes can get a good workout from this because it instructs you on how to do each exercise. It keeps track of your progress in minutes accumulated. It challenges you when you need it. You can check your Body Mass Index (BMI) and you can keep track of your weight. There's more than 40 activities and exercises. People can create their own personal profile and set goals, and test their balance with fun balance games. It's funny when this first came out. I thought it was kinda a joke, but after my daughter got one and I tried it out it really is a lot of fun. I had to go to Post Falls in Idaho just to find the Wii fit board because all the stores were sold out in Spokane.

Meatpacking in America

I'm reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. I just finished the chapter on the working conditions within meatpacking plants. It's insane how poor the conditions are that exist in these plants. Meatpacking plants have at least three times the death/injury rates for manufacturing jobs in the U.S. (the scary part is that these companies have been caught routinely lying about their injury rates, one company kept official records of injury rates to show inspectors and an unofficial copy for their own use; there was a 1000% difference in the numbers between the two, so the actual number is surely a lot higher.) Workers die and are injured in all sorts of gruesome accidents; there are beheadings, arms and legs ripped off, deep lacerations, getting body parts or even your whole body pulverized and ground up, etc. Only the most severe injuries are often reported, since they can't be covered up. If someone has an injury that is less obvious, the company will often refuse to give them worker's compensation. The conditions are so unsafe because the company is trying to process as many animals as possible and push the line speeds way beyond what workers can handle safely.

Why is it that PETA and other vegetarian activist groups don't draw more attention to this aspect of meat production? I've heard a lot about how horrible the animals have it, but this was really the first time I heard about how horrible the people who work in these plants have it. Is it because these groups just care about animals and not people? Do they think they deserve their fate for killing the animals? Or is it because the vast majority of the workers in these plants are immigrants, many of them here illegally? Perhaps they just don't think the American public would be sympathetic to illegals getting hurt and they feel it's more effective to focus on the poor cows.

What do you think?

Death

Death, it seems to engulf almost all human kind. But I wonder, why are we so obsessed with it? I would think it’s because 1. We can’t escape it 2. We don’t know when it will happen 3. We just don’t know what it will feel like 4. How we (ourselves) will die. Even then, you look at movies, music, video games, and television...they all love to poke fun at death or get you to be very weary of the dreaded “grim reaper.” The whole ideal of the grim reaper is interesting to...a walking skeleton come to take you away…We haven’t always been this into death either...we use to just draw buffalo and such but then once things become more complex for human kind (like the rise of population and food and such) so did it seems our rising curiosity of death. It makes me wonder how it all started...did it start as some type of religion...or did we just start thinking so much that we started worrying about death? The way culture handle death is different to...In America we dress up in black and morn them (which isn’t bad...because hey, we miss them and wish they were still with us.) But in Mexico, they celebrate the dead, they are happy because of the life that had been once lived, I’m sure they feel some sadness...but they just handle death in a completely different way from us. It makes me wonder more why the way America handles death is so different then Mexico’s and probably other countries to for that matter. Is it just because of culture or religious differences or more?

A place for friends?

In a world of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging, email, texting and the like, we have this inane desire to constantly stay connected with the rest of the world. But I feel that even with all this cyber connectivity, there is a stronger social disconnect between people. It seems that we have replaced talking on the phone with texting, communicating face-to-face with the ease of email. I definitely don't claim to be an exception to this, I have a Myspace and Facebook account and use them regularly, but I try my best to use them less and less and call a friend instead of leaving a comment.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Looking hot but feeling cold

It's cold outside, we all know that, we feel it every time we walk out the door to scrape our car's windows in the morning. So cold that sometimes it feels as though the snot crunches when you scrunch your nose in distaste of the temperature.

Yet why is it that when I go to school, I see women walking into class wearing next to damn nothing when it could be near freezing or below outside?

Seems to me they are more concerned with how they look rather than how warm they could be.
Just waltz outside with your short-shorts, knee-high boots, and turtle-neck (which seems to be the only thing of weather protective quality) cause warm, puffy jackets are so last season anyways.

Is it because this country is so obsessed with looks and outside appearance that people (especially women) would sacrifice their health, comfort, and well-being just so that they can look good?

I am sorry but I would pressume that a person's health is a lot more important than how they look when they walk into school in the morning. To be honest, I don't think anyone cares how you look, it's cold, your allowed to look a little frumpy.

There are also beautiful winter jackets being sold everywhere so you don't have to look like the latest hiker off of "Everest Summit". You can be fashionable and warm as a Florida summer at the same time.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Webkinz World

If you don't have kids, you may not be familiar with Webkinz, which is a sort of combination of physical and virtual toys. You buy a stuffed animal (which costs about $15, way more than stuffed animals typically cost) and included with your purchase is a code that allows you to enter "Webkinz World" online. My kids are really into Webkinz right now, a fact about which I have mixed feelings.

The site combines elements of MySpace (it includes a virtual community, in which you can communicate with your "friends") and Sims (your (physical) stuffed animal has a virtual avatar that looks like it, inhabits a "home" that you design, and interacts with others).

Mostly, though, Webkinz is about shopping: almost every activity involves either shopping or trying to earn or win money with which to go shopping. (The above image is the "Curio Shop," one of the places you can buy virtual stuff for your Webkinz pet. Don't you like Arte, the shaggy dog proprietor?)

My analysis of Webkinz is not especially profound, but it is a little disturbing: this is a toy that is designed to teach children how to be good consumers, that is, people for whom getting as much stuff as possible is life's primary purpose and occupation. That, in my opinion, is a bad thing. So why are my kids allowed to play? I haven't chosen this battle so far; my wife and I sometimes discourage toys that fail to match our values, and other times permit them, depending on the specifics of the case.* Cute little Webkinz seemed harmless enough at first (and we're in too deep to go back easily to a pre-Webkinz era), but the more I think about it, the more dubious I feel about them. Unfortunate, the kiddos seem to have developed minds of their own; I'll see if one of them can offer a rebuttal to what has turned out to be an anti-Webkinz analysis.

*My wife's response to the question of why we let them play Webkinz: "Because it keeps them quiet and makes them happy."

Logic

I've been taking Intro To Logic this quarter and it's given me a bit of insight about the culture we live in. One of the things that really got me thinking was the Fallacy of False Cause, False Cause being when one mistakes what is not the cause of a given effect for it's real cause. It seems to me that lots of this do this from time to time (not excluding myself) I'll see something and think "this must be why!" but how do I really know? For example, sometimes my dogs will come pester me while I'm at the computer at about 5:00 pm, i usually think they want outside or want something to eat..but how do i really know what they want? How does anyone really know anything at all outside of our 5 senses and our "innate" knowledge?
What if were all wrong about all sorts of things..maybe we commit false cause on a bigger scale then we think we do!

Everybody's A Little Racist Sometime

So having just spent the last couple of class periods discussing race and racism it would a nice to post this delightful little video. Though I have never personally seen this play, my friends have sung to me the entire soundtrack.

This little diddy of a song brings to mind a few questions. First, if we are a little racist sometimes is that acceptable? Second, at this current time we are trying to blur the racial lines that divide us, but is this a futile attempt as there will always be differences?

Personally I feel as there will always be that bit of racial separation but to acknowledge it does no damage, it is when a negative action that oppresses those people that it turns sour.

I guess without due, here is the video. Please comment on how you feel about this song, whether it speaks to you or not.

Are you as smart as the president?

During the presidential campaign, I saw a lot of online ads like the above--inviting viewers to test their IQ and measure it against that of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain, Sarah Palin, or George W. Bush. If the ads are to be believed, each of these politicians has an IQ well above 100 (which is, by definition, the average IQ score). None of these results, I'm certain, is based on any kind of accurate reporting--where would you obtain the presidential candidates' IQ scores? (Googling "president's IQ," the top results had to do with a recent hoax: see http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/presiq.asp if interested. This doesn't appear to be the source of the advertising figures, though.)

The American public's presumed fascination about leaders' IQ brings to mind several questions:

• Do most people believe that IQ is an accurate measure of one's intelligence? (This is scientifically controversial, as we'll see in upcoming readings this quarter.)
• Do most people believe that a more intelligent president would be a better president? On the other hand, are there people who would prefer a president who is not too intelligent?
• Why do the ads focus on presidential and vice-presidential candidates, as opposed to other celebrities?

What do you think about IQ? Is it a concept of interest? Have you ever wanted to have your IQ tested? What do you think the results might tell you?

NFL.com

Watching football is one of my favorite things to do on the weekend. I've had to laugh the last couple of years over the advertisements put out for products sold on NFL.com. It seems to me a good fan used to have a team sweatshirt or some type of team clothing item. That was sufficient. Now, however, a fan needs to dedicate an entire room to their chosen team. There is a commercial out that shows a whole room done in Steelers items, but the lamp on the end table doesn't fit the decor. The commercial offers a quick solution: NFL.com. At this site, the consumer will find everything they don't need. Does anybody really want an entire room of their home dedicated to a football team? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2K4qlyaJu8&NR=1

Dress and Oppression

OK, so I know this post is a little late to the party but I feel it is quite necessary. The last of the presenters on Friday brought forth a traditional Muslim/Islamic garment and expressed her view that it was a form of oppression. While I do agree that it has the ability to oppress, I think it is often the American view that all Muslim women dress in that manner or that Islam is a religion of oppression.

One of the interesting things the presenter also spoke of was the "3rd Wave Feminism" movement in Medina. Medina is the city where Muhammad founded his religious society and was actually quite egalitarian. In fact women often had more rights then men. This is quite the radical thought or idea but it is actually something that is supported by the Quran. Though before addressing the Quranic quote a look at the language the Quran is written in is needed.

Within the English language, like others, words have the ability to mean a variety of things. Take for instance rape. If I were playing a video game and said that i "raped" somebody. Most would assume that I had not committed the actual act on a real individual. This theory holds especially true for Arabic. One word can have dozens of meanings within the Arabic language, this does not even include loose or rough translations into other languages. Though the Quran is only meant to be read in Arabic, translations do not play such a heavy role in the Muslim world.

Returning to the evidence at hand that will both show an egalitarian society but how a sound bite society could misinterpret it. This excerpt is from verse 4:34. The first one is a translation by Ahmed Ali and the second by Majid Fakry. Remember when reading this that it is just one phrase, try imagine an entire society founded upon misinterpretations.

Men are the support of women as god gives some more means than others, and because they spend of their wealth(to provide for them).. As for women you feel are averse, talk to them suasively; then leave them alone in bed (without molesting them) and go to bed with them (when they are willing).

Men are in charge of women, because Allah has made some of them excel the others, and because they spend some of their wealth... And for those {women} that you fear might rebel, admonish them and abandon them in their beds and beat them.
(These translations were drawn from Reza Azlan's book No God, But God: The Past, Present, and Future of Islam)

Within Islamic society the Quran is law not only religiously but politically. Like Christian Pastor or Pope, Islam has an Imam. These Imams are the ones who translate and tell the people what the Quran is trying to say. Unlike more liberal religions most often the Imam's word is the final word. Beyond the Imam are the Caliphs and they act on a level similar to the Pope. It is quite evident that Islam is going through a reformation, similar to that of the Christians, but they have to over come not only corrupt leaders but the language of their book. As for the movement in Medina it could be that these women are grasping the freedom they once had and trying to reinvent themselves.

Black & White

In class today we watched the show about familes switching races to try and understand each others point of veiw. I cant rememeber his name, but the white dad could not see that there is still racism. Even going as far as telling him that he was just looking for it. I dont think that he will ever feel racism the way the experimented had hoped. I dont think that it matters what color your skin is, the "N" word should never be spoken by anyone, ever.

World of Warcraft

This is a little phenomenon that I have pondered for a long time. One of my good friends is practically glued to his computer with this game 24/7. He has in fact, skipped work to play. I could never quite understand why it was more appealing than any other game.I recently talked to another friend that also has a stange infatuation with this game. This is what he said: "It's like a chat room, but insted of just sitting around and talking to people, you are doing things at the same time."I think it's a mix of that, and an escape from reality.

Everyone has some way to escape, whether it be interactive video games, books, movies, working out, sleeping, etc. For me, it's books. I also am a Harry Potter fan, and recently finished the Twilight series, also very good.

So I have two questions for you. How do you escape, and do you agree that WOW is a means of escape?

Reflection

After today's class I was thinking about the topic of why younger girls are now dressing older and acting older. It's interesting because when I was younger it was entirely different. The clothes that were available weren't even close to the clothes that are available today. My sister is in junior high and I see her and her friends and some of them look like they should be in high school. I think that the pressure that girls are feeling these days is growing and I'm just wondering how far things are really going to go and what it's going to take to stop it. I mean if this younger generation gets hit with any more pressure...what will be the result???

Evolution of Race Relations From Another Angle

Whilst reading the news I came across a headline that sparked my interest as I felt it held a certain relevance to our current focus in class. The article in question equates the modern development of racism and the racial relationships we've formed in society today to that of a "super-virus", or rather as they call it "super-racism". This relation serves two purposes in my mind; one to tie the claims made to the unfounded irrational paranoia often associated with the "super-virus" theory, the other being the opposing side which supports the theory and accepts the rational behind it. In other words the farsical nature of the article serves two masters in the way that it both seems to describe and evaluate a valid issue yet discredits it through the comical arrangement of the arguments. Instead of providing any constructive options for interacting in a diverse and multi-racial culture it leaves it as an inevitability that racism will always persist and will only recede further into the subconcious of the masses. Though there are no overt examples I do believe the imbedded truth of the article poigniently observes ways in which the system is currently failing; a point found within this quote taken from the article, "According to the report, by attacking only the symptoms of racism and not its economic and social causes, legislative efforts to vaccinate the populace against racism may have accelerated rather than halted the spread of the disease." Under the guise of an outright ludicrous premise and comic parallel there is a valid point being made, one that we would do well to take to heart and consider.

Something else I enjoyed was the pictures featured within the article. The first being a double-entendre, playing with the word "focus" to describe both the article that has it's focus on race as well as commenting on the phenomena of race in social interactions as we focus on race rather than the merits of an individual. The second picture was just silly as it depicts the "credible source" frequently quoted within the article in a meeting at his office. The silly part comes in where he is the only non-white person in the room and the picture itself seems to mock those "diversity shots" used in pamphlets and brochures to show that a business, organization, or school has filled their quota of minorities and thus can not be accused of any racist tendencies. The body language of the other people in the photo is also disconcerning, from my take it appears that they are either frightened or in awe of this glorious induction of another heritage into their cozy ivory tower. Here they are respectively in case you are a dirt bag and decided not to look at the article...

I am thankful for my job

I am guilty of playing hooky from work in the past and even saying "I hate my job" and things of that nature. Today I am very thankful for my job. Well not just today, but with the way the economy is going it really makes me appreciate my position. Everywhere I look I see this company laid off another 2,000 or 15,000 employees, or another news story about unemployment at it's highest since 19__. For example, today on Krem.com there are two separate stories related to this issue.
http://www.krem.com/topstories/stories/krem2-020309-pawnshops.15497a86.html
http://www.krem.com/topstories/stories/krem2-020309-worksource.159e4320.html
These are just two examples from our local news station, take a look at cnn.com or other nation wide news companies, you will see hundreds.
I have been pushing the issue aside for the last few months and I guess what really made this whole thing real for me is when some of my friends are out of work and can't support themselves or their families. This is when it really started to hit home for me at least.

Science = Truth?

So, in a recent class discussions Matt(or at least i think his name is Matt. It is the guy that always mentions Asian) stated how he preferred Science because it is true. This struck me as a topic that needs to be discussed because it almost common thought that Science generates truth.

To begin it is quite pertinent to understand that Science works on assumptions and from these assumptions it tests and proposes more assumptions. Now, if we base all our "facts" on assumptions would it not be reasonable to assume that maybe we do not know anything. This assumption is quite correct. Science while it does generate the most plausible and sound reasons for why things are the way we perceive them.

This theory that Science is not true is actually grounded, not only within science itself, but by a philosopher named Hume. This philosopher proposed that nothing can be proven as True. Though Hume used this theory in an argument for the existence of God it is quite relevant elsewhere.

His idea states that maybe all the things we perceive to react upon one another could just be doing it by coincidence. It can best be shown in three frames of a film. In these frames are two pool balls and they go towards one another and "collide" and separate.





Now viewing each of these as individual frames it is evident that maybe that is just how they move independently not reacting upon one another. Knowing that the eye actually views the same way a camera does, in frames, Hume is right.

Allstate: In good hands?

While sitting and vegging out on the communal couch in my dorm, computer in my lap and television blasting my beloved "Ghost Hunters", a commercial came on that caught my eye.

Allstate Insurance has had what seems to be the almost exact same commericials every couple of weeks, months, however long it takes them to make a commerical.

It always stars the one large African-American male actor decribing what he claims to be the most trustworthy, reliable, and honest insurance out there. Calm background music (usually piano or violin) and quick shots of a car crash, lighting strike, melting ice cream, or a father shooting hoops always accompanies the actor's low and humble voice.

Is it just me, or does the male actor provide a sort of comfort when you see him? Whenever I listen to the Allstate commericials I feel a sense of warmth, humility, and in some ways, it seems as though my father is speaking to me. Soft yet serious. Harsh with reality but tender with care.

He is just there, always there, standing tall and telling you what is best.

Buy Allstate insurance because "daddy" says so?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HNKqffU3Cc

The King of Pop

Michael Jackson is a great example of how the public can ruin a persons perception of their own identity. His father put him in the spotlight beginning at age five. He grew up entertaining and was very successful. His career topped out in the eighties with Thriller. He attempted many come-backs since then, but has been unsuccessful possibly due to the fact that he is now crazy. Have the fans and publicity made him this way? I think the answer is yes. Michael Jackson wanted to be accepted by his fans so much that he thought changing his skin color to become "white" and a nose job that changed the appearance of his entire face would make his fans and the public like him better. One could say that plastic surgery became an addiction for him. In the past decade Jackson has been in the news for various cases involved in child molestation. How could such a successful entertainer and pop culture icon become such a creepy looking criminal? Could it be due to the fact that he virtually never had a private life away from the public eye? Now there are reports that Jackson is basically dying, going blind, sick with emphysema, and in need of a lung replacement to survive. Has societies need for entertainment driven the "King of Pop" to his death?

The Emo Scene

Emo. There is a lot to say about emo. This is a very accurate picture of emo. What does it mean? Well "emo" supposedly stands for "emotional"-so that right there tips you off. Basically, what I've gathered, is this:

Sadness/Depression-The stereotypical emo kid will cut themselves.

"Originality"-I put this is quotes because this is the new fad and it is anything but original anymore. Their clothes are pretty out there, they have different haircuts than what one might categorize as "normal" etc.

Make-up-and lots of it.

Piercings-the lip, nose, eyeborow, monroe-anything considered to be "non-conforming".

Often they consider themselves "straight-edge" (no drugs, alcohol.. that sort of thing).

Why is it just so cool to be sad and rebellious all the time? All the sudden it's cool to not fit in and hate the jocks and cheerleaders rather than putting them on a pedistal. It's cool to have problems and go to shrinks and need anti-depressants. Why do people feel the need to hate life? Honestly, I don't understand why this sudden change has occured--although I suppose it isn't sudden. You could compare emo to goth fairly easily. Obviously I'm just generalizing. This video comes to mind as well (Before you watch this video keep in mind that it is pretty offensive at some parts, and I'm sorry about that, but it does make my point):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdASTkfi91E

So what are your thoughts?

Rock of Love

As I flipped through the channels a while back, I came across Rock of Love on VH1. It stars Bret Michaels of the band Poison. I like some of their music, so I thought it would be interesting to see what Michaels is up to now. The aim of the show certainly isn't to give the viewer much of an idea where he is today; it is about Michaels finding "love." This is one of the more disgusting shows on TV, in my opinion. The women in this show are degraded to essentially a piece of meat. They make fools of themselves in ridiculous competitions, wear little to nothing, and drink as though alcohol is going out of production. I'm certainly not for censorship, but is this really entertainment?