Tiger Woods is a pro-golfer, right? Not the president or someone within the political realm that we hold to a higher degree of morals,right? So, I guess I am shocked that due to an apparent lack of REAL news we are forced to listen to the fact that Tiger drove his car into a tree on the morning news.... Who cares?!! He didn't hurt anyone. He wasn't drunk or on drugs. Once again... Who cares?! At first, I was shocked because in my opinion there was no scandal and if there was, it was none of my business for the above mentioned reasons. Now, it has come into light that he has had multiple affairs. Once again, who cares???!!! I have to wonder if the shock over his alleged affairs and behavior is because so many people have him placed on a pedestal of sorts. Why?! What is it about these famous sports figures that drive people to buy a product because they endorse it and then in the next year refuse to buy it because he didn't live up to their expectations. Did they sign something in their contracts with those that endorse them that would make people believe that they should have such expectations? Of course not. the reason people buy their products is because of their athletic accomplishments. So why is their personal life any concern to the public. Leave it alone!! I'm sure if you had an affair, it wouldn't make the evening news and your boss most likely wouldn't fire you over it. The best thing to do would be to simply not glorify someone for being able to throw a touchdown or shoot a three pointer at the buzzer.

Dreamworlds

Dreamworlds III sends a powerful message about how de-sensitized we have become to the prolific sexual and violent images that we are exposed to in the media on a daily basis. Not only does the media have the power to normalize acts which would be considered violent, it also has the power to shape what we believe about our role in our society as men and women. The movie expresses several aspects of music videos that create a stereotypical dreamworld of male fantasy. It also depicts racial stereotypes. Three specific strategies are utilized to show how and why this dreamworld is created.
The first strategy that is utilized is visual, in which women gaze into the camera and deliberately create an image in which they enjoy the objectification that they are exposed to. Camera angles also reinforce this visual strategy in which only certain aspects of a woman’s body are highlighted. Women are portrayed as pieces of a body, lacking any other attributes other than those which are sexual in nature. The film says that they are fragmented. It suggests that some objectification is fine; but that more of the woman’s other attributes should also be reflected. This strategy is different from the explicit strategy in which what is being said or physically presented on screen is what helps to create the male fantasy, unlike the visual strategy which relies primarily on camera angles.
The explicit strategy is presented in music videos through how women physically act towards men and what is acceptable behavior for men towards women. In music videos, women are acting out a fantasy that is not their own, but someone else’s. For example, the videos depict that women are dominant and sexually needy. This is dangerous because it sends the message that women want to be used by men. This can cause a blurring between reality and fantasy as women become objects that are to be used solely for male pleasure. A strong example of how the normalcy of male fantasy in the media has caused a blurring of what is acceptable is in the portrayal of female teachers acting out sexual fantasies with their students. This creates an atmosphere of acceptance for male students who have this fantasy. It is embedded in our culture that it is a male fantasy to have sex with his female teacher, so when it occurs, it is more accepted, and there is a double standard of how this is seen by the public. A boy is not considered a victim because he wanted it.
Another strategy utilized is to use women’s bodies to sell a product - for example, to sell the artists music. Many artists create videos that are sexually explicit because it will create controversy. This is even prevalent in country music videos as women are depicted as different stereotypical characters within male fantasies.
Overall, Dreamworlds III is shocking, but the method is effective in showing how the world of music videos has helped to create a culture in which women are objectified and the objectification is acceptable.

Crashing the White House

SO...... the latest reality television hopefuls have crossed a line that no one has before in order to land their own reality television show. This is only one in a list of many individuals before who have created controversy in order to obtain fame. Tareq and Michaele Salahi arrived at the White House and were able to crash President Obama's first State Dinner and without even producing an invitation. As investigators try to consider what to charge the couple with, their notoriety continues to grow. Facebook and the constant media attention have helped to fuel the flames. Whether the couple ultimately faces charges or not, they have most likely succeeded in furthering their ultimate goal. Plus, their stunt was followed by BRAVO camera crews and make-up artists. This was encouraged which in turn only encourages other individuals to try drastic measures in order to gain fame and wealth. Another distorted and perverted attempt to gain the "American Dream".

Christmas and a Sense of Entitlement

My husband and I constantly struggle to try and teach our kids about the danger of feeling entitled. I should preface this short criticism by saying that my husband is a middle school teacher and we have benefited from the generosity of parents over the years. I have chosen to volunteer my time for the past 7 years in my children's classrooms and other activities. The teachers work hard and are paid minimal salaries for their true efforts especially considering their immense responsibility. I am eternally grateful to each of them. However, as a room mother it is my responsibility to organize the parents not only for parties and activities, but also for the gift giving to the teachers. I have always enjoyed this until I realized that teachers have come to expect the generosity of parents as if they are entitled. Don't get me wrong, they always write their wonderful thankyou notes and show such gratitude. My criticism comes from the subtle messages that they send to the parents about their expectation of receiving a gift. For example, my daughter brought a letter home yesterday from a teacher. It was a wonderful gesture, she wanted the children to bring in a new teddy bear to be donated to children in the hospital. However, my criticism comes from the last line in BOLD letters in which she wrote "Please let the teddy bear be my gift from you this year". Decoded it means that she expected a gift in the first place. She didn't preface by saying that IF you planned on getting her a gift then please..... Instead she eluded to her own sense of entitlement. Another example, is the letter that room moms are responsible for sending out to the parents which includes exactly what the teachers would like to receive as gifts. Most put down a gift card and the particular restaurant or store they love. Then I hear from the lead room mom that she has gotten several emails from the receptionist at our school showing concern for the lack of gifts to certain teachers. She has also gotten emails from the teachers themselves asking to be adopted by lower grade levels. It is a well known fact that kindergarten parents are far more generous than 5th grade parents. Mostly because in 5th grade they have 4 teachers versus one. I was shocked to hear this. How sad that teachers have forgotten the true meaning of the holidays. Religion isn't even allowed in the schools, yet they believe that they should get gifts for this time of year. I should also add that I am also going to school to become a teacher, and I hope that I will never forget how it can be interpreted by parents.

Trial by Media

Amanda Knox who is on trial for the murder of her roommate in Italy has been undergoing a trial long before her actual trial began. With the onslaught of media, Amanda Knox was deemed guilty by the Italian press long before the investigators were done fully investigating the case. The media has changed the landscape of justice, not only in our country but world wide. Jurors should be able to decide a case that they have yet to form an opinion about before hand. But with the sensationalized media, this is becoming more and more impossible. The Drew Peterson case is another in which the media and the public have already formulated an opinion. I will not give my opinion as to his guilt or innocence, but I will say that it will be extremely difficult to find jurors who have not heard of him when the time does come for him to stand trial. And then what type of jurors could he possibly get? They would have to live in a cave to not have heard of him or this case before. It is only human to draw conclusions or have opinions about these stories, but it is harmful to our justice system when the media presents such a biased filter. If I was going to stand trial for a crime, I'd feel more intimidated by the media's perception of my guilt than anyone else. They have the power to persuade the public and they fail to use their power responsibly.

Video Games

My eight year old son was given his first introduction to the XBOX 360 by my 18 year old brother. It was HALO. At first, I had reservations, but I was never censored as a kid and so I figured that it would be a great opportunity to see what it was about and how he reacted. I was unprepared for the fact that he would love it! I on the other hand, realized an effect that I never hear anyone talk about and that's the stress I felt watching him being shot at. Yes, I said "him" because it felt like he was him even though I logically understood that it was only a game. As he walked down corridors searching for Aliens to shoot, and attempting to not be shot at himself... I found myself jumping every time one would suddenly appear. It reminded me of the moment in that Mel Gibson movie "Signs" when the media shows the picture of the Alien running across the screen and it startles you or when in scary movies the character looks into the mirror only to realize that the "bad" guy is standing right behind her.... I couldn't help but notice the lack of stress my son seemed to have from it and he was the one playing. He was so relaxed. Overall, my husband and I decided that he wasn't old enough to play the more mature games and he was devastated. I would love to see a study of the blood pressure of gamers versus non gamers any day. I wonder if I would be surprised by the results or not.

Killer Instinct?!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/33750267#33750267

So, I'm sure you've seen the latest video of the crazy soccer player gone too far, if not, the link is provided above.... University of New Mexico's Elizabeth Lambert was caught on video physically attacking an opponent from BYU during a game. Overall, soccer can be a brutal sport. I coach little kids and it starts pretty early. They push, pull on jerseys, and talk trash. And this happens as early as 4 years old. Now, the majority of pushing and pulling of jerseys occurs because they are so little they are using these things to balance themselves. They're still so uncoordinated and then you ask them to dribble a soccer ball at their feet with 7 other kids clustered around each other. It looks more like rugby than soccer at this age. But Lambert is a Junior in college and her tactics were deliberate and inexcusable. One thing that is interesting to me is that no one seems to be looking at the BYU player who also intentionally elbowed Lambert in the chest earlier in the game. This doesn't excuse Lambert's behavior in any way. Her tactics were far more brutal. However, those individuals who have never played contact sports like Basketball or Soccer may not realize how prevalent intentional pushes and elbows are. One of the dads on my 7 year old son's soccer team recently told me that he was disappointed that his child didn't have the killer instinct that he had when he played. He added that he was prepared to deal with anger issues and that wouldn't bother him as much as the fact that his son plays calmly without the need to attack the other team. Now this dad is one of the sweetest guys and shouldn't be surprised that his kid is well adjusted without much killer instinct. I have to wonder about the parents, coaches and the referees that Lambert has experienced in her many years of soccer - that she could attack not just one player but several throughout the game and feel as if this was acceptable behavior. Killer instinct?! I'm not so sure that's what I want to teach my players....

Self Help Magazines

The latest issue of Cosmo Magazine is no different than any other month - It is filled with headlines that will help women to become more attractive to men. Out of the 9 article headers on the front cover, 6 are geared towards helping women reinvent themselves to create an image that would be just what a man wants. Whether it's how to be better in bed (not so she enjoys it more, but so he enjoys it more) or how to look better so you can find a man to try these techniques out on, none of the articles are aimed at helping a woman improve her sense of self worth or esteem. On the contrary, they do everything to diminish these qualities. The overwhelming message in these magazines is to play on women's insecurities about their bodies and identities in an attempt to sell not magazines, but adverstisement. You heard me. The publishers of Glamour, Cosmo and GQ aren't out to sell magazines, they are out to sell the advertisers. They make very little from the subscription price of selling a magazine, instead they make their money from the people who choose to advertise in their magazines. They have a chosen demographic for their product and guess what? You're it! That means that publishers have to do something drastic to make their target demographic take notice of their product in order to buy it. That means selling what women are most insecure about. Their bodies, their relatioships and their self esteem. They print articles that mislead women into believing that they are helping them to overcome their weaknesses, but instead they are seeking to reinforce that women are flawed if they fail to live up to society's ideal of what is considered sexy, beautiful and feminine.

Halloween Costumes

Yesterday I took my kids shopping for Halloween costumes. My oldest daughter is 10 and this is her favorite holiday. She starts thinking about what she will dress up like for the next year before she is even done trick or treating. She's a tomboy. She is anti- girl as she puts it. Gotta love her for it.... Shopping is certainly cheaper. But I've noticed that as she gets older, the costumes keep getting more and more inappropriate. She went in looking to be a pirate. Her idea was to be a girl pirate like Keira Knightly on "Pirates of the Caribbean". But what we found instead were "sexy pirates". Tummy showing, short skirted, fishnet stocking pirates. My daughter is a tall thin child, so it's difficult to find things that fit her that are long enough, but these costumes had built in breast cups for a size 7/8 costume and they barely covered her bottom!!!! Now, a good mom might be able to make her daughter a costume to fit, but not me.... I own a sewing machine purely for sewing straight line stitches that always unravel. So we search and search. We try on the boy version of the costume, but it too shows the stomach.
I give up temporarily to help my 7 year old son find his costume. It's a little better, but still...... Most of the costumes have built in padding to make them look more muscular. I realize women aren't the only ones who are bombarded with messages about their bodies.
So, finally after surviving the two oldest I move onto my youngest. My 5 year old daughter who is the opposite of my oldest is in search of the latest "Barbie" costumes. She picks out butterfly barbie. Other than the fact that it cost entirely too much for a piece of pink netting with Velcro wings it seems appropriate.
All and all, we survived another year of costume shopping, but it was definitely a journey in the exaggerated land of gender identity.

Pharmeceutical Ads

So.... my husband and I love to laugh at all of the pharmaceutical ads on t.v. I mean there are ads for allergy medications that promise they will help alleviate your allergy symptoms and then in the last few seconds of the commercial will add the disclaimer of the possible side effects, which not only include symptoms similar to allergies such as watery eyes, but also other bothersome effects such as permanent liver damage. Who are these companies advertising to? The answer is of course, the general public who have the ailments which their drugs promise to treat. So why market to the general public when doctors are still responsible for prescribing these medications? The problem is that patients then ask their doctors to prescribe these medications based on some glorified television ads, when that medication may not be the best one for their particular situation. I don't believe that public advertising should be allowed for prescription medications. Doctors are responsible for prescribing the right medications for individual patients and they hopefully make their decision based on their proven effectiveness and safety.

The Ghost in the Shell

There are several themes addressed in the movie “The Ghost in the Shell”. The first theme is that identity is formed from what we are told and how people react to us. The input we receive from external sources is so great it can cause us to question our own identity. For example, in this particular movie, the Major’s shell is that of a female and is human in form. However, the reality is, that the Major is a man and that he is no longer human. Instead he is a cyborg. In one segment of the movie, the Major tells Batou that his transformation has caused him to question if he is human or not. The external reaction that the Major is receiving from people is in reaction to his outward shell. Eventually this juxtaposition causes him to question his own identity because the information he is receiving is different than how he sees himself.
Another theme that is largely addressed in this film is gender identity. Because the movie only subtly touches on the fact that the Major is actually a male in a female form, the viewer is afforded the opportunity to later reflect on their own limited ideals of what makes gender. The viewer will realize that they believed the Major to be female purely based on his outward appearance. Early in the movie, there is nothing to differentiate the Major as male or female, other than his physical form. Gender and identity are more effectively argued when the viewer’s own reliability is called into question.
Batou’s attraction to the Major is a good example of how the outward appearance affects how we feel about an individual. Nothing about the Major has changed other than her shell is now that of a woman. A critical viewer might question why Batou’s attraction is more acceptable now that the Major is physically female? He is obviously uncomfortable by his attraction to the Major and this is never more evident than in his interaction with the Major after his new shell becomes that of a young child.
Overall, this film questions how much of our identity is formed by how people relate to us by our outward appearance. The Major struggles throughout the movie with several aspects of his identity and how his shell relates to how he perceives himself.

How women are judged

So......I can't remember where I heard this from, but it is so true - Women are juged first by what they look like and then what they say, and men are judged first by what they say and secondly by what they look like. For men, lines of aging on a face make them look distinguished and knowledgeable, those same lines for women make them look tired and old. It's easy for people to hate on the Jessica Simpsons and Paris Hiltons of the world, but the truth is, they are selling what American's believe and want to buy. Men who develop a craft such as songwriting and singing are admired for their talent and ambition, no matter what they look like. A woman on the other hand, is either smart and unattractive or gorgeous and dumb. And in this world, you are more likely to become wealthy and admired as a woman for being attractive and dumb than you are for being smart.
The truth is, men can marry a woman 15 years younger than them because of this double standard. If a 50 year old man is at a bar, he is going to bi-pass the 50 year old woman sitting next to him and head straight for the 35 year old sitting across the room. That 35 year old might actually be attracted to his confidence, knowledge, maturity and experience. But if the tables were turned, and an attractive 50 year old woman hit on a 35 year old man, she's considered a "Cougar". It might seem cool to the guy, but everyone else thinks it's sad and desperate.
There's even a new show on called "Cougar Town" with Courtney Cox playing a 40 year old single mother. She's still attractive, but she's feeling the clock tick. Not the fertility clock, but the "loss of youth" clock. Biolgically a woman is going to deal with hormones that are going to wreak havoc on her face and body and Courtney Cox's character like the millions of other 40 year old women out there is completely aware of this looming . Now the reason this loss of physical attractiveness is so much harder on women is because men are extremely visual people. Unlike women, who are attracted to how a man carries himself and how he dresses. Men are far more attracted to how a woman looks.

New Rumors

So the newest rumors surrounding Jon and Kate plus 8 are circulating on the web as we speak. So where should I start?
1. Rumor has it that Kate has been offered $400,000. to pose for Playboy. But who cares about that?! What's truly disturbing is that she turned it down because she was mortified. Now why would she be so mortified by this offer? Is it because she doesn't want her kids to think that she would exploit herself for financial gain? Well guess what.... that's what she's been doing to her family for years and she still continues to do it.
2. Rumor aslo has it that Jon had an affair with the nanny. Is anyone truly surprised to find out that this 32 year old father of 8 was sleeping with his 20 year old nanny while Kate was away financially supporting their family? Of course not...

Artifact Selection

According to a 2005 MSNBC poll, 56% of Americans believe that there are too many reality television shows, yet 54% of Americans tune into reality television shows on a regular basis. This shows us that even though, we as Americans claim to be tired of this overwhelming trend, we’re tuning in at a high percentage rate. So what is it that draws us to reality television? Is it purely for it’s’ entertainment value? Or, are we learning something from the pseudo reality that these television shows portray? Also, as these shows become more prevalent and their shock value wears off, what affect are these shows having on the viewing audience as a whole and also the participants - in particular, the children who are featured on these shows. The newest reality television fads have been shows like; The Super Nanny, Wife Swap, and the most famous of all, Jon and Kate plus eight, which feature the lives of parents and their children placed under the microscopic vision of the American public where everyone has an opinion. These children are forced participants. The fall-out that occurs or the spectacle that is created by these shows affects the participants and also the viewer. For my artifact, I will look at how the reality television shows have grown in popularity and evolved into mainstream American culture. It is also inevitable that because of the broad reach of these shows, that in some way our personal relationships, society and also the participants themselves, have been changed or shaped by this trend. Also, I will research why Americans are so drawn to this type of programming. What is it that makes us continue to tune in even though we realize that it is not a true portrayal of reality?
The cultural significance of reality television stems from its’ prevalence and mainstream accessibility. Whether people watch it for pure entertainment, because they are curious about how other people function within their community or to expand their standard for what is considered normal, the plethora of the material has in no doubt permeated our culture in one way or another. It is a part of the lives of 54% of the population. That is a significant amount of people in our society who are partaking in the media exploitation of someone else’s life. And whether you find yourself hugely addicted to a particular reality series or just merely curious, one thing is for sure, we all find it somehow disturbing and fascinating at the same time.

These are a few of my favorite things......

Well, I suppose that when someone asks me to share what my favorite anything is, I cringe. My mood dictates what my favorite music or movie is and it can change from moment to moment. I'm also a self - described dork and to people who don't know me well, I'm also awkward and corny. So at this particular moment my favorites are:

Movie

Pride and Prejudice - I love the 1940, 1995 and 2005 adaptations. However, my favorite is the 2005 version. I love that this story is timeless in its' elements of misunderstanding and the turmoil of unrequited love.

Music

I love it all. I'm a channel surfer in the truest sense of the word. But if I had to be honest, I do frequent the country channels more than the others. Sometimes I love to listen to music that makes me analyze or think about the world around me and other times I need a pick me-up or to just relax. It just depends.....

T.V. Show

Grey's Anatomy - I've always been a sucker for the medical dramas. ER, House and I grew up with MASH.


Advertisement

The Back to School Staples Ad - "It's the most wonderful time of the year". Having worked in retail in the past, I can appreciate the true meaning behind this commercial. Normally, at Christmas the kids are ecstatic as the adults run frantically around attempting to placate to their hopes of a perfect Christmas. What they don't realize is that when they head off to school each year, their parents have been secretly celebrating. Back to school is the equivalent of Christmas for parents.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPIIMbG9R4w




Comic
This one is difficult because I don't really have any. I love the funnies in the Sunday morning paper, if that counts. I grew up with The Peanuts and B.C.








So, these are a few of my favorite things, for now.