Endless candy, outrageous costumes, glowing jack-o-lanterns, trekking through haunted houses only to get the crap scared out of us by masked strangers... Welcome to Halloween!
Ever wondered where some of these odd traditions came from? Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, so I did a little digging to see if I could find the freaky origins of some of our more bizarre Halloween rituals.
The name "Halloween" originated from the Catholic Church's term "All Hallow's Eve." This holiday was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing the Potato Famine. The holiday itself originated from the Celtic festival, Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") which celebrated the end of the Gaelic harvest season.
The Celts lived 2,000 years ago in what is today Ireland, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), and parts of Northern France. During Samhain, the ancient pagans would take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped, and the deceased would come back to life and wreak havoc on the living, such as spreading sickness or damaging crops. In addition, the Celts believed that the presence of spirits made it easier for the Celtic priests, or Druids, to make predictions about the future.
So where do silly pumpkin faces fit into this? Carving Jack-O-Lanterns comes from the Irish tradition of carving faces into vegetables. Originally, turnips were used for the carving, and rather than lighting a candle, they placed a hot coal inside.
According to legend, a drunk named "Stingy Jack" invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy the drinks. Once the Devil changed, Jack put the coin it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not claim his soul. Soon after, Jack died.
As the legend goes, God would not allow Jack into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," or simply "Jack O'Lantern." In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.
With all these undead spirits wandering around on All Hallow's Eve, most ancient cultures believed they could avoid being recognized by these ghosts of Samhain who may seek to harm them by disguising themselves with masks. They would also place bowls of food outside their homes to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from entering the home, which could be where trick-or-treating originated.
Now that you know a little bit more about this crazy, yet oh-so-fun holiday, I wish you all a pleasantly spooky All Hallow's Eve! I'm sure that while you are gallivanting around town in your wildest costumes, collecting your share of tricks and treats ;) you will all be remembering the historic origins of this October 31st. Yeah...right... HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wedding bells mean wedding dances
I bet few people would argue with me that June is the unofficial wedding month. As a matter of fact, I am currently sitting at my parents' computer back home in the Nebraska panhandle, preparing to attend not one, but TWO weddings tomorrow (June 6th). 365 days in a year, and two of my oldest friends (Kate & Megan) both decided to get married on the exact same day. In two different towns. More than 60 miles apart. However, despite the time and distance discrepancies, I am sooo excited for both of these girls, and their wonderful fiances! So, let me extend an official congratulations to both sets of soon-to-be-married couples: Kate & Mike, Megan & Ryne - CONGRATULATIONS!
I love weddings. I love seeing people so deliriously happy and in love, and I love watching all the dancing. Everyone knows the traditional "first dance" between bride and groom: slow, lovey-dovey music while the newlyweds dance either cheek-to-cheek or gaze lovingly into each other's eyes. It's a very "aww" moment that tugs on your heartstrings and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. But let's face it; if you've seen one first dance, you've pretty much seen them all. Right?
Haha, guess again...
I love weddings. I love seeing people so deliriously happy and in love, and I love watching all the dancing. Everyone knows the traditional "first dance" between bride and groom: slow, lovey-dovey music while the newlyweds dance either cheek-to-cheek or gaze lovingly into each other's eyes. It's a very "aww" moment that tugs on your heartstrings and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. But let's face it; if you've seen one first dance, you've pretty much seen them all. Right?
Haha, guess again...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Dead Week...Ha!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was pretty sure the whole point of "dead week" (the infamous week preceding finals) was to give students an entire week in which to cram a semester's worth of information and work. Well, not if you happen to be a UNK English major with a journalism minor. If you fall into my demographic, dead week IS finals week.
ALL of my English and journalism finals were due this week, including my 15-20 page research paper, my final creative portfolio, a final radio performance recording, and a video commentary blog entry. The only "final" I have next week is a 10-minute presentation over my research paper, and that is only because I opted to do it next week instead of this week. Normally, I wouldn't complain in the slightest about being done with classes a week earlier than most people; while they are cramming away in front of computer screens, I can be outside enjoying the spring weather. However, in the last couple years, I have discovered a pattern in both the English and journalism departments of UNK. EVERYONE makes their final assignments due during dead week.
I'm sure this is done with the best of intentions; the professors probably realize that most students have more than enough to do during finals week, so they up the due date by a few days to give students more time for other assignments. Plus, they probably have their own finals to collect, so why not give everyone a little break? Well, that's great in theory, but what about those of us who DON'T have any other finals? All we have are English papers and journalism assignments, which leaves us in the dead week dust. We don't get an extra week to focus entirely on finishing our projects. We don't get a week with no other assignments due. Instead, we get an end-of-the-semester crunch week where EVERYTHING is due, and we still have all of our regularly-scheduled classes to attend on top of it. Yay us!
So, while the rest of you are dutifully studying away in the library for the remainder of this and next week, we will sleeping. Passed out from sheer exhaustion and assignment-overload in our comfy corner beds until it is time to pull ourselves up, put on the cap and gown, and celebrate the fact that those days and days and nights and nights spent in the library and computer labs really did pay off, and we are finally, officially FINISHED!
ALL of my English and journalism finals were due this week, including my 15-20 page research paper, my final creative portfolio, a final radio performance recording, and a video commentary blog entry. The only "final" I have next week is a 10-minute presentation over my research paper, and that is only because I opted to do it next week instead of this week. Normally, I wouldn't complain in the slightest about being done with classes a week earlier than most people; while they are cramming away in front of computer screens, I can be outside enjoying the spring weather. However, in the last couple years, I have discovered a pattern in both the English and journalism departments of UNK. EVERYONE makes their final assignments due during dead week.
I'm sure this is done with the best of intentions; the professors probably realize that most students have more than enough to do during finals week, so they up the due date by a few days to give students more time for other assignments. Plus, they probably have their own finals to collect, so why not give everyone a little break? Well, that's great in theory, but what about those of us who DON'T have any other finals? All we have are English papers and journalism assignments, which leaves us in the dead week dust. We don't get an extra week to focus entirely on finishing our projects. We don't get a week with no other assignments due. Instead, we get an end-of-the-semester crunch week where EVERYTHING is due, and we still have all of our regularly-scheduled classes to attend on top of it. Yay us!
So, while the rest of you are dutifully studying away in the library for the remainder of this and next week, we will sleeping. Passed out from sheer exhaustion and assignment-overload in our comfy corner beds until it is time to pull ourselves up, put on the cap and gown, and celebrate the fact that those days and days and nights and nights spent in the library and computer labs really did pay off, and we are finally, officially FINISHED!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Leap, kitty, leap!
Ok, so this video is actually pretty pointless, but it made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. It even made my two roommates laugh and laugh and laugh as well. So I figured, with it being the end-of-the-semester-crunch, we could all use a good laugh. Even if you don't like cats, you'll love this video--trust me!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Now that's what I call a CATapult!
There. I hope you smiled--if not actually laughed out loud--at least once. Happy finals!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Now that's what I call a CATapult!
There. I hope you smiled--if not actually laughed out loud--at least once. Happy finals!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Take Me Hoooooooooooome: an After Midnight Project review
All it takes is the deep sound of the lead singer’s voice yelling "1, 2, 3…JUMP!"
The riff of a guitar, the beat of a bass drum and the entire crowd is on its feet, pounding their fists in the air, screaming at the top of their lungs. Even those in the stands have to fight the urge to bang their heads to the insatiable beat of the trap set.
The smooth, edgy voice of the lead singer sends chills through the stands as he stretches out the title note of "Take Me Home," and the crowd appropriately screams with all their might to the chorus of "I Scream for You."
That was the effect of After Midnight Project at the Spring Concert Saturday, April 18 in the UNK Health and Sports Center. From their very first song, "Digital Crush," After Midnight Project established a theme of hard rock/punk songs that kept the audience dancing, jumping and screaming throughout their entire set.
Punk isn't exactly my first choice of music genres, but I really, really enjoyed After Midnight Project. They brought a sort of punk and hard rock blend laid over original and poetic lyrics without excessive screaming or overdone musical theatrics. One of the reasons their show was so great was because they really brought the audience into the performance. The lead singer even went into the audience at the end of the show. Everything they did amped the energy up more and more to the point where the band and crowd were just feeding off of each other, making the show that much more intense and enjoyable for everyone involved, whether they were on the stage, on the floor or in the stands.
Although they served as an opening band to the opening band, weren't mentioned in promotional material and their name did not even appear on the ticket, the vocals, lyrics, and overall musical talent of After Midnight Project proved that this band is ready to break out of its small-time shell. Judging from the crowd's response and how quickly word of them as spread in the few days since the concert, I have little doubt that After Midnight Project will very soon be selling out their own concerts and headlining their own tour. Maybe, someday, they’ll come back to our little college town and play the Health and Sports Center again with a couple platinum albums under their belt.
If you don't want to take my word for it, check them out online or hear for yourself:
HELP!!! Seiously!
I'm putting together a list of Top 10 Movies To See Before You Die - UNK Style and I need your help!
I received 10 movies from Dr. Sam Umland, and 10 from my friend Travis Robinson, and now I'm stuck! So, I'm listing all 20 movies and I really want your help! Just write a comment with which movies you would like to see in the list (if you want to number them, feel free, but you don't have to). I also threw in a few of my own picks. Please don't add to the list - I have way too many to choose from as it is! Unless there is one purely iconic film that you feel CANNOT be left off the list - then it's ok.
WARNING: This will only be available until 10 PM TONIGHT! After that I will just have to finish it myself. Please, get as many people to vote as you can! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Back to the Future
The Sixth Sense
Gone With the Wind
I received 10 movies from Dr. Sam Umland, and 10 from my friend Travis Robinson, and now I'm stuck! So, I'm listing all 20 movies and I really want your help! Just write a comment with which movies you would like to see in the list (if you want to number them, feel free, but you don't have to). I also threw in a few of my own picks. Please don't add to the list - I have way too many to choose from as it is! Unless there is one purely iconic film that you feel CANNOT be left off the list - then it's ok.
WARNING: This will only be available until 10 PM TONIGHT! After that I will just have to finish it myself. Please, get as many people to vote as you can! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Back to the Future
The Sixth Sense
Gone With the Wind
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Addicted to Technology
They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. My name is Shelly, and I'm afraid I am becoming addicted to technology.
OK, maybe not really, but I may be showing some warning signs:
As I have said in previous posts, I cannot leave the house without my cell phone or I will turn around and go back. My laptop is my lifeline. If I go more than three days without high-speed internet, I feel as though I've been cut off from the world. I spend hours making playlists on iTunes for my new iPod Nano. My pictures are all tucked away on my digital camera's memory card. I don't remember the last time I actually sent an honest-to-God, hand-written letter; e-mail is so much quicker. Who needs to make a phone call when you can chat online? Who needs to chat online when you can text?
Does any of this sound familiar? Don't worry; we're not alone. This growing technology addiction isn't just something I made up, it's becoming a real disease. We all like to joke about being "addicted to technology" but in today's techno-centric world, it may not be so funny.
So how do we kick this nasty, yet oh-so-convenient habit? The obvious answer would be to abandon technology. Yeah...um...let's call that Plan B. I don't know about the rest of you, but no one is taking my cell phone until they pry it from my cold dead fingers! And don't even think about touching my laptop if you value the use of that hand. Maybe we should try a different approach.
In conclusion, I would like to share a funny-because-it's-true video with everyone. Warning: the content may be deemed semi-explicit, so viewer discretion is advised. I think it's safe to say, this is probably the point where you need to say, "Whoa, maybe I should do something about this..."
Note: I strongly encourage you to check out the articles I linked to. They have some very educational and very entertaining insights. My personal favorite are all the references to the Blackberry as the "Crackberry."
OK, maybe not really, but I may be showing some warning signs:
As I have said in previous posts, I cannot leave the house without my cell phone or I will turn around and go back. My laptop is my lifeline. If I go more than three days without high-speed internet, I feel as though I've been cut off from the world. I spend hours making playlists on iTunes for my new iPod Nano. My pictures are all tucked away on my digital camera's memory card. I don't remember the last time I actually sent an honest-to-God, hand-written letter; e-mail is so much quicker. Who needs to make a phone call when you can chat online? Who needs to chat online when you can text?
Does any of this sound familiar? Don't worry; we're not alone. This growing technology addiction isn't just something I made up, it's becoming a real disease. We all like to joke about being "addicted to technology" but in today's techno-centric world, it may not be so funny.
So how do we kick this nasty, yet oh-so-convenient habit? The obvious answer would be to abandon technology. Yeah...um...let's call that Plan B. I don't know about the rest of you, but no one is taking my cell phone until they pry it from my cold dead fingers! And don't even think about touching my laptop if you value the use of that hand. Maybe we should try a different approach.
In conclusion, I would like to share a funny-because-it's-true video with everyone. Warning: the content may be deemed semi-explicit, so viewer discretion is advised. I think it's safe to say, this is probably the point where you need to say, "Whoa, maybe I should do something about this..."
Note: I strongly encourage you to check out the articles I linked to. They have some very educational and very entertaining insights. My personal favorite are all the references to the Blackberry as the "Crackberry."
Thursday, April 16, 2009
This column is untitled
I wasn't originally going to put this on my blog, but Dr. Hanson said we should never write something we wouldn't publish, so here we go...
4-9-09
Two nights ago, my friend tried to kill herself.
I didn't know this. Her roommate didn't know this. Neither did her mother, her sister, or her aunt who she considers more of a mother to her than her own. Her roommate and I just thought she was sick after she threw up all over their room, but neither of us would have guessed it was her body’s last attempt to rid itself of the more than 40 pills she had swallowed earlier. We didn’t find out what she had done until around 8:00 the following night when her aunt called, asking one of us to go sit with our friend until someone could come and take her home. Since her roommate couldn’t get away from work, I volunteered.
When I walked into her room, she looked up at me and said, “I wish it would have worked. I’m such a failure; I can’t even do this right.”
For the first time in the four years I had known her, I didn’t know what to say. I sat there, holding and rocking my friend while she told me through her sobs that she was so tired of pretending to like her life. She was tired of living for everyone else; she was tired of putting on a mask every day. She just wanted it all to end.
She’d been planning this for months. She was ready, prepared. She had goodbye letters written out to her mother and aunt, and had another with detailed instructions taped to her bed for when her roommate came in to find her lifeless body. She told me she’d wanted to do it at home, but she couldn’t bear the thought of her little cousins or aunt’s foster kids finding her like that.
It’s very difficult for me to write this, just as it was very difficult for me to listen to her talk about how much she wanted her life to end. In October, I lost one of my oldest friends in a car accident. She was 21, on her way to being an elementary teacher, and had two little sisters, parents and a husband who loved her beyond words. A few weeks after that, I came far too close to losing my 19-year-old brother—the number one guy in my life—in another car crash. Last week, my best friend from high school and her husband welcomed their first child, a little boy. I am in awe of his little miracle, and I’ve never seen them happier.
Recently, I was diagnosed with HPV; something that I will never be rid of. I will have this virus in my body for the rest of my life. HPV has been known to cause cervical cancer, and I am awaiting the test results that will tell me if I have it or not. Life has never been more precious to me than it has become in the last year. I want to be there for my friend; I want to be supportive and sympathetic, but I cannot understand why she would do this. Life is so short and fragile as it is; how can there truly be nothing in this world worth living for?
All I can think about is how selfish it was for her to do this to the people around her. Her roommate would have been traumatized thinking that maybe, if she'd gotten there just a little sooner, she might have been able to save her. Everyone around her would have blamed themselves, myself included, and spent their lives wondering if there was something—anything—they could have done to prevent it. I am so angry with her, and it feels wrong. You can't be angry with someone who just tried to end their own life. But how can she take something so amazing for granted?
I honestly believe that somewhere, there is something—or even someone—who can make her life worth living. It wasn’t her time; she must still have a purpose in this world. I hope one day she realizes this as well, because this crazy, heartbreaking, terrible, wonderful race is all we have. And I know it can be worth all the pain, if she will give it the chance.
Since then, my friend has been receiving help and treatment, but she won't be coming back to school, and I doubt we will really see each other much anymore.
4-9-09
Two nights ago, my friend tried to kill herself.
I didn't know this. Her roommate didn't know this. Neither did her mother, her sister, or her aunt who she considers more of a mother to her than her own. Her roommate and I just thought she was sick after she threw up all over their room, but neither of us would have guessed it was her body’s last attempt to rid itself of the more than 40 pills she had swallowed earlier. We didn’t find out what she had done until around 8:00 the following night when her aunt called, asking one of us to go sit with our friend until someone could come and take her home. Since her roommate couldn’t get away from work, I volunteered.
When I walked into her room, she looked up at me and said, “I wish it would have worked. I’m such a failure; I can’t even do this right.”
For the first time in the four years I had known her, I didn’t know what to say. I sat there, holding and rocking my friend while she told me through her sobs that she was so tired of pretending to like her life. She was tired of living for everyone else; she was tired of putting on a mask every day. She just wanted it all to end.
She’d been planning this for months. She was ready, prepared. She had goodbye letters written out to her mother and aunt, and had another with detailed instructions taped to her bed for when her roommate came in to find her lifeless body. She told me she’d wanted to do it at home, but she couldn’t bear the thought of her little cousins or aunt’s foster kids finding her like that.
It’s very difficult for me to write this, just as it was very difficult for me to listen to her talk about how much she wanted her life to end. In October, I lost one of my oldest friends in a car accident. She was 21, on her way to being an elementary teacher, and had two little sisters, parents and a husband who loved her beyond words. A few weeks after that, I came far too close to losing my 19-year-old brother—the number one guy in my life—in another car crash. Last week, my best friend from high school and her husband welcomed their first child, a little boy. I am in awe of his little miracle, and I’ve never seen them happier.
Recently, I was diagnosed with HPV; something that I will never be rid of. I will have this virus in my body for the rest of my life. HPV has been known to cause cervical cancer, and I am awaiting the test results that will tell me if I have it or not. Life has never been more precious to me than it has become in the last year. I want to be there for my friend; I want to be supportive and sympathetic, but I cannot understand why she would do this. Life is so short and fragile as it is; how can there truly be nothing in this world worth living for?
All I can think about is how selfish it was for her to do this to the people around her. Her roommate would have been traumatized thinking that maybe, if she'd gotten there just a little sooner, she might have been able to save her. Everyone around her would have blamed themselves, myself included, and spent their lives wondering if there was something—anything—they could have done to prevent it. I am so angry with her, and it feels wrong. You can't be angry with someone who just tried to end their own life. But how can she take something so amazing for granted?
I honestly believe that somewhere, there is something—or even someone—who can make her life worth living. It wasn’t her time; she must still have a purpose in this world. I hope one day she realizes this as well, because this crazy, heartbreaking, terrible, wonderful race is all we have. And I know it can be worth all the pain, if she will give it the chance.
Since then, my friend has been receiving help and treatment, but she won't be coming back to school, and I doubt we will really see each other much anymore.
Keep your hollers to yourself!
On my last blog about chivalry and sexism, my old friend/classmate/fellow blogger, Kara asked me whether or not it makes me angry when guys whistle or cat-call at me from their car windows as they drive by.
The answer to this is a great big YES! I'll admit, when I was younger, it used to give me a little rush when random guys would whistle at me or whoop and holler as I walked by (probably because I saw it happen to all my friends, but rarely--if ever--to me). But, as I got older, more mature and a little more self-confident, it just became irritating, and actually made me feel worse about myself rather than better.
Yesterday, my roommate and I were taking a walk around our block in just our comfy jeans and t-shirts when a girl in tight capris and high heels crossed the street in front of us. As a car full of college-age guys was driving by, they rolled down their windows and started whistling, yelling things like "Ow ow!" at the girl. I was disgusted at their behavior, but my roommate was jealous! She said something about how only the dressed-up girls get attention. Rather than start an argument, I kept my mouth shut.
That night we went out with a couple other friends, and my roommate had way too many drinks. We ended up literally carrying my roommate out of the bar before she could yell any more insults at the bartender who hadn't made her last drink strong enough, and probably get us kicked out for good. As we slowly made our way back to my car, a silver car pulled up beside us and rolled down their windows.
"Wooo! Hey mama, you lookin' good!" I rolled my eyes, clenched my teeth, and picked up the pace a little.
"Hey baby, how you doin'?" I looked over at my oh-so-drunk roommate in horror as she tried to seductively stumble closer to their car. What the hell?!
"Pretty good baby, how you doin'? What are you doin', you wanna go to a party? Come on, come home with us, baby!"
I turned to the car and said "No. You're done. You need to go now." I all but shoved my roommate--and her drunken protests--into the back of my car.
It may be hypocritical since I have been one of these girls in the past, but I cannot understand how girls get anything good out of being ogled like a piece of meat or hollered at like livestock.
This is my personal perspective: If someone called you a hooker, you'd most likely be offended, right? If someone mistakenly propositioned you as a hooker, you'd be pretty angry, right? If someone in any way treated you like a hooker, you would get really pissed, right? Well, If you take these guys who do all the cat-calling from their cars and put them on the Las Vegas strip or Hollywood Boulevard, do you really think you would hear them saying something different to the girls who make their living on street corners? Hmm...
Maybe it's just me, but I do not care to be treated like a street-walker, and for the record, I don't think "Nice ass!" is ever a valid compliment.
The answer to this is a great big YES! I'll admit, when I was younger, it used to give me a little rush when random guys would whistle at me or whoop and holler as I walked by (probably because I saw it happen to all my friends, but rarely--if ever--to me). But, as I got older, more mature and a little more self-confident, it just became irritating, and actually made me feel worse about myself rather than better.
Yesterday, my roommate and I were taking a walk around our block in just our comfy jeans and t-shirts when a girl in tight capris and high heels crossed the street in front of us. As a car full of college-age guys was driving by, they rolled down their windows and started whistling, yelling things like "Ow ow!" at the girl. I was disgusted at their behavior, but my roommate was jealous! She said something about how only the dressed-up girls get attention. Rather than start an argument, I kept my mouth shut.
That night we went out with a couple other friends, and my roommate had way too many drinks. We ended up literally carrying my roommate out of the bar before she could yell any more insults at the bartender who hadn't made her last drink strong enough, and probably get us kicked out for good. As we slowly made our way back to my car, a silver car pulled up beside us and rolled down their windows.
"Wooo! Hey mama, you lookin' good!" I rolled my eyes, clenched my teeth, and picked up the pace a little.
"Hey baby, how you doin'?" I looked over at my oh-so-drunk roommate in horror as she tried to seductively stumble closer to their car. What the hell?!
"Pretty good baby, how you doin'? What are you doin', you wanna go to a party? Come on, come home with us, baby!"
I turned to the car and said "No. You're done. You need to go now." I all but shoved my roommate--and her drunken protests--into the back of my car.
It may be hypocritical since I have been one of these girls in the past, but I cannot understand how girls get anything good out of being ogled like a piece of meat or hollered at like livestock.
This is my personal perspective: If someone called you a hooker, you'd most likely be offended, right? If someone mistakenly propositioned you as a hooker, you'd be pretty angry, right? If someone in any way treated you like a hooker, you would get really pissed, right? Well, If you take these guys who do all the cat-calling from their cars and put them on the Las Vegas strip or Hollywood Boulevard, do you really think you would hear them saying something different to the girls who make their living on street corners? Hmm...
Maybe it's just me, but I do not care to be treated like a street-walker, and for the record, I don't think "Nice ass!" is ever a valid compliment.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Where does chivalry end and sexism begin?
Everyone says chivalry is dead. In this day, I wouldn't necessarily say that it is dead, but it does seem to be on its way out. In my experience, it's rare to find someone who still opens the car door, gives up their seat, or makes the extra effort to hold the door open a little longer. In fact, some people today actually despise that kind of treatment, saying they are perfectly capable of opening their own door(s) or finding their own seat.
I'm not sure if women can be "chivalrous," but I suppose I would qualify. I always say "excuse me" when I bump into someone or squeeze past them. I hold the door for other people, even when my arms are full. If somebody nearby drops something, I pick it up for them. I let the person with one item go ahead of me in the grocery store line. I don't do it to get a pat on the back; that's just how I was raised.
At the store where I work, people often purchase very large, sometimes awkward, and usually heavy bags or plants. One of the services we offer is a customer carry-out; if someone does make a large purchase, we carry it out for them. I am one of only three women who currently work at this particular store, and, just like the guys, we are expected to help customers carry out their purchases. No problem; I grew up on a ranch, my parents own a feed store, I'm used to and actually enjoy a degree of physical labor in my day-to-day job. Generally, customers refuse at first, but when we insist, they usually hand over the large bag and settle for opening the door. Every once in a while, however, there will be one customer who refuses to let a girl help them.
When I tried to carry out an older gentleman's 25 lb. purchase, he literally took the bag out of my arms and said, "I can't let you do that, you're just a little girl!" I stand about 5'7" and weigh around 140 lbs, so it might be safe to say I'm not exactly "big," but I was a little stung by his comment. I would guess he was in his late 60s, early 70s, so I knew it was just a generational issue, and decided to let it go.
A couple weeks later, however, a man came in who couldn't have been more than 10-15 years older than me. I went out to load two 50 lb bags of fertilizer while he backed his truck up to the pallet. In my already-dirty jeans and company sweatshirt, I wasn't worried about the wet and messy bags from outside. The customer, however, was in khakis and a red and white checkered button-up shirt. Naturally, I assumed he wouldn't mind me loading the bags for him. After I threw the first bag over the edge of the pickup bed, he came rushing out of his truck and again took the second bag out of my arms. I assured him it was all right; I was already dirty and happy to load the second bag.
"I'll never be able to show my face in polite society again if I let you do this!" he said. I walked back inside with my dirty fists clenched. I'm sure these people are just trying to be polite and do as they were raised, but I find it extremely frustrating, and there is enough of a feminist in me to find it slightly offensive as well. I'm pretty sure it isn't just a size issue; of my two female coworkers, one is somewhat larger than I am in height and weight, and the other is smaller than I am in both as well, and I have seen both of them go through similar experiences. I have never, however, seen a customer take a purchase away from any of my male coworkers or refuse to let them load it.
This realization raised a question in me: where does chivalry end and sexism begin? Apparently, I'm not the first to try and tackle this question.
When does refusing to let a girl carry something heavy--even though she is getting paid to do so, and incidentally will get in trouble with the boss if she is caught failing to do so--cross the line and turn the man (I don't mean to be sexist myself, but so far, it has only been men) from a "chivalrous gentleman" into a "sexist pig"?
If anyone has any thoughts or stories, I would love to hear them!
I'm not sure if women can be "chivalrous," but I suppose I would qualify. I always say "excuse me" when I bump into someone or squeeze past them. I hold the door for other people, even when my arms are full. If somebody nearby drops something, I pick it up for them. I let the person with one item go ahead of me in the grocery store line. I don't do it to get a pat on the back; that's just how I was raised.
At the store where I work, people often purchase very large, sometimes awkward, and usually heavy bags or plants. One of the services we offer is a customer carry-out; if someone does make a large purchase, we carry it out for them. I am one of only three women who currently work at this particular store, and, just like the guys, we are expected to help customers carry out their purchases. No problem; I grew up on a ranch, my parents own a feed store, I'm used to and actually enjoy a degree of physical labor in my day-to-day job. Generally, customers refuse at first, but when we insist, they usually hand over the large bag and settle for opening the door. Every once in a while, however, there will be one customer who refuses to let a girl help them.
When I tried to carry out an older gentleman's 25 lb. purchase, he literally took the bag out of my arms and said, "I can't let you do that, you're just a little girl!" I stand about 5'7" and weigh around 140 lbs, so it might be safe to say I'm not exactly "big," but I was a little stung by his comment. I would guess he was in his late 60s, early 70s, so I knew it was just a generational issue, and decided to let it go.
A couple weeks later, however, a man came in who couldn't have been more than 10-15 years older than me. I went out to load two 50 lb bags of fertilizer while he backed his truck up to the pallet. In my already-dirty jeans and company sweatshirt, I wasn't worried about the wet and messy bags from outside. The customer, however, was in khakis and a red and white checkered button-up shirt. Naturally, I assumed he wouldn't mind me loading the bags for him. After I threw the first bag over the edge of the pickup bed, he came rushing out of his truck and again took the second bag out of my arms. I assured him it was all right; I was already dirty and happy to load the second bag.
"I'll never be able to show my face in polite society again if I let you do this!" he said. I walked back inside with my dirty fists clenched. I'm sure these people are just trying to be polite and do as they were raised, but I find it extremely frustrating, and there is enough of a feminist in me to find it slightly offensive as well. I'm pretty sure it isn't just a size issue; of my two female coworkers, one is somewhat larger than I am in height and weight, and the other is smaller than I am in both as well, and I have seen both of them go through similar experiences. I have never, however, seen a customer take a purchase away from any of my male coworkers or refuse to let them load it.
This realization raised a question in me: where does chivalry end and sexism begin? Apparently, I'm not the first to try and tackle this question.
When does refusing to let a girl carry something heavy--even though she is getting paid to do so, and incidentally will get in trouble with the boss if she is caught failing to do so--cross the line and turn the man (I don't mean to be sexist myself, but so far, it has only been men) from a "chivalrous gentleman" into a "sexist pig"?
If anyone has any thoughts or stories, I would love to hear them!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Lights, Camera...Falafel!
I started out attempting to write a witty, yet clever, yet accurate review of the short film West Bank Story that we viewed in class the other day. However, I realized something; I have no idea what to say!
Honestly, what can you say about a film that lasts less than 30 minutes and features grown men and women dancing around fast food restaurants in the hostile Middle East wearing ridiculous hats?
I will give the film props for originality, however. Even though it was the same story of star-crossed lovers destined yet forbidden to be together (the Middle East does seem like an ideal place for such a storyline, doesn't it?), I doubt many people would have looked at that traditional theme and said, "Hmm, you know what? Let's put them in competing fast food restaurants! Yes! Hummus vs. falafel! On top of that, let's make the feuding families perform fully choreographed musical numbers about falafel and hummus! It's brilliant!!!"
Honestly, what can you say about a film that lasts less than 30 minutes and features grown men and women dancing around fast food restaurants in the hostile Middle East wearing ridiculous hats? 
I will give the film props for originality, however. Even though it was the same story of star-crossed lovers destined yet forbidden to be together (the Middle East does seem like an ideal place for such a storyline, doesn't it?), I doubt many people would have looked at that traditional theme and said, "Hmm, you know what? Let's put them in competing fast food restaurants! Yes! Hummus vs. falafel! On top of that, let's make the feuding families perform fully choreographed musical numbers about falafel and hummus! It's brilliant!!!"
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Cra$h
I am not technologically inclined. In fact, I am what you might call "technologically challenged." This may explain why my computer has crashed twice in the last 5 months.
I always swore I would not become one of those people who are totally dependent on technology. You know, the kind who can't leave the house without their cell phones or feel completely cut off from the outside world without high-speed internet. Haha, well guess what...I cannot leave the house without my cell phone, and when I'm without internet access for more than a few days, I go a little nuts.
The first time my hard drive crashed, I was without a computer for about two weeks. They were just about the longest two weeks of my life. It didn't help any that I was helping to teach a freshman English class and had to communicate with my students through e-mail and the University's online Blackboard system. They said it wasn't my fault; the only thing I could have done to crash the hard drive would be to drop the computer, and they were sure I hadn't done that. Well...
See, I have a bit of a temper, and when I get to a certain point of pure frustration, I like to throw things... I didn't actually throw my laptop, but I may have picked it up and dropped it on my desk once. Or twice. I never actually told them that either. Ultimately, it cost me two weeks of running from my off-campus apartment to the library (often more than once a day), and around $350 for a new hard drive, so I think I learned my lesson. I swore after that I would be extra careful and gentle with my precious laptop, and I have been! However, about a week and a half ago my computer refused to start, saying there was a corrupt file.
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!
Lucky for me, I have a friend who is absolutely brilliant with computers. He works with them, he's majoring in them, basically he speak fluent tech. I, on the other hand, know exactly one computer trick: Ctrl+Alt+Delete. He ran some tests on my computer and told me that since my hard drive was so new, he highly doubted that was the problem. Even if it was, the hard drive was still under warranty. The tests revealed...a corrupted file on the hard drive. I really thought I was going to cry. Luckily, it was still under warranty, and the guys who fixed it the first time said they could do so again, but they would have to send the computer to the hard drive manufacturer then wait for them to send it and the new part for it back, which would take about two weeks. Or, I could pay $20 to have it back in two days. After throwing down $350 for a new hard drive, $20 seemed like a drop in the bucket.
After three days, I called to check what was taking so long. No answer, and no return phone call. Four days, five days, six days...after they'd had it for a week, I called back again and--thankfully!--I was able to pick it up later that day. They told me there was a file left over from the first time it crashed that the new hard drive was supposed to repair, but somehow wasn't able to. In other words, yay! It really wasn't my fault this time! My computer is now password-protected so no one can use it but me, and it rarely--if ever--leaves my desk.
I know this is a little backwards, but...
Crash once, shame on me.
Crash twice, shame on you.
Crash a third time, and Shelly is junking you for a new computer!
I always swore I would not become one of those people who are totally dependent on technology. You know, the kind who can't leave the house without their cell phones or feel completely cut off from the outside world without high-speed internet. Haha, well guess what...I cannot leave the house without my cell phone, and when I'm without internet access for more than a few days, I go a little nuts.
The first time my hard drive crashed, I was without a computer for about two weeks. They were just about the longest two weeks of my life. It didn't help any that I was helping to teach a freshman English class and had to communicate with my students through e-mail and the University's online Blackboard system. They said it wasn't my fault; the only thing I could have done to crash the hard drive would be to drop the computer, and they were sure I hadn't done that. Well...
See, I have a bit of a temper, and when I get to a certain point of pure frustration, I like to throw things... I didn't actually throw my laptop, but I may have picked it up and dropped it on my desk once. Or twice. I never actually told them that either. Ultimately, it cost me two weeks of running from my off-campus apartment to the library (often more than once a day), and around $350 for a new hard drive, so I think I learned my lesson. I swore after that I would be extra careful and gentle with my precious laptop, and I have been! However, about a week and a half ago my computer refused to start, saying there was a corrupt file.
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!
Lucky for me, I have a friend who is absolutely brilliant with computers. He works with them, he's majoring in them, basically he speak fluent tech. I, on the other hand, know exactly one computer trick: Ctrl+Alt+Delete. He ran some tests on my computer and told me that since my hard drive was so new, he highly doubted that was the problem. Even if it was, the hard drive was still under warranty. The tests revealed...a corrupted file on the hard drive. I really thought I was going to cry. Luckily, it was still under warranty, and the guys who fixed it the first time said they could do so again, but they would have to send the computer to the hard drive manufacturer then wait for them to send it and the new part for it back, which would take about two weeks. Or, I could pay $20 to have it back in two days. After throwing down $350 for a new hard drive, $20 seemed like a drop in the bucket.
After three days, I called to check what was taking so long. No answer, and no return phone call. Four days, five days, six days...after they'd had it for a week, I called back again and--thankfully!--I was able to pick it up later that day. They told me there was a file left over from the first time it crashed that the new hard drive was supposed to repair, but somehow wasn't able to. In other words, yay! It really wasn't my fault this time! My computer is now password-protected so no one can use it but me, and it rarely--if ever--leaves my desk.
I know this is a little backwards, but...
Crash once, shame on me.
Crash twice, shame on you.
Crash a third time, and Shelly is junking you for a new computer!
Pirates ye be warned...
As we've been talking about reviews so much in class, I thought I would share this little story... We all know that pirating films is wrong (not to mention illegal), but that doesn't exactly deter people. My question is, if you do illegally download a movie that hasn't even been released yet, why would you publish a REVIEW of it???
Yahoo! news posted an article about Fox News columnist, Roger Friedman who was fired after he published his review of a full-length work print of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" that had somehow been illegally leaked to the public. Friedman and Fox News decided to "mutually part ways" after he wrote that downloading the leaked version of the film was much easier than actually going out and watching it. In Shelly-language, that translates to "we both know you're going to get fired, so let's not make a big scene."
According to the article, 20th Century Fox plans to prosecute the person responsible for the leak, and have even brought in the FBI and Motion Picture Association of America to investigate the source of the leak.
Heads-up to all you modern-day pirates out there; if you insist on illegally downloading films that haven't been released yet, you might want to keep your reviews to yourself.
Yahoo! news posted an article about Fox News columnist, Roger Friedman who was fired after he published his review of a full-length work print of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" that had somehow been illegally leaked to the public. Friedman and Fox News decided to "mutually part ways" after he wrote that downloading the leaked version of the film was much easier than actually going out and watching it. In Shelly-language, that translates to "we both know you're going to get fired, so let's not make a big scene."
According to the article, 20th Century Fox plans to prosecute the person responsible for the leak, and have even brought in the FBI and Motion Picture Association of America to investigate the source of the leak.
Heads-up to all you modern-day pirates out there; if you insist on illegally downloading films that haven't been released yet, you might want to keep your reviews to yourself.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
And people say MY nose piercing would hurt...
I'm sitting at work right now listening to the Rush Limbaugh show (don't judge me--my boss maintains complete right-wing control of the radio) and during one of the news briefs, I just heard the most bizarre tidbit. A grown man went into the doctor's office and walked out holding a nail in his hand.
Know where the nail was? In his nose.
Know how long it'd been there? Nearly 30 years.
Know why he went to the doctor in the first place? To get an MRI.
Not even for the nail in his nose; he didn't even know it was there! While he was laying down for the MRI, he felt a pain in his head (makes sense considering an MRI machine is basically a big magnet). So they pulled him out and found a nail in his nose.
A NAIL in his NOSE! And it had been there for nearly 30 years! How do you not notice something like that??? Or maybe the better question would be: how did it get up there in the first place???
In situations like this, there is really only one thing you can say:
What?!?!?!?!
Know where the nail was? In his nose.
Know how long it'd been there? Nearly 30 years.
Know why he went to the doctor in the first place? To get an MRI.
Not even for the nail in his nose; he didn't even know it was there! While he was laying down for the MRI, he felt a pain in his head (makes sense considering an MRI machine is basically a big magnet). So they pulled him out and found a nail in his nose.
A NAIL in his NOSE! And it had been there for nearly 30 years! How do you not notice something like that??? Or maybe the better question would be: how did it get up there in the first place???
In situations like this, there is really only one thing you can say:
What?!?!?!?!
Who Watches the Watchmen? David Chen.
First and foremost, let me put this out on the line: I am a bit of a geek. When I hear about a new superhero movie or comic/graphic novel adaptation coming to theaters, I HAVE to know more. What characters are they including? Who is playing whom? What will the storyline be? Etc. With that in mind, I went to one of my new favorite movie websites, /film, to find a review of the recently released film, Watchmen. The result: a lengthy, detailed, and yet spoiler-free review by David Chen praising the cinematic achievement of successfully bringing the celebrated graphic novel to the big screen.
I never read the graphic novel (though, after Chen's many references to it, now I think I might have to), but I did go to the midnight release of Watchmen at the Kearney Cinema 8. In retrospect, I'm not sure that was such a good idea. In his review, Chen mentions his second screening of Watchmen at the IMAX theater, saying that he actually didn't care for it because it made the movie's flaws too prominent. I would say the same for the midnight screening. When it is almost 3:00 in the morning, and the movie is STILL not over, you can't help but focus on all the things you didn't like.
I almost abandoned the review when I started scrolling down...and down...and down. But I decided to give it a shot. I found that, despite its length, I really enjoyed Chen's review. He brought up many good points about the cinematography, and even music playing in the background (which isn't usually something I find in movie reviews). However, since I haven't read the graphic novel, and because Chen makes soooo many references to it, I did feel like there was a lot of information I couldn't relate to or form an opinion on--and I don't like not having an opinion. I didn't agree with some of his observations on cast performance levels (I thought Malin Ackerman did a great job of keeping up with the men), but he provides more than ample reasoning for his opinions and stresses that they are just that--HIS personal opinions. Overall, his review gets two thumbs up from me.
I never read the graphic novel (though, after Chen's many references to it, now I think I might have to), but I did go to the midnight release of Watchmen at the Kearney Cinema 8. In retrospect, I'm not sure that was such a good idea. In his review, Chen mentions his second screening of Watchmen at the IMAX theater, saying that he actually didn't care for it because it made the movie's flaws too prominent. I would say the same for the midnight screening. When it is almost 3:00 in the morning, and the movie is STILL not over, you can't help but focus on all the things you didn't like.
I almost abandoned the review when I started scrolling down...and down...and down. But I decided to give it a shot. I found that, despite its length, I really enjoyed Chen's review. He brought up many good points about the cinematography, and even music playing in the background (which isn't usually something I find in movie reviews). However, since I haven't read the graphic novel, and because Chen makes soooo many references to it, I did feel like there was a lot of information I couldn't relate to or form an opinion on--and I don't like not having an opinion. I didn't agree with some of his observations on cast performance levels (I thought Malin Ackerman did a great job of keeping up with the men), but he provides more than ample reasoning for his opinions and stresses that they are just that--HIS personal opinions. Overall, his review gets two thumbs up from me.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
There's No Place Like...Chicago
As our car crossed the state line from Illinois into Iowa, Sarah Ahlers shed a tear for Chicago.
When most college kids leave for spring break, coming home is usually the last thing on their minds. For my friend Sarah, it was at the forefront…but not in the way you might think. Growing up in a very sheltered and rural Nebraska town, Sarah realized she was a lesbian at the age of 19; something that was viewed as being “just wrong” where she was raised. It wasn’t until over a year later that she got up the courage to fully come out in every aspect of her life, and even after she did, life didn’t get any easier. Her family relationships—especially with her mother—drastically changed and Sarah started to feel very depressed.
“When my grandpa got sick, I don’t think I really got depressed until he took a turn for the worse. Ever since then I’ve just been in this funk,” she said. She stopped sleeping, and when she began hallucinating and contemplating suicide, Sarah knew it was time to get medical help, so she went in for depression medication.
To try and get away from all the stress, Sarah and I planned to spend our spring break visiting my sister in Chicago. As soon as we stepped out into the city on the first day, something about Sarah changed. She looked like she belonged there; she acted like she belonged there. She didn’t feel the judgmental eyes trying to “figure her out” like she did in Nebraska.
“I didn’t have one person looking at me. I didn’t have this big target on my chest. The people didn’t give a shit! I would rather live where no one cares,” Sarah later told me.
The energy of Chicago had Sarah wrapped up so tightly that she forgot to take her depression meds, and when she remembered, she didn’t feel like she really needed them there. Not even the slightly-creepy subway stations or leaving a bar by ourselves in a run-down part of the city after dark could dampen Sarah’s spirits. She was absolutely glowing.
“Even when things didn’t go the way we wanted them to, I was still happy; still excited. I haven’t felt that happiness in so long,” Sarah said.
After our four days in Chicago had flown by all too quickly, we climbed back into the car and began the 12-hour drive back to Kearney, Nebr. Had she been awake when we left the city limits rather than asleep in the backseat, I’m sure she would have cried then too. While I was glad to be home again, all Sarah could talk about was going back to Chicago. I wasn’t surprised when she announced that she would be moving there as soon as possible. Every time she thinks about it, every time she talks about it, Sarah can barely contain her smile. Out of curiosity, I asked Sarah what she thought the best part of our trip to Chicago was.
“The best part about going was that it felt like home,” she told me. “When I got to Chicago, it was like who I should be, I was; where I should be, I was. Everything just fell into place. There was no wrong Chicago could do. After 21 years, I have finally found home.”
When most college kids leave for spring break, coming home is usually the last thing on their minds. For my friend Sarah, it was at the forefront…but not in the way you might think. Growing up in a very sheltered and rural Nebraska town, Sarah realized she was a lesbian at the age of 19; something that was viewed as being “just wrong” where she was raised. It wasn’t until over a year later that she got up the courage to fully come out in every aspect of her life, and even after she did, life didn’t get any easier. Her family relationships—especially with her mother—drastically changed and Sarah started to feel very depressed.
“When my grandpa got sick, I don’t think I really got depressed until he took a turn for the worse. Ever since then I’ve just been in this funk,” she said. She stopped sleeping, and when she began hallucinating and contemplating suicide, Sarah knew it was time to get medical help, so she went in for depression medication.
To try and get away from all the stress, Sarah and I planned to spend our spring break visiting my sister in Chicago. As soon as we stepped out into the city on the first day, something about Sarah changed. She looked like she belonged there; she acted like she belonged there. She didn’t feel the judgmental eyes trying to “figure her out” like she did in Nebraska.
“I didn’t have one person looking at me. I didn’t have this big target on my chest. The people didn’t give a shit! I would rather live where no one cares,” Sarah later told me.
The energy of Chicago had Sarah wrapped up so tightly that she forgot to take her depression meds, and when she remembered, she didn’t feel like she really needed them there. Not even the slightly-creepy subway stations or leaving a bar by ourselves in a run-down part of the city after dark could dampen Sarah’s spirits. She was absolutely glowing.
“Even when things didn’t go the way we wanted them to, I was still happy; still excited. I haven’t felt that happiness in so long,” Sarah said.
After our four days in Chicago had flown by all too quickly, we climbed back into the car and began the 12-hour drive back to Kearney, Nebr. Had she been awake when we left the city limits rather than asleep in the backseat, I’m sure she would have cried then too. While I was glad to be home again, all Sarah could talk about was going back to Chicago. I wasn’t surprised when she announced that she would be moving there as soon as possible. Every time she thinks about it, every time she talks about it, Sarah can barely contain her smile. Out of curiosity, I asked Sarah what she thought the best part of our trip to Chicago was.
“The best part about going was that it felt like home,” she told me. “When I got to Chicago, it was like who I should be, I was; where I should be, I was. Everything just fell into place. There was no wrong Chicago could do. After 21 years, I have finally found home.”
The Coffeeburger
At one time, a little cafe called Sioux Sundries in my tiny hometown of Harrison, NE held the record for the biggest hamburger in America. The "Coffeeburger" weighed in at 28 ounces, measured six inches across, and spilled out all around the regular-sized bun. It was usually topped off with onion, pickle, lettuce, cheese, mustard, ketchup..and a bag of cholesterol-free chips (we wouldn't want anyone having heart attack, now would we?). Well, I think it's safe to say that title has officially been stolen!
While reading through my fellow JMC 425 classmates' blogs, I came across a story from Garrett's blog, Welcome to the Jungle about a hamburger that weighs FOUR POUNDS! I was in such shock that this...thing actually exists that I had to write my own blog response to it.
A few years ago, the owner of Sioux Sundries died, and the people she left it to successfully drove the little cafe into the ground. Sad, considering that was the only thing Harrison really had going to attract visitors. But, with monstrous burgers like this one running rampant these days, I'd say the days of a 28 oz. burger were numbered anyway. I used to think our Coffeeburger was outrageous (my entire high school volleyball team split two of them once, and we couldn't even finish them all), but this burger would have successfully kicked our Coffeeburger's meaty little butt.
...I bet ours caused fewer heart attacks though...
While reading through my fellow JMC 425 classmates' blogs, I came across a story from Garrett's blog, Welcome to the Jungle about a hamburger that weighs FOUR POUNDS! I was in such shock that this...thing actually exists that I had to write my own blog response to it.
A few years ago, the owner of Sioux Sundries died, and the people she left it to successfully drove the little cafe into the ground. Sad, considering that was the only thing Harrison really had going to attract visitors. But, with monstrous burgers like this one running rampant these days, I'd say the days of a 28 oz. burger were numbered anyway. I used to think our Coffeeburger was outrageous (my entire high school volleyball team split two of them once, and we couldn't even finish them all), but this burger would have successfully kicked our Coffeeburger's meaty little butt.
...I bet ours caused fewer heart attacks though...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
'Cause You're Hot Then You're Cold...
Ravaging fires one day, a complete and total white-out the next. Ahh, Nebraska weather. I grew up in Sioux County, which is in the Panhandle of Nebraska. There, we have a long-standing history of surviving fire after fire (including the largest in Nebraska's history in 1989--couldn't find any links to sites about that one, sorry) and countless blizzards. But, I'm pretty sure this is one of the first (or at least one of the few) times my home area has had to endure both in a matter of two days.
Sunday, March 22 the temperature in Sioux County got all the way up to the mid-70s. That afternoon, there was a fire spotted on the Wood Reserve (between Fort Robinson State Park and my family's land) that ultimately burned between 155 and 160 acres. The thing about Panhandle fires is when they burn, they BURN! A LOT! Luckily, this one was stomped out before it could do any more damage.
You know what put out the fire? It wasn't the more than 13 firetrucks from Crawford, Harrison, Fort Robinson, Job Corp, Chadron or Hemingford. Nope, it was the blizzard that came the very next day. I'm not even kidding. By the end of the day Monday, March 23 most of both Sioux and Dawes Counties had an average of 10 inches of snow, causing many schools (including Chadron State College) to cancel classes, and my parents to leave work early just so they could get home...where they were then snowed in and have been for the last couple days. My family's ranch is still sporting eight-foot-tall snowdrifts, and I just learned that it is still snowing there.
All I can say is...Mother Nature must have been having one heck of a mood swing!
Sunday, March 22 the temperature in Sioux County got all the way up to the mid-70s. That afternoon, there was a fire spotted on the Wood Reserve (between Fort Robinson State Park and my family's land) that ultimately burned between 155 and 160 acres. The thing about Panhandle fires is when they burn, they BURN! A LOT! Luckily, this one was stomped out before it could do any more damage.
You know what put out the fire? It wasn't the more than 13 firetrucks from Crawford, Harrison, Fort Robinson, Job Corp, Chadron or Hemingford. Nope, it was the blizzard that came the very next day. I'm not even kidding. By the end of the day Monday, March 23 most of both Sioux and Dawes Counties had an average of 10 inches of snow, causing many schools (including Chadron State College) to cancel classes, and my parents to leave work early just so they could get home...where they were then snowed in and have been for the last couple days. My family's ranch is still sporting eight-foot-tall snowdrifts, and I just learned that it is still snowing there.
All I can say is...Mother Nature must have been having one heck of a mood swing!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Coming Soon...
This is an extremely ROUGH draft beginning of a blog that I will be researching further, and hopefully publishing within the next couple of weeks. I don't want to rush my sources, but I would love to get a little feedback before I get way into it. Like I said, very very rough!
Yahoo! news recently featured an article listing their picks for the 100 Movies to See Before You Die. It caught my attention, and I must say I was quite impressed with their selection (though I myself have only seen 18 of the 100 listed...I'll have to work on that). About a year ago, I took a Film as Literature class with a professor named Sam Umland, and ever since then I have been fascinated with movies. So I decided to make my own list of movies to see before you die. 100 would definitely be too many for one blog post, so I narrowed it down to 10, and am soliciting the help of my movie-buff friend, Travis Robinson. This guy knows more about movies than anyone I've ever met...except for my other source, Dr. Sam Umland. There's a good chance this piece will have to be broken up into two separate blog posts, but hopefully it will keep you all so entertained that you won't mind.
Yahoo! news recently featured an article listing their picks for the 100 Movies to See Before You Die. It caught my attention, and I must say I was quite impressed with their selection (though I myself have only seen 18 of the 100 listed...I'll have to work on that). About a year ago, I took a Film as Literature class with a professor named Sam Umland, and ever since then I have been fascinated with movies. So I decided to make my own list of movies to see before you die. 100 would definitely be too many for one blog post, so I narrowed it down to 10, and am soliciting the help of my movie-buff friend, Travis Robinson. This guy knows more about movies than anyone I've ever met...except for my other source, Dr. Sam Umland. There's a good chance this piece will have to be broken up into two separate blog posts, but hopefully it will keep you all so entertained that you won't mind.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Who would smoke a cat???
I'm sure by now most everyone has heard about the man from Omaha who stuffed his over-active cat into a homemade bong in attempts to "calm her down."
I didn't know all the details, so I typed "man smokes cat" into Yahoo! search. It brought up 49,400,000 hits. Wow. Let's momentarily suspend the fact that some schmuck was actually cruel enough (and dumb enough) to stuff his 6-month-old kitten into a homemade bong so she would calm down, and observe the kind of media attention this act of pure stupidity earned him. The EXACT SAME article appeared on 6 of the first 10 pages: NBC New York, NBC Philadelphia, NBC San Diego, NBC Bay Area, NBC Connecticut and NBC Los Angeles. Even the Huffington Post had something about this (see below for link)! Yay, Nebraska made national news! Wait...
So now, not only will Nebraska be known as the "children of the corn" state, we will be known as the state that tries to smoke our hyperactive pets. Super!
Don't get me wrong, I take animal cruelty very seriously (and luckily, this poor little kitty was only "dazed" after her awful experience), but this...I'm sorry, even the news officials and interview subjects can't be serious about it! Case in point, the following videos from the Huffington Post (I recommend this one first, I found it very entertaining) and the Associated Press:
A friend of mine and I were discussing this recently, and I wanted to share our little conversation. It went something like this:
Friend: "How did he get caught?"
Me: "Maybe the neighbors heard the cat howling."
Friend: "But it would have been...calmed down by then."
Me: "Maybe he was smoking with his blinds open."
Friend: "Who would smoke marijuana with their blinds open???"
Me: "The same guy who tried to smoke his cat!"
Maybe you had to be there, but we found it hilarious. I'm not in any way advoacating animal cruelty, and I assure you this subject would have been no laughing matter had the cat been seriously injured or killed, or if the man hadn't been charged, but I did find a little sick humor in the story (especially the video with the MSNBC anchors who couldn't stop laughing).
I didn't know all the details, so I typed "man smokes cat" into Yahoo! search. It brought up 49,400,000 hits. Wow. Let's momentarily suspend the fact that some schmuck was actually cruel enough (and dumb enough) to stuff his 6-month-old kitten into a homemade bong so she would calm down, and observe the kind of media attention this act of pure stupidity earned him. The EXACT SAME article appeared on 6 of the first 10 pages: NBC New York, NBC Philadelphia, NBC San Diego, NBC Bay Area, NBC Connecticut and NBC Los Angeles. Even the Huffington Post had something about this (see below for link)! Yay, Nebraska made national news! Wait...
So now, not only will Nebraska be known as the "children of the corn" state, we will be known as the state that tries to smoke our hyperactive pets. Super!
Don't get me wrong, I take animal cruelty very seriously (and luckily, this poor little kitty was only "dazed" after her awful experience), but this...I'm sorry, even the news officials and interview subjects can't be serious about it! Case in point, the following videos from the Huffington Post (I recommend this one first, I found it very entertaining) and the Associated Press:
A friend of mine and I were discussing this recently, and I wanted to share our little conversation. It went something like this:
Friend: "How did he get caught?"
Me: "Maybe the neighbors heard the cat howling."
Friend: "But it would have been...calmed down by then."
Me: "Maybe he was smoking with his blinds open."
Friend: "Who would smoke marijuana with their blinds open???"
Me: "The same guy who tried to smoke his cat!"
Maybe you had to be there, but we found it hilarious. I'm not in any way advoacating animal cruelty, and I assure you this subject would have been no laughing matter had the cat been seriously injured or killed, or if the man hadn't been charged, but I did find a little sick humor in the story (especially the video with the MSNBC anchors who couldn't stop laughing).
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Seat Belts in School Buses: Necessity or Hazard?
Editorial #3
"Click it or ticket." That's the slogan for the Nebraska seat belt law. But what about the vehicles that transport hundreds of children to and from school nearly every day? As of now, Nebraska school buses are not equipped with seat belts. This issue recently came before Nebraska lawmakers when they began debating whether or not seat belts should be installed in school buses.
According to an article in the Kearney Hub, KPS Transportation Supervisor Jim Catterson said, “It’s going to be quite an issue. The feds have done all the testing, and they don’t recommend putting seat belts in. But all the states are going to have them pretty soon. Parents will want them.”
The idea of installing seat belts in school buses is far from a fresh one. According to an article published online by the Canada Safety Council, in 1984, Transport Canada crash tested three different school buses (one small bus, one van-type bus and one large bus). Each contained unbelted and belted test dummies. The tests indicated that the use of a lap belt on forward-facing seats could increase the risk of head injuries during a severe frontal collision. In a head-on collision the occupant's head could hit the seat in front, resulting in severe or fatal head and neck injuries.
Further investigation showed that the combination lap and shoulder belts would require stiffer seats, which could increase injury to unbelted students. Moreover, the shoulder belts increased the chance of abdominal injuries because of children slipping down in their seats. Tests showed children would slip down, risking injuries to organs covered by the lap belts. Similar tests were done with similar results in 1986 and 1999.
Unfortunately, too many people might hear "seat belts" and automatically think "safety" but, as the tests show, this is not necessarily the case. Obviously this is an issue that has been given serious, long-term thought and put through continuous testing, but until a safe way to install seat belts in school buses can be found that won't increase potentially fatal injuries, this isn't an issue that should be rushed.
"Click it or ticket." That's the slogan for the Nebraska seat belt law. But what about the vehicles that transport hundreds of children to and from school nearly every day? As of now, Nebraska school buses are not equipped with seat belts. This issue recently came before Nebraska lawmakers when they began debating whether or not seat belts should be installed in school buses.
According to an article in the Kearney Hub, KPS Transportation Supervisor Jim Catterson said, “It’s going to be quite an issue. The feds have done all the testing, and they don’t recommend putting seat belts in. But all the states are going to have them pretty soon. Parents will want them.”
The idea of installing seat belts in school buses is far from a fresh one. According to an article published online by the Canada Safety Council, in 1984, Transport Canada crash tested three different school buses (one small bus, one van-type bus and one large bus). Each contained unbelted and belted test dummies. The tests indicated that the use of a lap belt on forward-facing seats could increase the risk of head injuries during a severe frontal collision. In a head-on collision the occupant's head could hit the seat in front, resulting in severe or fatal head and neck injuries.
Further investigation showed that the combination lap and shoulder belts would require stiffer seats, which could increase injury to unbelted students. Moreover, the shoulder belts increased the chance of abdominal injuries because of children slipping down in their seats. Tests showed children would slip down, risking injuries to organs covered by the lap belts. Similar tests were done with similar results in 1986 and 1999.
Unfortunately, too many people might hear "seat belts" and automatically think "safety" but, as the tests show, this is not necessarily the case. Obviously this is an issue that has been given serious, long-term thought and put through continuous testing, but until a safe way to install seat belts in school buses can be found that won't increase potentially fatal injuries, this isn't an issue that should be rushed.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
/Film
One of the best blogs I found from Time's Top 25 Blogs of 2009 was /Film. I may not exactly be the hardcore movie buff this particular sight is referring to (I know several people who are much more into movies than I am), but I still love, love, love movies!
One of the best features of this site is that anyone can type in an actor, actress or even director's name in the search bar and find out what they've done lately and what they will be doing in the near future. For example, I can type in Orlando Bloom (don't judge me!) and find out that he is due to star in a sci-fi film called The Cross directed by Andrew Niccol in the near future.
I've always loved reading movie reviews, whether they are professionally written or just a friend telling me what they thought of the latest feature flick. I'm addicted to finding out what people loved about movies and what they despised; what worked for them and what didn't and why. On the front page of /Film (pronounced Slashfilm, by the way) is the blog's opinions on movies, characters, marketing techniques, etc. Everything about this blog is right there and easy to access, and for the technologically-challenged like myself, the easier the better!
Movie lovers--novice or seasoned--unite at slashfilm.com!
One of the best features of this site is that anyone can type in an actor, actress or even director's name in the search bar and find out what they've done lately and what they will be doing in the near future. For example, I can type in Orlando Bloom (don't judge me!) and find out that he is due to star in a sci-fi film called The Cross directed by Andrew Niccol in the near future.
I've always loved reading movie reviews, whether they are professionally written or just a friend telling me what they thought of the latest feature flick. I'm addicted to finding out what people loved about movies and what they despised; what worked for them and what didn't and why. On the front page of /Film (pronounced Slashfilm, by the way) is the blog's opinions on movies, characters, marketing techniques, etc. Everything about this blog is right there and easy to access, and for the technologically-challenged like myself, the easier the better!
Movie lovers--novice or seasoned--unite at slashfilm.com!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Heath Ledger's Joker was no joke
I didn't watch the Oscars, but when I heard that Heath Ledger won the award for Best Supporting Actor, to say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I was up until well past midnight waiting for someone to post a video of his family's acceptance speech. A friend of mine (who is the biggest Joker fan I know) told me that the other actors in the audience were tearing up during the acceptance speech, and that even he started tearing up at one point.
I've followed Heath Ledger's career ever since Ten Things I Hate About You, and I went to The Dark Knight three times this summer (and have watched it numerous times since), just to see his intriguingly demented Joker character. I think he was an amazing actor and I don't believe there was anyone who deserved this award more than he. Even if he hadn't died so suddenly, I believe his truly outstanding performance in The Dark Knight would have earned him this Oscar regardless. It's heartbreaking to think that he wasn't around to see his biggest film success to date. It may be trite, and I know they'll never read this, but my thoughts and congratulations go out to his family, especially his daughter.
BRAVO!
I've followed Heath Ledger's career ever since Ten Things I Hate About You, and I went to The Dark Knight three times this summer (and have watched it numerous times since), just to see his intriguingly demented Joker character. I think he was an amazing actor and I don't believe there was anyone who deserved this award more than he. Even if he hadn't died so suddenly, I believe his truly outstanding performance in The Dark Knight would have earned him this Oscar regardless. It's heartbreaking to think that he wasn't around to see his biggest film success to date. It may be trite, and I know they'll never read this, but my thoughts and congratulations go out to his family, especially his daughter.
BRAVO!
Kearney/UNK issues
For our next assignment, we are supposed to find three issues dealing with Kearney/UNK. As I was reading through some other class blogs, I was actually slightly pleased to find that others were having as much trouble finding three things wrong with our community/school as I was.
I was pretty excited when I found this first article...then I discovered that Callie had already used it. But, I'm going to use it anyway (you know, great minds and all). According to the Kearney Hub, Nebraska lawmakers have recently begun debating a bill which was brought before them to require seat belts in school buses. KPS Transportation Supervisor Jim Catterson believes that restraints in school buses would be more of a hazard than a help and that, despite what may be best, parents are going to push the bill through, and all states will have to have seat belts in school buses before long.
The second issue I came across was another article in the Hub about the solidarity of Nebraska's banks compared to others around the nation. Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, John Munn said that he even hired several recent UNK graduates to work on his bank examination staff. Even if the economy is in a downhill slide, Munn encourages future students to start careers in banking and finance, saying that there are plenty of job opportunities in rural Nebraska and community banks.
For my final issue, I found an article on the Hub's website about possible salary cuts for UNK faculty and staff. University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken said the idea was "premature," especially in mid-February. Since the union contracts which University faculty members are under already preset their salaries, the possibility of reducing staff salaries could become a legal matter.
I was pretty excited when I found this first article...then I discovered that Callie had already used it. But, I'm going to use it anyway (you know, great minds and all). According to the Kearney Hub, Nebraska lawmakers have recently begun debating a bill which was brought before them to require seat belts in school buses. KPS Transportation Supervisor Jim Catterson believes that restraints in school buses would be more of a hazard than a help and that, despite what may be best, parents are going to push the bill through, and all states will have to have seat belts in school buses before long.
The second issue I came across was another article in the Hub about the solidarity of Nebraska's banks compared to others around the nation. Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, John Munn said that he even hired several recent UNK graduates to work on his bank examination staff. Even if the economy is in a downhill slide, Munn encourages future students to start careers in banking and finance, saying that there are plenty of job opportunities in rural Nebraska and community banks.
For my final issue, I found an article on the Hub's website about possible salary cuts for UNK faculty and staff. University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken said the idea was "premature," especially in mid-February. Since the union contracts which University faculty members are under already preset their salaries, the possibility of reducing staff salaries could become a legal matter.
Friday, February 20, 2009
an hour in the drive-through
Fast food my foot...
Last night, my friend and I were going through the McDonald's drive-through at about a quarter after 1 in the morning. It was absolutely packed and we could tell the few people inside were swamped and getting stressed out. So we patiently waited our turn as we crept toward the second window. When we got there, the lady told us it was over $9. For a 6-piece nugget and a snack wrap? My friend corrected her, telling her our order (twice) and she came back with a different bag. As we pulled away, I opened the bag and found a chicken sandwich and fries.
It was past 1:30 am, I was tired, cranky, hadn't eaten all day, and I really wanted my chicken nuggets. So we got out of the car and walked up to the door. The manager said she couldn't open the door to let us in (which I understood--it was almost 2 in the morning after all) but that we would have to go back through the drive-through. It had taken us nearly 20 minutes to get through the first time, and now the line was even longer! So she took our order--again--and went (we assumed) to get our food for us. Fifteen minutes later, we were still standing outside with the wrong order in our hands, and no one would even acknowledge that we were there. I think they were waiting for us to just give up, take what we had and go home. Haha, try again. We were not leaving until they gave us our chicken! We got back in the car and went through the 20-minute drive-through once again.
After a total of one hour spent in and around the McDonald's drive-through, we finally got our chicken nuggets and snack wrap (both FRESH!), as well as a free order of french fries and a free chicken sandwich (hey, the lady didn't ask for it back...) AND an apology from the manager. Because they messed up our order, they gave us each a coupon for one FREE medium extra value meal. I've worked in the food service industry, so I know how irritating persistently picky customers can be, but I also know how embarrassing it is when it's YOUR mistake. Moral of the story: speak up when your order is wrong...and avoid the McDonald's drive-through after 1 am if possible.
Last night, my friend and I were going through the McDonald's drive-through at about a quarter after 1 in the morning. It was absolutely packed and we could tell the few people inside were swamped and getting stressed out. So we patiently waited our turn as we crept toward the second window. When we got there, the lady told us it was over $9. For a 6-piece nugget and a snack wrap? My friend corrected her, telling her our order (twice) and she came back with a different bag. As we pulled away, I opened the bag and found a chicken sandwich and fries.
It was past 1:30 am, I was tired, cranky, hadn't eaten all day, and I really wanted my chicken nuggets. So we got out of the car and walked up to the door. The manager said she couldn't open the door to let us in (which I understood--it was almost 2 in the morning after all) but that we would have to go back through the drive-through. It had taken us nearly 20 minutes to get through the first time, and now the line was even longer! So she took our order--again--and went (we assumed) to get our food for us. Fifteen minutes later, we were still standing outside with the wrong order in our hands, and no one would even acknowledge that we were there. I think they were waiting for us to just give up, take what we had and go home. Haha, try again. We were not leaving until they gave us our chicken! We got back in the car and went through the 20-minute drive-through once again.
After a total of one hour spent in and around the McDonald's drive-through, we finally got our chicken nuggets and snack wrap (both FRESH!), as well as a free order of french fries and a free chicken sandwich (hey, the lady didn't ask for it back...) AND an apology from the manager. Because they messed up our order, they gave us each a coupon for one FREE medium extra value meal. I've worked in the food service industry, so I know how irritating persistently picky customers can be, but I also know how embarrassing it is when it's YOUR mistake. Moral of the story: speak up when your order is wrong...and avoid the McDonald's drive-through after 1 am if possible.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
2nd Editorial - Final Draft
Imagine watching the person you love leave to fight overseas; your father, mother, brother, sister, daughter, son. Imagine hugging him/her for what could possibly be the last time. Now imagine doing this for the second or third time.
According to the Omaha World-Herald, many Nebraskan soldiers of the 443rd Transportation Company will be flying out of Indiana later this week for Kuwait to complete a yearlong deployment in Kuwait and Iraq. Of the 300 soldiers preparing to deploy, about half have already completed at least one previous deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. They will likely not return until early 2010. Many of their families have already faced the uncertainty of watching their loved ones deploy at least once if not twice. It would be hard to imagine the separation getting any easier with time.
In August of 2006, the Lincoln Journal Star published an article featuring a statement from Senator Chuck Hagel that “the United States needs to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within the next six months.” Two and a half years later, we are instead redeploying troops overseas.
During his campaign, President Obama was adamant in his plans to bring American soldiers home from active duty overseas. Recently, according to the Miami Herald, the Obama Administration is currently considering at least two different plans for withdrawal from Iraq. The first plan would preserve Obama’s campaign pledge to get all American soldiers out of Iraq within 16 months. The second would stretch the plan to 23 months. A third option of 19 months is also being considered, officials said. According to the article, “the main focus appears to be on the 16-month and 23-month options; 23 months would run to the end of 2010.”
Hopefully, within the next couple of years, our troops will be brought home to stay. If Obama’s plans for troop withdrawal go through, the families of these brave men and women will finally be reunited with their loved ones for good, and many will finally be able to enjoy a sound night’s sleep. After seven years of overseas duty, it is safe to say they have earned it.
According to the Omaha World-Herald, many Nebraskan soldiers of the 443rd Transportation Company will be flying out of Indiana later this week for Kuwait to complete a yearlong deployment in Kuwait and Iraq. Of the 300 soldiers preparing to deploy, about half have already completed at least one previous deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. They will likely not return until early 2010. Many of their families have already faced the uncertainty of watching their loved ones deploy at least once if not twice. It would be hard to imagine the separation getting any easier with time.
In August of 2006, the Lincoln Journal Star published an article featuring a statement from Senator Chuck Hagel that “the United States needs to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within the next six months.” Two and a half years later, we are instead redeploying troops overseas.
During his campaign, President Obama was adamant in his plans to bring American soldiers home from active duty overseas. Recently, according to the Miami Herald, the Obama Administration is currently considering at least two different plans for withdrawal from Iraq. The first plan would preserve Obama’s campaign pledge to get all American soldiers out of Iraq within 16 months. The second would stretch the plan to 23 months. A third option of 19 months is also being considered, officials said. According to the article, “the main focus appears to be on the 16-month and 23-month options; 23 months would run to the end of 2010.”
Hopefully, within the next couple of years, our troops will be brought home to stay. If Obama’s plans for troop withdrawal go through, the families of these brave men and women will finally be reunited with their loved ones for good, and many will finally be able to enjoy a sound night’s sleep. After seven years of overseas duty, it is safe to say they have earned it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Retraction
I recently discovered that the NASA "Sex in Space" article I posted and commented on earlier this year was in fact false. I didn't do a very good job of researching the story, so I would like to apologize for the false information. From now on, I'll do a little more investigating, especially with such a seemingly-strange story.
PS - Dr. Hanson (our JMC professor) gave me a great website where you can check if a story is really true or not: snopes.com
PS - Dr. Hanson (our JMC professor) gave me a great website where you can check if a story is really true or not: snopes.com
Foxes on a trampoline
A friend of mine showed this video to me last week (with my last name being Fox, I get a lot of this sort of thing) and I loved it so much I just had to share it with everyone. It really has nothing to do with anything (except maybe to demonstrate how many random things you can find on YouTube), but it made me laugh. Hope you all enjoy it too!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Nebraska issues for editorial
Nebraska troops returning to overseas duty
Many Nebraskan soldiers will be shipping out for a year to Kuwait and Iraq, likely not to return until early 2010. Half of the soldiers have already completed at least one tour of Iraq or Afghanistan. How much longer will our men and women be leaving their families to go overseas? Does President Obama have any plans that will soon be put into action to start bringing troops home from overseas?
Nebraska banks are strong compared to others around the country
John Munn, director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance says that Nebraska banks are in good shape compared to other banks around the nation. Munn credits Nebraska's large agricultural economy as a saving grace. How long will Nebraska's booming economy keep its head above water in today's economy?
College students awarded over $12 million in grants
Nebraska's neediest students were awarded over $12 million in college grants in the 2007-2008 year. Funding for the grants comes from Nebraska lottery proceeds, among other things. Will the declining economy, will college students ineligible for grants and scholarships be forced to re-evaluate their educational plans?
Many Nebraskan soldiers will be shipping out for a year to Kuwait and Iraq, likely not to return until early 2010. Half of the soldiers have already completed at least one tour of Iraq or Afghanistan. How much longer will our men and women be leaving their families to go overseas? Does President Obama have any plans that will soon be put into action to start bringing troops home from overseas?
Nebraska banks are strong compared to others around the country
John Munn, director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance says that Nebraska banks are in good shape compared to other banks around the nation. Munn credits Nebraska's large agricultural economy as a saving grace. How long will Nebraska's booming economy keep its head above water in today's economy?
College students awarded over $12 million in grants
Nebraska's neediest students were awarded over $12 million in college grants in the 2007-2008 year. Funding for the grants comes from Nebraska lottery proceeds, among other things. Will the declining economy, will college students ineligible for grants and scholarships be forced to re-evaluate their educational plans?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
presidential sugar rush
I ran across this video and wanted to share it with everyone. I might come back and write a more in-depth blog about it later, but for right now I just wanted to comment on his level of enthusiasm (no more Red Bulls for this kid!) and how impressed I was with his question for President Obama. I didn't realize how much people his age (and my age) actually paid attention to this sort of thing (maybe it's just me).
Maybe Miss Daisy needs a new driver
You slam on the brakes and hit your horn, yelling a few choice phrases at your dashboard. You quickly change lanes, fully intent on teaching the jerk who just cut you off a little sign language as you pass, but instead you see the sweet old couple from Perkins puttering along in their Buick. So instead you sigh in resignation and drive on. You can't flip the bird to Granny and Gramps, they're old!
I was on my way to Wal-Mart the other day (which is an entirely different blog in itself) and while I wasn't in a huge hurry, I still wanted to get where I was going in decent time. So I'm cruising down 2nd Ave at around 37 mph when I see almost every car in my lane switch suddenly to the other. Once the traffic cleared, I saw why. A white Taurus was puttering along ahead of me, and from the back, all I could see was a puff of white hair just barely above the seat.
I slowed down, thinking the person must be turning soon, but their blinker never came on. Their brake lights did though. Repeatedly. On every. Single. Hill. The speed limit along that stretch of 2nd is 40 mph. We were racing along at the whopping speed of 25 when they would hit their brakes and slow down to a more-cautious 20 mph while going downhill (because roads are so dangerously slick on bright sunny days). Finally, their right blinker started to flash...the only problem was it flashed for a good two blocks straight. We approached a green light and I exhaled a sigh of relief that maybe they would finally turn. Well, not quite. The car stopped. It came to a complete stop, and I slammed on my brakes while fighting back the urge to honk my horn and yell obscenities out my window. We paused at the green light for a couple seconds before the car began to inch its way around the corner just as the light went from green to yellow. I didn't make it through the stoplight.
Now, I know that someday I am going to be a senior citizen and I would be extremely upset if someone told me I was "too old to drive," but I really do believe that after a certain age, drivers should have to retake the driving test (I don't mean the written part, I mean the actual driving part) more often just to make sure they are still suitable to have a driver's license. That's my opinion anyway. If you would like to read a little more on the senior citizen driving debate, check out this article.
I was on my way to Wal-Mart the other day (which is an entirely different blog in itself) and while I wasn't in a huge hurry, I still wanted to get where I was going in decent time. So I'm cruising down 2nd Ave at around 37 mph when I see almost every car in my lane switch suddenly to the other. Once the traffic cleared, I saw why. A white Taurus was puttering along ahead of me, and from the back, all I could see was a puff of white hair just barely above the seat.
I slowed down, thinking the person must be turning soon, but their blinker never came on. Their brake lights did though. Repeatedly. On every. Single. Hill. The speed limit along that stretch of 2nd is 40 mph. We were racing along at the whopping speed of 25 when they would hit their brakes and slow down to a more-cautious 20 mph while going downhill (because roads are so dangerously slick on bright sunny days). Finally, their right blinker started to flash...the only problem was it flashed for a good two blocks straight. We approached a green light and I exhaled a sigh of relief that maybe they would finally turn. Well, not quite. The car stopped. It came to a complete stop, and I slammed on my brakes while fighting back the urge to honk my horn and yell obscenities out my window. We paused at the green light for a couple seconds before the car began to inch its way around the corner just as the light went from green to yellow. I didn't make it through the stoplight.
Now, I know that someday I am going to be a senior citizen and I would be extremely upset if someone told me I was "too old to drive," but I really do believe that after a certain age, drivers should have to retake the driving test (I don't mean the written part, I mean the actual driving part) more often just to make sure they are still suitable to have a driver's license. That's my opinion anyway. If you would like to read a little more on the senior citizen driving debate, check out this article.
Monday, February 9, 2009
"Hard News" on Yahoo!...try again
I realized this morning that I have fallen very far behind in my weekly blog posts (as I'm sure my class grade will show) so I logged on to Yahoo! news to see what I could dig up to blog about. Well, I'm afraid I don't have any one topic just yet, but rather a whole list of them. The "Featured Stories" on the Yahoo! homepage were the following: "New 'Dancing' Cast Revealed," "Tiger Woods and Wife Welcome New Baby," "Best and Worst Dressed at the Grammy Awards" and "NBA Team Scores 7 Points in 1.4 Seconds."
I'll admit, I'm just as much of a sucker for what we dubbed "soft news" and the next person, but even I am starting to think this is a little overboard. The different news tabs read "Featured," "Entertainment," "Sports" and "Video." I looked through each one of those tabs, and not one of them had anything other than "soft news" stories listed. What is the point of having those different tabs if they all list the same stories? "Featured" is pretty much the same thing as "Entertainment" and "Sports" and even "Video" looked like the YouTube homepage. But then, maybe that's what I get for relying on site called Yahoo! for my "hard news" (I don't mean to knock Yahoo! as a whole, it's just a little disappointing). It makes me wonder, are we really so detached from the major issues going on around us that all we care to read about is the latest American Idol scandal?
I'll admit, I'm just as much of a sucker for what we dubbed "soft news" and the next person, but even I am starting to think this is a little overboard. The different news tabs read "Featured," "Entertainment," "Sports" and "Video." I looked through each one of those tabs, and not one of them had anything other than "soft news" stories listed. What is the point of having those different tabs if they all list the same stories? "Featured" is pretty much the same thing as "Entertainment" and "Sports" and even "Video" looked like the YouTube homepage. But then, maybe that's what I get for relying on site called Yahoo! for my "hard news" (I don't mean to knock Yahoo! as a whole, it's just a little disappointing). It makes me wonder, are we really so detached from the major issues going on around us that all we care to read about is the latest American Idol scandal?
Monday, February 2, 2009
"That's so gay"
"Oh my God, that's so gay."
Very few phrases annoy me more than that little one right there. Not only do I find it incredibly annoying (every time someone says it, all I hear is the stereotypical blonde valley-girl voice in my head: "Like, oh my God, that is like, so gay!") I also find it incredibly ignorant. I'll admit, I've been guilty of saying this atrocious phrase a time or two as well which may or may not make me something of a hypocrite, but it was never something that just casually slid out of my mouth without my noticing as it does so many people around me. I had to MAKE myself say it (which should have been enough to stop me from saying it in the first place).
When you're trying to say something is stupid, would you ever consider saying "that is so Asian" or "that is so Jewish." Absolutely not, you might offend somebody with that kind of talk! Um...hello?!?! In my opinion it would be easier, less-offensive, and it would sound much more intelligent to say "that is so stupid" or "that is so lame" rather than "that is so gay" or even worse, "that is so homosexual." From now on, every time I hear someone say one of those things, I'm going to try and say "that is so straight" or "that is so heterosexual" and see how long it is before someone notices (or stops).
A friend showed me these ads, and I think they are awesome! Maybe they'll help people see this "casual phrase" from a different perspective.
Very few phrases annoy me more than that little one right there. Not only do I find it incredibly annoying (every time someone says it, all I hear is the stereotypical blonde valley-girl voice in my head: "Like, oh my God, that is like, so gay!") I also find it incredibly ignorant. I'll admit, I've been guilty of saying this atrocious phrase a time or two as well which may or may not make me something of a hypocrite, but it was never something that just casually slid out of my mouth without my noticing as it does so many people around me. I had to MAKE myself say it (which should have been enough to stop me from saying it in the first place).
When you're trying to say something is stupid, would you ever consider saying "that is so Asian" or "that is so Jewish." Absolutely not, you might offend somebody with that kind of talk! Um...hello?!?! In my opinion it would be easier, less-offensive, and it would sound much more intelligent to say "that is so stupid" or "that is so lame" rather than "that is so gay" or even worse, "that is so homosexual." From now on, every time I hear someone say one of those things, I'm going to try and say "that is so straight" or "that is so heterosexual" and see how long it is before someone notices (or stops).
A friend showed me these ads, and I think they are awesome! Maybe they'll help people see this "casual phrase" from a different perspective.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Civil Unions Editorial - Extended Edition
Everyone loves a little controversy, right? In today's American culture, same-sex marriage is still one of the most controversial issues we face, which is rather ironic seeing as how we pride ourselves on being such an advanced and accepting culture. In many ways, homosexuality had more support long before America was even a factor.
Homosexuality has been around for countless years, possibly even since the dawn of mankind itself. In the days of polytheistic Pagan worship--even those predating ancient Greece--homosexuality was an accepted practice, and in fact part of several religious ceremonies. Homosexuals were seen as equals in society clear back before all of our marvelous modern conveniences. So, if we are so much more advanced than our ancestors, why are homosexuals so often treated like a threatening alien race and denied many basic rights, such as marriage?
One of the most common arguments against same-sex marriage is: "marriage is between a man and a woman." According to Dictionary.com, that is correct; they define marriage as "the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc." However, according to Wikipedia, marriage can be one of many things: "a union between one man and one woman as husband and wife is a monogamous homosexual marriage; recently, some jurisdictions and denominations have begun to recognize same-sex marriage, uniting people of the same sex." The trusty Webster's New World Dictionary doesn't specifically mention marriage as being strictly between a man and a woman either, but it does, however, define "married" as the following: "being husband and wife, having a husband or wife." The second half of the definition could validly apply to same-sex couples as well.
Marriage entitles partners to many rights, benefits and responsibilities that they would otherwise have no claim to. For example: tax breaks, custody rights, inheritance, ownership rights, etc. Civil unions provide much the same thing, just under a less-controversial title. Numerous countries around the world recognize and allow same-sex civil unions, including several U.S. states.
Laws Regarding Same-Sex Partnerships in the United States Same-sex marriages Unions granting rights similar to marriage Unions granting limited/enumerated rights Foreign same-sex marriages recognized Statute bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage and other kinds of same-sex unions
List of jurisdictions allowing same-sex unions
Unfortunately, the majority of the United States is still against the legal union of same-sex couples in any form. How is it we will stand aside and allow the marriage of a man and woman who can't stand each other, or have no intention of being faithful to one another, or are just getting married for the benefits, or whose union was part of an arrangement but two men or two women who truly love each other and have dedicated their lives to one another are not allowed a legal union?
We say that color doesn't matter, religion doesn't matter, gender doesn't matter. We are so careful not to discriminate, but imagine the outcry if people of different races weren't allowed to get married, or different religions, or even people of the same race or the same religion. Unthinkable, right? Kind of ridiculous, right? Discriminatory, right? Right.
In a Nutshell
Homosexuality has been around for countless years, possibly even since the dawn of mankind itself. In the days of polytheistic Pagan worship--even those predating ancient Greece--homosexuality was an accepted practice, and in fact part of several religious ceremonies. Homosexuals were seen as equals in society clear back before all of our marvelous modern conveniences. So, if we are so much more advanced than our ancestors, why are homosexuals so often treated like a threatening alien race and denied many basic rights, such as marriage?
One of the most common arguments against same-sex marriage is: "marriage is between a man and a woman." According to Dictionary.com, that is correct; they define marriage as "the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc." However, according to Wikipedia, marriage can be one of many things: "a union between one man and one woman as husband and wife is a monogamous homosexual marriage; recently, some jurisdictions and denominations have begun to recognize same-sex marriage, uniting people of the same sex." The trusty Webster's New World Dictionary doesn't specifically mention marriage as being strictly between a man and a woman either, but it does, however, define "married" as the following: "being husband and wife, having a husband or wife." The second half of the definition could validly apply to same-sex couples as well.
Marriage entitles partners to many rights, benefits and responsibilities that they would otherwise have no claim to. For example: tax breaks, custody rights, inheritance, ownership rights, etc. Civil unions provide much the same thing, just under a less-controversial title. Numerous countries around the world recognize and allow same-sex civil unions, including several U.S. states.
List of jurisdictions allowing same-sex unions
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Denmark
- Europe
- France
- Hungary
- Israel
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States
We say that color doesn't matter, religion doesn't matter, gender doesn't matter. We are so careful not to discriminate, but imagine the outcry if people of different races weren't allowed to get married, or different religions, or even people of the same race or the same religion. Unthinkable, right? Kind of ridiculous, right? Discriminatory, right? Right.
Should Same-Sex Marriages be Legalized?
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
How about a little enthusiasm
I have a question for all of my fellow UNK students out there. Did anyone else notice how many freshmen there were on campus this year??? Not that that's a bad thing, but it was like invasion of the 18-year-olds! This last fall I was a Student Peer Leader with the First Year Program which is basically a program that takes certain freshman-level classes (mine for example was English 101, there were also Healthful Living classes, Personal Money Management, etc) and includes an upperclassman (Junior or Senior) to serve as kind of a Teacher's Aid. Our job is to answer their questions, teach them about college life and campus, basically smooth the transition from high school and home to college and living on their own in as many ways as possible.
Anyway, this year's freshman class was HUGE! I've been searching the UNK website for some exact numbers, but I haven't been able to find any. I think, and I could be wrong here--especially since my research is failing me--that this year's incoming freshman class was one of the biggest UNK has had. Of course, more freshmen means more 100-level classes. There were 36 different sections of ENG 101 courses, four of which were strictly for Honors students, and three of which were First Year Experience classes. I don't know about other departments, but I know many of the professors in the English Department don't necessarily enjoy teaching these 100-level composition classes. In the case of my class, it was pretty obvious to me and the students that the professor I was working with had no desire to be there. If students are expected to get excited about something like English (which I've found to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of subject), especially basic English comp, I think the professor needs to put in a little extra effort to make it worth everyone's time. Most of the time, I believe the Graduate Assistants take the majority of these classes, but with an incoming class this size, almost everyone had to teach at least one section.
I know that professors don't like having to teach the basic stuff (this is a thesis statement, this is how you do research, this is how you format a paper, etc) when they're used to teaching upper-division classes or classes they themselves love, but I really think that if the professor I worked with would have been just a little more energetic about coming to class and been more open and responsive to students questions, my freshmen would have gotten so much more out of the class than they did. Several said they hated it, it was such a waste of time, it was pointless, they didn't learn a thing except that the professors will embarrass them for asking questions, and others said they didn't learn anything because it was dumbed-down too much and too repetitive. I know there's no way to please everyone, but I feel like a little more effort could have been made in this particular case.
I realize I might be treading on thin ice here considering I'm posting this for a class (and therefore, a professor), but I really believe that all students (especially new ones) would benefit much more from classes where the professors actually make it seem like they want to be there, even if they don't. Students pick up on and feed off the vibe(s) their professors send out, and if they don't want to be there, you can bet the students will pick up on that too.
Anyway, this year's freshman class was HUGE! I've been searching the UNK website for some exact numbers, but I haven't been able to find any. I think, and I could be wrong here--especially since my research is failing me--that this year's incoming freshman class was one of the biggest UNK has had. Of course, more freshmen means more 100-level classes. There were 36 different sections of ENG 101 courses, four of which were strictly for Honors students, and three of which were First Year Experience classes. I don't know about other departments, but I know many of the professors in the English Department don't necessarily enjoy teaching these 100-level composition classes. In the case of my class, it was pretty obvious to me and the students that the professor I was working with had no desire to be there. If students are expected to get excited about something like English (which I've found to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of subject), especially basic English comp, I think the professor needs to put in a little extra effort to make it worth everyone's time. Most of the time, I believe the Graduate Assistants take the majority of these classes, but with an incoming class this size, almost everyone had to teach at least one section.
I know that professors don't like having to teach the basic stuff (this is a thesis statement, this is how you do research, this is how you format a paper, etc) when they're used to teaching upper-division classes or classes they themselves love, but I really think that if the professor I worked with would have been just a little more energetic about coming to class and been more open and responsive to students questions, my freshmen would have gotten so much more out of the class than they did. Several said they hated it, it was such a waste of time, it was pointless, they didn't learn a thing except that the professors will embarrass them for asking questions, and others said they didn't learn anything because it was dumbed-down too much and too repetitive. I know there's no way to please everyone, but I feel like a little more effort could have been made in this particular case.
I realize I might be treading on thin ice here considering I'm posting this for a class (and therefore, a professor), but I really believe that all students (especially new ones) would benefit much more from classes where the professors actually make it seem like they want to be there, even if they don't. Students pick up on and feed off the vibe(s) their professors send out, and if they don't want to be there, you can bet the students will pick up on that too.
Sex...in Space
Disclaimer: I hope my sense of humor about this subject doesn't offend anybody!
My friend Sarah and I have a radio show on 91.3 from 5-6 on Mondays, and yesterday as we searched for something to talk about, Sarah stumbled across a very interesting article on reddit.com. I think the title pretty much says it all: "Which Sexual Positions Are Possible In Space? NASA knows..."
If you're like Sarah and me, you're probably getting a good chuckle out of that title right now. After the chuckling stopped, something occurred to me. Sex is pretty personal, and granted astronauts have to go through all kinds of embarrassing and overly-personal tests before they go up in space, but isn't this crossing the line just a little? It's one thing to say "We need you to test how the bathroom facilities work in space," or "We need to know how zero gravity affects your normal bodily functions," but to be told that you and your coworker are supposed to have sex in space while you're being monitored I think would be just a little too weird. But, I guess if we're really serious about wanting to colonize another planet someday, this is probably a pretty valid test.
The results were rather humorous (at least to me). They tested 20 positions by computer simulation to find the top 10 (by the way, you really ought to read this article for yourself; the astronauts are actually called "guinea pigs" at one point), which were then tested by the astronauts and videotaped.
*Side note: does it count as porn if it's in the name of scientific research?
Only four positions were possible without "mechanical assistance" (seriously, read the article!). One of their biggest findings was that the standard missionary position is not possible without gravity. I guess future generations will have to be a little more experimental in order to populate other planets...
My friend Sarah and I have a radio show on 91.3 from 5-6 on Mondays, and yesterday as we searched for something to talk about, Sarah stumbled across a very interesting article on reddit.com. I think the title pretty much says it all: "Which Sexual Positions Are Possible In Space? NASA knows..."
If you're like Sarah and me, you're probably getting a good chuckle out of that title right now. After the chuckling stopped, something occurred to me. Sex is pretty personal, and granted astronauts have to go through all kinds of embarrassing and overly-personal tests before they go up in space, but isn't this crossing the line just a little? It's one thing to say "We need you to test how the bathroom facilities work in space," or "We need to know how zero gravity affects your normal bodily functions," but to be told that you and your coworker are supposed to have sex in space while you're being monitored I think would be just a little too weird. But, I guess if we're really serious about wanting to colonize another planet someday, this is probably a pretty valid test.
The results were rather humorous (at least to me). They tested 20 positions by computer simulation to find the top 10 (by the way, you really ought to read this article for yourself; the astronauts are actually called "guinea pigs" at one point), which were then tested by the astronauts and videotaped.
*Side note: does it count as porn if it's in the name of scientific research?
Only four positions were possible without "mechanical assistance" (seriously, read the article!). One of their biggest findings was that the standard missionary position is not possible without gravity. I guess future generations will have to be a little more experimental in order to populate other planets...
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