More Bad News For Cell-Phone Owners

A study coming out of Time Magazines Health section recently talks of the new concerns for pregnant mothers and their cell-phone usage and whether or not it affects the children in the long run.

Apparently, if a mother who is pregnant talks on the cell-phone regularly while the baby is still growing insider her, there is more of a chance that the child will have behavioral and developmental problems in the future. Although not being entirely conclusive, the data so far shows that out of 100,000 (Danish) children and parents surveyed between 1996 and 2002 that there is some increase in inattention and hyperactivity in the children of mothers who frequently used cellular phones while pregnant (and after the child was born).

Not only do we as a society of technologically-dependent people have to worry about cell-phones possibly having a link to brain cancer and tumors, we now have to be (possibly) concerned about the pregnant mothers and their unborn children.

Article: http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/07/study-could-cell-phone-use-in-pregnancy-affect-kids-behavior/

Aspirin Prevents Cancer, Study Shows

A recent study today shows that people who take a low dose of aspirin (75mg) a day have a 20% lower risk of getting cancer (any form), than people who do not take it.

The research being conducted by Oxford University doctors and professors went over studies based on 25,000 people and found that the results were unanimous across the board. Although this may help to prevent cancer, there is no beneficial effects to taking aspirin every day when cancer has already taken over.

Article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/An-aspirin-a-day-keeps-cancer-away-Study/articleshow/7063228.cms

Who's Laughing Now?: UK Gets Fat, Too

CBC News came out with a report from The European Commission and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that "more than half of adults in the European Union are overweight or obese." The study reports that 50.1% are overweight, with an average of 15% claiming to be obese.

I just find this article highly ironic, and almost kind of fascinating, because most European views of America is that we are all fat hicks, but now it appears that the tables have turned and karma has been served.

Article: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/12/07/overweight-obesity-eu-health.html

Sign Language Is Taking Over

USA Today reports that sign language is close to surpassing German as the third most studied language at colleges across the country. The standings as of right now have Spanish in the top slot as being the most studied by university students, than French, German, and surprisingly, Sign Language comes in, in the number four spot.

I think this is pretty great for all languages! Studying different languages gives you a broader sense of worldliness, and it definitely makes a person appear more cultured and well-rounded. I just find it surprising that Sign Language was number four when Italian is so readily available to most students in colleges across the country.

The article is here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-12-08-1Alanguages08_ST_N.htm

AT&T Users, This Is For You

According to a survey done by Consumer Reports, AT&T was voted the worst cellphone service carrier. The poll, which 58,000 people participated in, states that users are unhappy with their AT&T service.

Granted, more than half of those polled had iPhones, so the numbers get a little off, it is surprising that AT&T would have such a low approval rate. I rarely hear friends who own iPhones complain of about their service provider. It is usually the other way around, with me complaining about T-Mobile, and them suggesting I switch my carrier over to AT&T and invest in an iPhone.

Maybe now I will think twice about paying extra just to have AT&T and an iPhone. As much as I want one, I love my Blackberry too much.

The article can be found here: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/12/consumer-reports-att-the-worst-carrier/1

Google Pits Itself Against Amazon

Just in time for the holiday season, Google has just announced it's new eReader, the Google eBook, and it's very own Google eBookstore. It's begs me to ask the question of whether or not it will be just as good as Amazon's Kindle device? Apparently, right after Google made their announcement, Amazon brought forth their own new venture, a desktop web e-reader. With Google's device, you can use any browser, whereas with Amazon's Kindle, you can't. Who will win the war of profits? We'll just have to wait and see...

Unfortunately for both companies, I prefer to have the physical, paper-ed book in hand rather then by reading it off an electronic screen.

Article: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9200319/Google_vs._Amazon_Clash_of_the_booksellers?taxonomyId=71

WikiLeaks Founder Finally Caught and Denied Bail

This story stemming from reuters.com explains the capture of Julian Assange, a man authorities in the U.S., England, Sweden, and many other countries, have been trying to track down for months. The controversial documents he leaked on his website took the media world by storm, and angered many in the governments of countries all over the world with their classified information.

Assange finally turned himself in to authorities in England, but not because of the release of the documents on his website, but for a "sex crime in Sweden." He has now been denied bail by the British court, who is stating the arrest is only due to the evidence stating the "sexual misconduct" between him and two Swedish female WikiLeaks volunteers. Will justice be served, or will Assange walk away a free man?

The article: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B61PX20101208

Woman Loses Job After Failing Drug Test for Legal Prescriptions

A New York Times article from this past Sunday gives us the story of Mrs. Sue Bates, a woman who had been working for 22 years at a company that makes car parts, and how she lost her job after failing a drug test...for prescriptions she had legally prescribed to her by her doctor.

The prescription drug in question, Hydrocodone, a pain reliever, was given to her legally for back pain, but when she went to take a drug test required by her company, the narcotic showed up in her system and she was subsequently let go. Apparently there were new rules and regulations regarding the drug tests that listed her medication as "unsafe." Bates is now suing her former employer, Dura Automotive Systems, for discrimination and invasion of privacy.

This brings into question privacy issues because employers such as Dura can see what medications an employee is on, and for what, and deem whether or not it is appropriate in their work environment. This is a scary thought for everyone out there taking legally prescribed prescription medications. Who knows if this new form of drug-testing will hit where you work, and what the outcome may be.

The article can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/us/25drugs.html?ref=health

Woman Drives Around With Corpse in Car for Months

An article stemming from Aol news this past Saturday talks of a California woman who drove around with the mummified remains of an elderly homeless woman for what could be between three to ten months. The woman, a former real estate agent, apparently had befriended the homeless woman in December and let her sleep in her car, but one day found her dead. Instead of telling anyone about the death, the woman drove around with the corpse in the passenger seat until police noticed a smell being emitted from the parked car and broke in, subsequently finding the body of a 50-60 year old woman.

Police are still questioning after an autopsy on the body revealed no signs of foul play, but the cause of death is still a mystery.

This story is just weird, and I think that is why I was drawn to it. Every day I see cause for concern regarding the human race. There is always going to be weird people out there doing crazy things, and I think I just need to accept the fact that the world is just one messed up place if people are driving around with mummified bodies in their car.

For the article, go here: http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/police-woman-drove-around-with-mummified-body-for-months/19685921

Boogie Boarder Dies After Shark Attack

Just recently, a 19-year-old surfer was attacked while boogie-boarding at a popular beach in Santa Barbara, CA, and died due to his injuries. The attack is leaving many experts to believe the culprit was none other than a great white shark.

According to the article, the attack seemed to fit the profile of a great white attack, and there are not too many sharks that could inflict the kind of injuries the young surfer had sustained. Witness believe the shark that killed the surfer was somewhere between 14 to 20 feet in length, which is quite common for a great white.

This is leading many in the surrounding area to keep clear of the water, although, experts say the shark wasn't hunting humans, but merely mistook the surfer for a seal.

The article can be found here: http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/calif-surfer-bleeds-to-death-after-shark-attack/19685959

Zombies Found in Haiti

Recent studies coming out of Haiti tell tales of zombie intrigue and immigrant slave conspiracies. Apparently researchers have found, in a remote Haitian area, information that Haitian voodoo priests have concocted a drug or "poison" that can render the person on the receiving end immobile and, for lack of a better term, "dead." Now, not exactly being the re-animated corpses we are so used to seeing in movies, these drug-induced people are usually poor villagers or immigrants/tourists that get doses of the "zombie drug" and are thus rendered unconscious and unaware of their actions for what can be up to hours, days, weeks, or even months! Once injected with the toxin, the victim is then forced unwillingly (and generally unknowingly) into slavery. Once they come out of this zombie-like stupor after how ever long they were under for, they have no recollection of how they ended up where they did or what they were doing.

According to the article, located under AOL's "Weird News" section, this has most-likely been an ongoing event for decades! The article chronicles the story of one man, a Mr. Clairvius Narcisse, who was pronounced dead at a hospital in Haiti, buried, and, 18 years later, found wandering around alive and, for the most part, well. He went on to state that he was drugged (probably with this "zombie poison"), buried alive, but unconcious, and dug up and forced into slavery. Narcisse recounts in his tale that he was sent to work on a plantation with others who shared the same experience. One man who researched this phenomena extensively, Wade Davis, turned this accounts into a popular, mainstream movie in the early 1980's called "The Serpent and the Rainbow." Davis recalls that this zombie-drug that makes people appear "dead" was most-likely tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison found in puffer fish. According to Davis, "Tetrodotoxin turns out to be a very big molecule that blocks sodium channels in the nerves, bringing on peripheral paralysis, dramatically low metabolic rates and yet consciousness is retained until the moment of death." Scary, isn't it? After one of these Haitian voodoo priests, called "bokor's," injects their victim with the tetrodotoxin, the person is then pronounced dead by a physician, subsequently buried, and then dug up by the priest and given some kind of "chemical paste" to keep them in the zombie-induced state so they can be sold into slavery.

This article brings to surface some terrifying accounts of an un-Godly practice. It just makes one even more worried about traveling abroad or even leaving the comfort of their own home. It seems like it can happen to almost anyone without them even knowing until it's too late (or until the drug wears off). All I know is that I don't plan on booking a trip to Haiti any time soon...

The article I referenced can be found here: http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/how-to-make-a-zombie-haiti-style/19638134?icid=main|main|dl12|sec1_lnk3|172567

Moses and the Parting of the Red Sea, Debunked?

Recent reports and epxeriments say there may be an explanation to the passge in the Bible's "Book of Exodus" that explains the parting of the Red Sea by God to allow Moses and the Israelites to pass through. According to the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the "phenomenon" of "wind setdown" may be the explanation we (may or may not have) needed. The event of wind setdown is a rare happening in which heavy winds push water someplace else to pool and can cause effects similar to the parting of the seas. This is interesting and all, but apparently there would need to have been "hurricane-force winds" and a rare kind of geological layuout on the seabed for this to actually occur. So, in other words, there would have to have been a hurricane, and the perfect geographical location for the winds to part the sea and create safe passage.

If you really wish to believe that it was divine miracle or not, there is a brief video simulation on the website regarding this article, but I know I personally believe that tehre is not such thing as "divine intervention," not even for the beloved Israelites. I am a skeptic at heart, and, although this is highly interesting, it doesn't really stir any kind of truth in me.

The article can be found here: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/22/moses_water_sim_study/

Quran Burning and A Florida Pastor

An article stemming from the recent event of a planned "Quran burning" by a Florida pastor has finally come to it's ultimate conclusion. "An evangelist in contact with the Rev. Terry Jones said the Florida pastor 'has agreed in principle' not to burn copies of the Quran (CNN.com)." The proposed Quran burning protest/demonstration, led by Rev. Jones, was the result of the planned mosque construction near Ground Zero in NYC. Just days before the event was to take place, the Reverend himself was debating whether or not he would actually follow through with his radical plans to set fire to Islam's version of the Bible, although, he couldn't seem to give a clear decision.

According to the CNN article, his decision to halt the actual protest was due to a meeting with the man in charge of the mosque building in NYC, imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, but here's where it becomes messy. Apparently, Rev. Jones told reporters that Rauf told him he would move the location of the mosque if Jones called off the Quran burning. This was quickly shot down by Rauf's mediator, imam Mohammad Musri, who stated, "That's not what I offered him."

So, the rest of the world is stuck debating whether to believe in Jones' story, or Musri's and Rauf's. I, personally, feel like Jones is taking matters too far. It's radical in nature the burning of a religion's holy book, but I am still torn about the building of a mosque so close to a place where so many people died due to the muslim terrorists. I feel that the mosque should be built in another location, and not in a place where there is so much controversy. It's almost like a slap in the face to Americans, even if Rauf's intentions are good, it's just not right. I think both sides need to take into consideration the issue as a whole before they start jumping into things so quickly.

(The article is located here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/10/florida.quran.burning.imam/index.html?npt=NP1

Muslims vs. The U.S.

While perusing articles from Time magazines website, I came across an article relating to American's fears of Muslims and their religion. The article in question brings forth a case out of rural Wisconsin involving a Muslim, Dr. Mansoor Mirza, who is trying to erect a mosque on property he owns in a neighboring town. When Mirza stepped in front of the committee awaiting their decision, he was hit with some of the worries and fears many Americans keep bottled up in regards to race, religion, and morality. These fears were only hastened even more when the planned mosque in New York City came to surface. Where does all this hostility and fear stem from? Well, it's most-likely a result of the terrible events that took place on September 11th, but it may also be more than just that.

Personally, I believe that many American citizens are scared of the outcome of what the aftershock would be like if these mosques were built. We all fear terrorism because jihadists are still out there plotting and planning, and the promotion of anything associated with the Islamic religion definitely strikes a chord. When we hold our tongues on such critical issues and bottle up what we want to say, it's only bound to burst out of us, and sometimes in stereotypical and hateful ways.

The resulting backlash from Americans if the mosques are built would be catastrophic. The same goes for if the mosques aren't built. It's a double-edged sword issue, and one that will, no matter what the outcome is, hold a place in history and haunt U.S. citizens for years to come.

(The article I referenced can be found here: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2011798,00.html

PETA Reacts to Video of Apparent Animal Abuse

A video recently posted to youtube, and the wildly popular site, 4chan, depicting a young girl throwing puppies into a river, has sparked outrage amongst animal activist groups, and has many questioning the video's authenticity. No matter whether the video is authentic or not, the depiction of anyone harming any creature in any way is just despicable. In the video, the girl, who, according to CNN Justice, is speaking Croatian, is seen lifting 6 puppies out of a basket and launching them into a moving river. This particular incident of animal abuse really struck a chord with me. The fact that it (allegedly) happened in another country angers me more-so because the rules and regulations in regards to animal cruelty in other parts of the world differ greatly from the laws associated with it here in the United States. The link to the actual article from CBS News can be found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20015283-504083.html

Suicide Awareness

Suicide is a big issue when it comes to college students and college campuses. Many students each year commit suicide on countless college campuses each year, and the threat is becoming ever-worsening with these hard, economic times. That is why I believe there should be better suicide awareness at Western Connecticut State University. The only thing we have going for these at-risk students is a Counseling Center on campus hat not many people know about. I feel like there should be yearly (maybe even monthly) reminders about awareness of such a troubling issue. Newsletters can be handed out on campus for incoming students letting them know there is a counseling center available if needed, and events like 'To Write Love on Her Arms' held annually to further that awareness. This potentially devastating problem has an easy fix, we just need to get on top of it and keep students (and faculty) aware. Awareness is key, and we must try our best!

Betty White Has Still Got It!

This past Saturday there was a special first-ever event on the television show Saturday Night Live: Betty White was hosting! The 88-year old legend was hosting after her extensive years in show-business, after a viral campaign on Facebook allowed people to rally for her own hosting gig. It certainly payed-off, and the show, according to popeater.com, had its highest ratings in "18 months."

White, who has been around for almost three decades, rolled with the punches and showed the rest of the SNL-world that she was just as quick-witted and snarky as they come. I, myself, watched the event take place, and let me tell you, Betty White burned up that stage! That episode is likely to go down in history as one of the greatest comedic events on SNL's stage.

To read the full article, or watch any unaired clips from the show, go to: http://www.popeater.com/2010/05/10/betty-white-snl-debbie-downer/?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2F2010%2F05%2F10%2Fbetty-white-snl-debbie-downer%2F

James Dyer- Past and Present

Former Danbury, CT Mayor James Dyer recently spoke about his past history in politics, and the past is the key word here. It seemed Mr. Dyer was living in the there, driving around in his convertible campaigning for civl rights and going against the Vietnam War. Personally, it felt like he mentioned many things surrounding his golden (and sometimes not-so-golden) days as Mayor, and the years prior to that. I feel like he definitely has a lot t brag about being the former Mayor and all, but the fact that he went on about it kind of made me feel like he was stuck in that decade.

James Dyer gave many good pointers on how to be a good speaker. He said, "Never rely heavily on audio or visual aids because you want the center of attention to be you, and you alone." I find that to be both true and no so true, but depending on the situation. VIsual aids are great, say, if you are presenting something to your business firm on how to generate more revenue. That way, if you are charismatic enough, the attention will be focused on your, and your presentation as a whole. Dyer also noted that "giving the audience some form of paper or handout to bring home" is a great way to keep the audience informed and talking about you, even after the speech, presentation, etc., is over. You will find that most seminars and lecturers will do that very same thing.

According to Dyer, the steps you need to follow in order to be a good speaker are these: 1.) Organization, 2.) Articulation, and 3.) Presentation. Agreeably, these are what most public speakers do. They make sure their material is organized to be presented in a chronological and well-fashioned manner, and they make sure to articulate everything they say. It's always good to follow those steps, and they seem to work well for the former Mayor.

Although I wouldn't agree with some of James Dyer's politics back when he was Mayor (or currently), I feel that he presented some useful information on how to be a good speaker, and how to handle being a part of (and handling) the media. You always have to remember who your audience is, and maybe try and rethink going into politics at this time, because, according to Mr. Dyer, "This is the worst time to be a part of any government."

Dr. Abbey Zink

Dr. Abbey Zink, Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences at Western Connecticut State University, is one of the great Journalistic minds on campus. She is a woman who grew up in West Virginia playing softball and listening to Billy Idol, who graduated with a doctorate in Journalism, and became one of the key components of our small New England college.

As well as being well-read and highly intelligent, she is also very funny and compassionate to all her students' needs. For all my years here at Western, I have grown to accept her as my advisor, and highly recommend her to anyone seeking mentorship. It's hard not to have a good time with her when you sit down and talk. This woman knows her stuff, and she is more than happy to help anyone out, no matter what their major or problem.

I am proud to say that I know Dr. Abbey Zink, and regard her as one of WestCONN's most valuable faculty members.

Poynter

One of the more curious things that Poynter.com suggested in it's "Writing Tools" section was to "choose words the average writer avoids, but that the average reader understands." This got me thinking of how I, myself, write. I tend to use my best friend (the thesaurus, or the Web site, Thesaurus.com) to come up with synonyms of words I commonly use. I try to avoid using the same word more than once in my pieces, because that way the writing seems more colorful and intelligent rather than boring and redundant. Also, avoiding jargon is another technique. I would never use a word a reader might not understand without possibly explaining it first. Jargon doesn't ever help. It falls along the lines of "filler" in my book.

Snapshot Profile

There was a time in my life when I was sorely absent, emotionally, from the rest of the world. I found myself feeling completely disconnected from everyone around me: my family, my friends, my colleagues, and I saw myself falling into a deep depression. It was only when I was eighteen when all of the accumulated emotions burst from me and I found myself institutionalized, and that's when I truly found out who I really was. With the help of psychiatrists and other in-patients, I grew to accept who I had become as a person, and deal with mental illness and all the other issues circling my life.

I've come to the realization that not everything in life is perfect, and that everyone has problems (not just me), and dealing with reality is a normal way of life. Instead of disconnecting myself from my own harsh reality, I had an "awakening" of sorts. With the encouraging of my friends, co-workers, family, and therapists on campus, things have finally started to normalize themselves.

Looking back on that period in time, I didn't realize how "lost" I actually was. It took something so horribly damaging to me, personally, for me to come out on the other side and embrace acceptance.

Health-Care...Reform?

Health-Care Reform...It's something that's been on my mind since the election. What does this new bill mean for people my age? Does it mean that I will be covered forever, and not have to worry about being kicked from my health insurance company because I am too poor to afford to live? I honestly don't know what to think about this new bill. I grew up in a very conservative household, and I, myself, am a registered Republican, so this kind of thing has me shaking in my boots. I found myself perusing articles on aol.com, but quickly switched over to the hot topic of the week on PoliticsDaily.com, Health-Care Reform, and the passage of the bill.
My mind is boggled by this. I am not one to really follow such hard-hitting topics as health-care, even if it means a life-changing turn in Obama's presidency, and, according to Politics Daily writer Patricia Murphy: "the defining domestic issue of his presidency."
I am afraid, however, of what this means for me in the future. The idea of "tax increases" on the upper class is a much-needed plan for this bill, but the thought of that not being enough to fund this huge reform is troubling. Because, once it becomes too expensive, and the Bill Gates' of America start complaining about being unable to afford the tax-hike any longer, than the taxes wil than be placed on the middle-class Americans, such as myself and my family. Now, already we find it tough to maske end's meet. My parents both work (and have been working ever since my sister's and I were born), and they have to worry about putting 3 children through college, pay off the cars, and deal with the mortgage for a house that is already too small for 5 people. I am not saying that things were going to be easy without the inclusion of a health-care bill, but once the middle-class starts getting taxed (and there is no doubt in my mind that we won't), than it will become unbearably difficult, and the little money in my parent's wallets is going to become even more constricted.
I am afraid for the future. I don't know what to think anymore. It is just something I wanted to bring up on this blog because 1.) I cannot fully grasp its impact, and 2.) It's a hot topic that we should all be looking at.

From the mouth of Mary Connolly...

The field of Journalism is a typically male-dominated area, but Mary Connolly, former News-Times Editorial Director, new that going in. She was our guest speaker today in our News Writing class, and what a talk she gave! I highly enjoyed her lecture, because she touched on some issues I have been worrying about in the news for some time now. She covered the topic of malpractice extensively, and in the medical world, that is a touchy subject. She mentioned the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), in regards to those such "adverse subjects" as immigration laws and medical mishaps, and recalled how most malpractice incidents go unreported, and those that do can become public records.

I found this quite interesting, and worrying at the same time, because it makes me wonder how many things go unreported each day, and how many misdiagnoses' are happening. Things like that should be made available to the public, and Mary Connolly believes that the FOIA is a godsend for news reporters. "The public has a right to know," she says, and I couldn't agree more.

She also states how you should "know who your readers are," and know what they want to hear. You try and keep opinions respectful and well-developed in the eyes of "those who pay the bills" (i.e.- the big-wig companies you work under). You don't want anyone getting upset over something you write. That is also true for subjects that may be touchy for some, such as the aforementioned immigration and calling them "undocumented" instead of "illegal aliens." It's always good to sound politically correct when you are reporting news.

To finish off my brief little blurb with a quote of Miss Connolly's, "When you let the sun shine in, people start acting differently." In this case, she is referring to when you shed light on a subject that people don't want out in the public, they will begin to change their attitude. It's scary the way some react to what becomes public and what doesn't.

Drink Up, Ladies!

Prep your livers for some tasty news, ladies! In a recent article published by USA Today reporter Nanci Hellmich, women who drink a moderate amount of alcohol on a daily basis are LESS likely to gain weight than those who do not consume alcohol. This is pretty shocking to me, personally, because I thought it was the other way around. I always figured that those who drank ended up with so-called "beer bellies." It turns out, though, according to the research conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, that out of the 19,000 women in the study, those who drank "light to moderate amounts of alcohol" each day were more healthy and least likely to become obese than their sober counterparts. It is all due to the belief that the alcohol drinkers eat less carbohydrates, and less food in general.

Althought this may come as a surprise, Hellmich does mention that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious health problems, and only those who work out regularly and have a healthy diet will not gain the weight when they drink lightly or moderately on a daily basis. This is news to me! I can now tell my friends that are female who are afraid to drink and get the "beer-belly," that as long as they keep up with the gym and remain eating healthy, that they should have no worries about whether or not to take another glass of wine.

For Nanci Hellmich's original (full) article, the link is here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-09-womenandalcohol09_ST_N.htm

The (Dull) 82nd Academy Awards

So, even though this article was supposed to be done for last week, I wanted to write about the day after the 82nd Academy Awards aired, so I ended up waiting. I found an article from The NY Times today by a Miss Alessandra Stanley, that hit upon some of the points I would like to make about the classic 'Oscar Night.'

One: The Oscars seemed rushed and far too boring this year. The inclusion of two hosts now, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, was a nice treat, but it could've been played-up better than it was. The article mentions the opening sing and dance number by Neil Patrick Harris, and says it only served to "test the clock." I would have to say I agree with Miss Stanley on that one. I understand it was supposed to bring us back to the golden era of the Oscars, try and keep it classy yet updated, but I found it to be nothing more than filler. The same goes for the horror movie montage that Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner (of Twilight fame) presented. That was a very strange thing to do seeing as how the Oscars never really recognized horror movies in particular before. Once again, it just seemed like it was used to fill time.

Two: The conclusion and Best Picture. Stanley recalls the final moments of Oscar night as being "rushed" and "practically a postscript." I couldn't have said it better! When Tom Hanks waltzed onto the stage I expected a nice intro/segment into the Best Picture nominees. Instead, what I, and the rest of the audience, was left with was a quick sentence or two, and the all-too brief announcement of the winner. And than it was over.

The Academy Awards this year didn't feel right to me. There was nothing classy or old Hollywood about it. All the actor's and directors and film people seemed cranky, tired, and just bored to be there. I wanted more glamour, more extravagance, but was left only with a few awkward moments, and only one memorable speech (made by Sandra Bullock when she won her award for Best Actress for 'The Blind Side').

So, all-in-all, the Oscars this year was a forgettable experience. Here's to hoping that next year will be different.

For Alessandra Stanley's full "Academy Awards" article from the NY Times, here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/movies/awardsseason/08watch.html?hp

Nostalgic Park

Today I found myself sitting with my cousin, Justin, in a park we used to frequent as kids in South Salem, NY. Sitting at a splintering picnic table, we obsereved the park-goers and wondered what their daily lives must be like. It's a Friday afternoon; the wind is chilly, but the sun is out and the weather is tolerable. I watched as parents sat with each other conversing, probably talking about their children playing in the playground nearby, and wondered if our parents did the same when we were young.

My cousin and I talked about how much things have changed since we were kids, and how different the park looked since we were last there. The community pool across the pond seemed empty and sad now. The weather had not been right for it to open, and so it remained quiet for most of the day. The children would run around the playground, sometimes into eachother, laughing, screaming, crying, and the oarents would not seem to notice. That's the thing about parent's in Westchester County, they don't seem to really care that much.

I observed them mostly keeping to the other parents, whom they probably knew, and seemed to almost be avoiding their children. I don't recall it being like that when I was younger. I remember my mother helping me on the swings or dig sand pits. I remember my father taking me fishing with my sisters in the scummy, insect-ridden pond. Now, it just seemed too fake. I jokingly asked my cousin if he thought any of these parents had jobs or worked for a living. He didn't think so. Most of them probably were stay-at-home parents who had maids and other people take care of their kids for them so they didn't have to. That's what life was like there. Most parents had no interest in their children whatsoever. It was a depressing scene.

Before we left, my cousin and I walked over to the small trail behind the swingsets. We reminisced about days when we would sneak away from our parents and play back there in the solitude of the woods. There were no parents back there, no children walking the trails. Just us, and the occasional squirrel. Though all the nostalgia I was feeling, I still had this overwhelming saddness about how much time has changed us.

We are both very different people now; different life-choices, different goals and ideas for the future. As we walked back to the car to drive back to my grandparent's house, I imagined myself young once more, enjoying all the time I had before the responsibilities of adulthood took over. Those youthful days of my past seem to be another life to me now.

Guest Speaker- Eugene Driscoll

Who says Journalism is a dying breed? Not Eugene Driscoll!

The Valley Independent Sentinel is a privately-funded, non-profit, localized online news source that covers 5 counties in/around Naugatuck Valley, CT. Mr. Eugene Driscoll is an editor there who believes that people who think "journalism is dying" are "idiots." The website/news source was launched 8 years ago, and already has 2,000+ readers a day to the site, which covers mainly local news out of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton, CT.

One of the questions I asked was whether he and his associates can cover stories that are outside of their jurisdiction/coverage area. He replied that due to other competeing papers in CT running the same stories, it would be difficult to be "exclusive," and in the end, everything would become "repetetive." He went on to say that "you would end up reading the same story in five different newspapers or web sources." When talking about his competitors, he mentioned a particular news source, which I will not name, that offended it's readers. "That's one thing you can't do," according to Driscoll, "you can't hate your readers."

What interested me most about his speech wast that the reporters at the Sentinel were constantly trying something new; they were always on the move, freelancers always on the go with their police scanners and keeping updated on, of all places, the social-networking site, Facebook. Now, the fact that he mentioned Facebook as an outlet for free advertising was unique in the fact that it generates a reader-base and gets people to come to the site. If you broaden the "word-of-mouth," you will eventually gain more respect in the community, although, it already appears that they have a pretty solid and dedicated following. Advertising on Facebook and social networking sites was just another way to get the word out there. That was a smart move on their part.

One of the words Driscoll used quite frequently was "hyper-local." I interpreted it as local media and news, but at a constantly fast pace. News is always happening all over the covered counties, and he and his team were always on top of it. "It's all about covering the news at the moment," Driscoll says.

Non-Consenting Medical Guinea Pigs

I was researching an article to use when I discovered, on Fox News, a link to another article out of Washington's The Seattle Times entitled "You may become medical guinea pig without knowing it." It caught my eye right away, because that is one of my worst fears (being used for something I didn't consent to). It just creeps me out. The article states that researchers out of the University of Washington have been conducting experiments on patients who are not able to consent to further kinds of treatment (i.e.- they are using terminally ill patients who may be in comas or suffering from sever head trauma, or stuck in vegetative states).
The program is titled "Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium" is a $50-million dollar undertaking that focuses on somewhere arounf 20,000 patients. It goes on to say that the researches haev found ways to "sidestep" any form of federal guidlines to conduct their studies. But what about moral guidlines? These people have no say in what is being done to them, although, they physically can't. They are being operated on, cut open and examined, and no one is speaking out for them.
Even though it states that the patients are chosen at random, and that "If you don’t do these studies, care will never improve," (according to the researcher Dr. Eileen Bulger. They believe they are "helping" people. Who are they erally helping here? Themselves? The patients undergoing these procedures aren't benefitting from any of this! Maybe in the long run it will be useful for people who go into comas or suffer from sever cardiac arrest in the future, but without consent in the now, there really shouldn't be any studies or operating going on WHATSOEVER.
There are underlying ethics at work here, and these dotors feel like they can just sweep that under the rug, and find loop-holes and go about their heinous infringement of the law! Bulger goes on to say in the artcile that "If we want to make an impact in people who are at very high risk of dying from their injuries, we have to be able to do these studies." I see that their intentions are good, but the way they are going about it is just wrong.
I remember reading somewhere last year about a woman who purposely poisoned herself with something like clorox, bleach, or Draynol, and went to the hospital with a hand-written note stating she would not like to be "saved," but be relieved of the pain from opisoning herself so she could not die so painfully. The doctors in that case agreed to her consent to deny any "saving." They helped her die as painlessly as possible, which is what she wanted when she first set out to kill herself. Why do doctors refuse to care for someone who is obviously dying, refuses treatment, and just let her...die, and do nothing about the consent laws in regards to the poor souls in the Seattle Times' article?
It baffles me, it really does.

For the whole article, I shall submit a link:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003732713_labrats03m.html

Tyler Ventre, an Intervie

Name: Tyler Ventre
Born: February 9, 1988 in Bridgeport, CT

Kyle: So, Tyler, do you currently live in B-port?
Tyler: No, I live in Bethel.

Kyle: Do you enjoy living in CT?
Tyler: I guess, it's a good place to live.

Kyle: And where do you work and what do you do there?
Tyler: I currently work at Stew Leonards. I am a cashier, but I also do kid's parties and dress up as Batman, Spiderman, and Wow the Cow.

Kyle: And do you like that job?
Tyler: It's okay. It's fun, and I get to work with a lot of great people.

Kyle: Okay, so, why'd you come to Westconn?
Tyler: It's a good school and close to home. Plus, it's cheap.

Kyle: What are you majoring in?
Tyler: Elementary Ed. in writing.

Kyle: And what do you plan on doing with that in the future?
Tyler: I want to teach kindergarten, or possibly be a singer/songwriter, but maybe just on the side.

Kyle: So, what are your hobbies?
Tyler: I like to write lyrics, play slide-guitar and the harmonica. I like to go on walks, too.

Kyle: What got you started in playing the harmonica?
Tyler: I heard them play it in Aerosmith before, and than I got one for Christmas and decided to start playing it.

Kyle: Have you ever been in a band before?
Tyler: I tried to start a few, but they never happened.

Kyle: What position would you play in the band?
Tyler: Lead vocals and harmonica.

Kyle: And what type of music do/would you play?
Tyler: Blues and rock, but I like to experiment. Probably progressive rock, too.

Kyle: Is there a certain type of music you won't listen to?
Tyler: Mostly boy bands and pop stuff like Britney Spears and Beyonce.

Kyle: Okay, and finally, if you had the opportunity to play with any band in the world, who would you play with?
Tyler: Hands down, AC/DC!