Friday, January 26, 2007

Watching "24" - Stanford Editors vs. The Rest of the World

First I would like to start this posting by reminding people that the entertainment media tells us that their movies, music, video games, etc. has no ill effect on humanity. We've heard the stories about someone who goes on a murder spree because they watched a music video and heard God talking to them through it. The entertainment industry says, "Don't blame us.", when dragged into court.

The Association for Psychological Science has an article titled, "Research Report Provides 'Unequivocal Evidence' that Media Violence Has Significant Negative Impact on Children and Youth" which states:


In the short-term, media violence can increase aggression by priming aggressive thoughts and decision processes, increasing physiological arousal, and triggering a tendency to imitate observed behaviors. In the long-term, repeated exposure can produce lasting increases in aggressive thought patterns and aggression-supporting beliefs about social behavior, and can reduce individuals' normal negative emotional responses to violence.

Hat Tip to Science Blog



There. That gets the public service announcement out of the way for this week.

Now! On to Jack Bauer, 24 and the Stanford University Editorial Board

The Stanford Daily - Opinions Page - 23 Jan 07 by the Editorial Board published, "Editorial: What can Jack Bauer do for you?"
It states:
Yet despite the show's enormous entertainment value - and we admit that it is addictive - whether you are a devoted longtime fan, or just getting into the series, it is important to pause and consider how the show may influence the way audiences think about current events.

On the positive side, the show constantly raises issues like civil liberties and national security, and portrays political debates with obvious allusions to real politicians. These plot points bring important issues to the attention of viewers who may not regularly follow current events, making fans of "24" more likely to show interest when similar issues appear in the news.

But at the same time, there is the possibility that "24" could replace news altogether for some viewers, and the over-dramatized events it presents to keep the adrenaline flowing could pervert the public's sense of reality by creating a constant sense or paranoia that is good for ratings, but not necessarily for the general interest.

AND
Though most Stanford students are able to separate the entertainment value of the series from its factual content, not taking many of the over-the-top plot twists as credible depictions of the current political atmosphere, next time you watch "24," it is worth considering exactly how these elements play into the excitement. We are confidant that our peers can make the distinction between a fictional show and real life, and we hope the rest of the 33 million viewers will be equally discerning.

prying1 sez:
What happened to the "Burn Baby Burn" attitude of the 60's? What a bunch of touchy feely wimps on the editorial board of the Stanford Daily. Why! By Cracky! back in my day.... But I digress.

I won't mention the use of 'confidant' instead of 'confident' nor the misplacement of the comma at their last use of "24," because these kids are still in school. A place of learning and I'm certain an adult that supervises and grades them has brought it to their attention already.

I hope too that an adult has corrected their 'opinion' that the peers of Stanford are so much better than and smarter than 33 million couch potatoes. Especially the couch potatoes that are Stanford Alumni. After all that would be showing prejudice and these darlings of the future have had that taught out of them haven't they?

~~~~~
Please don't laugh at these college students. Cry for them.
~~~~~

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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Honk At Your Own Risk

I could watch this one a thousand times and each time I'll laugh out loud!

You gotta turn the sound up a bit to get the full effect of this one.




I love the kids laughing at the end and I think the camera work was really great.

~~~~~

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin
Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Kathi

Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin
Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin
44 years old from Mercer, Pennsylvania
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard
January 4, 2006


Sitting in the car with Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin's 18-year-old daughter, her father's friend of 21 years had just broken the news of his death.

During years of friendship and service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Lt. Col. McLauglin and retired Capt. Brad Mifsud had a bond so close that they promised each other if something were ever to happen to either one of them, they would be there for the other's family.

Lt. Col. McLaughlin died when a suicide bomber rushed through a crowd of Iraqi police recruits in Ramadi and detonated a bomb that also killed a Marine and nearly 80 Iraqis. The day before the attack, Lt. Col. McLaughlin said he was fully confident that Ramadi had finally turned a corner in the insurgency. As hundreds of local men streamed into the Ramadi Glass Factory on Wednesday to join the city’s long-defunct police force, a wide grin spread over a pinch of tobacco stuffed into the 44-year-old’s lower lip.

"This may not look like much, but it's history," McLaughlin told a reporter. "We're making history right here."

With a significant wound to the back of his head, Lt. Col. McLaughlin turned to his injured personal security detail officers and inquired about their well-being. Waving off medical attention, he asked them to check on the soldiers under his command.

"In an act of extreme selflessness, he stated that he was OK, but to concentrate on saving the lives of his men," said Col. Grey Berrier, a close friend of Lt. Col. McLaughlin.

Lt. Col. McLaughlin died shortly after giving that instruction, according to the Guard.

A long-time artillery officer in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, McLaughlin was assigned to Task Force 2-222 Field Artillery and was the primary liaison between the 2-28 Brigade Combat Team and local tribal and government leaders in Ramadi. His efforts were instrumental in getting local sheikhs to support the recruitment drive and encourage more than 1,000 area men to volunteer for the force, commanders said.

"Mike is a true hero in every sense of the word, and he died while doing his job the only way he knew how - out front and with great enthusiasm and courage," said Col. John L. Gronski, commander of the 2-28 BCT. "This loss only strengthens our resolve to carry on and complete the mission in order to honor his memory."

A gregarious wisecracker, McLaughlin said his hope was to one day return to a peaceful Iraq, where he planned to walk the streets of Ramadi in a traditional Arab "man dress," or dishdasha, and sip coffee and chai with those sheikhs he had met during the war. McLaughlin said that one particular tribal leader he had developed a close relationship with dubbed him "The Sheikh of Sheikhs" - a nickname that was soon picked up by fellow officers in the brigade.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
It Is Foolish And Wrong To Mourn The Men Who Died. Rather We Should Thank God That Such Men Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

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A Lesson For Liberals

Liberals seem to think that the Islamofacists and Jihadists dislike conservatives just as they do. While this is true they should take note that these same murderous extremists are not for the liberal agenda either. They will kill anyone that does not subscribe to their philosophies. For that matter they will even kill anyone that does subscribe to their philosophies if they think it will advance their agenda.

I've put together a list of items that WILL be verboten if they (Jihadists) are allowed to continue their activities unchecked.


Jihadists will not embrace:

  • Political Correctness
  • Environmentalism
  • Socialism
  • Capitalism
  • Marxism
  • Free Healthcare
  • Multi-Culturalism
  • Homosexuality/Sexual Deviency
  • Freedom OF Religion
  • Freedom FROM Religion
  • Freedom of Speech
  • Right to Bear Arms
  • Civil Rights
  • Human Rights
  • Women's Rights
  • Animal Rights
  • Drinking Adult Beverages
  • Eating Pork Chops
  • Fair Trials
  • Welfare
  • Elections (with or without hanging chads)
  • Abortion Rights
  • Liberty
  • Education... the only education allowed is on how to kill the infidel. (Flag Gazer)


Think about it. Some of the items on this list you may or may not agree with. Doesn't matter. Free choice in any matter will come to an end. People you love will be murdered through decapitation, stoning, hanging or any means the jihadists have at hand.

They do not love liberals because they could care less if liberals are nice and caring people. They will not accept liberals for who they are nor will they listen to any pretty speeches about flower power nor New Age Babblings. They will kill anyone that doesn't run in THEIR pack and bow to Mecca umpteen times a day.

Support the President in the war against Islamofacists.
~~~~~
prying1 sez:
Liberals claim they are smart and caring. Let's see them join with conservatives to come up with solutions instead of pushing their "Hate Bush" agenda. How smart are they? I doubt they will join in the battle. They will continue with the idea that talking to these murderous thugs will stop the killing.
~~~~~
I know the list is incomplete. Please add to it through the comment section and I'll update the list with or without links to your site. (please indicate which you prefer)

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Monday, January 22, 2007

How Not To "Not Work"

I heard of a poll asking people how many hours of ACTUAL work their employers expected of them in an 8 hour workday. The answers varied from 5 to 7-1/2 hours. When the same pollsters went to the employers the majority answered with "8 hours".

There seems to be a disconnect here.

Perhaps this disconnect is the reason the ex-sales coordinator, Emmalee Bauer (no relation to Jack could be found through Google search), 25, of Elkhart, Iowa was fired from her job at the Sheraton hotel company in Des Moines, Iowa.

She kept a handwritten journal while on the job and when told to quit writing in it while she was supposed to be working she turned to another option. Her company owned computer.

She typed 300 single-spaced pages worth of journaling on it.

After being fired she applied for unemployment benefits and was denied because of her writings. The journal was shown to Administrative Law Judge Susan Ackerman who said her writings showed a refusal to work and "amusement at getting away with it."

Some examples:


"This typing thing seems to be doing the trick. It just looks like I am hard at work on something very important."

and

"I am only here for the money and, lately, for the printer access. I haven't really accomplished anything in a long while ... and I am still getting paid more than I ever have at a job before, with less to do than I have ever had before. It's actually quite nice when I think of it that way. I can shop online, play games and read message boards and still get paid for it."


~~~~~
prying1 sez:
If you are going to journal at work stick to fiction.

and an extra loud Whoo!Hooo! for Susan Ackerman. Way to go Susan, Your Honor!!!
~~~~~
Thomas S. Brock of Brocklog.net thinks that at this point in time Emmalee Bauer is searching for an agent and the Journal in it's entirety will soon be available in print for those interested enough to purchase it.
~~~~~

UPDATE: I received a comment that I thought I'd bring up to the posting. This exact same comment was left on Thomas S. Brock's posting that was linked above. Mr. Brock replied in his comment section with the same question I had. "What’s your relation to this whole thing? Were you a co-worker or friend of Ms. Bauer?"

After seeing the comment on Mr. Brock's site I dug around a bit and also found the same cut and paste comment from Brodie elsewhere. I think Brodie either feels righteous indignation over the way the MSM has presented this story or has a personal interest in affecting peoples attitude towards Ms Emmalee Bauer.

Let the reader decide...

Brodie comment follows:
If you only knew!!!! She was granted unemployment the first time around. The manager at the Sheraton then found the journal and used that in the appeal. She was told she was let go because she "didnt fit in??" There was even a witness there. Just because you write your thoughts....doesnt mean those are your actions! She was never once written up for any misconduct and always did her job and sometimes even some of the managers own duties. If you still dont think something is wrong at this place, (The Sheraton Four Points in Des Moines) then ask your self why they never hired another Sales Coordinator and why the other 3 of the original sales team have resigned? Hmmm...wonder if maybe there was some other agenda going on at that place??????????? Let the truth be told! Also, the Des Moines Register seemed to like just taking exerpts from the document and using them to fit their angle for a hot story. Maybe it would be different if they added the truth, which would include a few complete sentences giving the entire context of the statements. This PERSONAL journal was done mostly off company time and to my knowledge was just simply that, personal thoughts to vent the frustrations of a HOSTILE work environment. Just because she felt something and put it in a journal, doesn't mean she acted upon it or didn't complete daily job duties. And just to reiterate, take a look back in my comments to see what has really happened at this hotel!
Sincerely,
Someone Who Knows The Truth ! - - - Brodie - - -


~~~~~
Links to the story:
Conservative Voice -The Iowa woman fired for journaling at work
Mens News Daily - Employee Fired For Journaling At Work

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Sunday, January 21, 2007

Ms. Hillary Is In the Running For President.

Senator Hillary Clinton, D-NY, threw her $14 million dollar campaign treasury in the ring in an attempt to get her old job back. You know the job. The one her hubby Bill obstensibly held while she did all the work of downsizing the military and raising taxes...

Just hours later Senator Brownback, R-KS, announced he is going for the Republican nomination. Timewise both are very slow. Last week the announcement was made by Cary Cartter, Common Sense Independent, that he would step up to the plate, take abuse from the MSM and run for the presidency in order to bring this country back on track.

The polls are not in yet so it is not known the impact Ms. Clinton's and Mr. Brownback's announcement will have on Cary Cartter's bid.

~~~~~

prying1 sez:
Now I don't know about you but I think that 14 million dollars is a lot of 'owing favors to folks' that down the road could cause problems for the 'little guy'. Especially knowing the social circles Hillary hangs with. Or should I say, hangs around her. Some say that hanging is the right term to use concerning the whole bunch of 'em. Personally I always prefered 'tar and feathering'. Much more entertaining.

Speaking of 'ENTERTAINING' here is something that is anything but.



Click here and listen carefully BEFORE you vote in the next Presidential Election. Do you want FOUR YEARS of this???


Thanks to Radioblogger for the above sound clip.



Four years of that???? - - - - Shhudddderrrrrr - - - -

~~~~~~~~
http://www.nysun.com/article/47053
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