There Goes The Neighborhood

When we look at global issues global warming is at the top of the list and it will have devastating effects not only on the environment but on the economy, and humanity. The largest result would be the rise in sea level which could lead to water shortages, massive population displacement, decreased food production and extensive species extinction, including humans. The question is not if it happens its when is it going to happen? Scientists have found recent results from drilling and analyzing core samples from some of the world's oldest glaciers, which have convinced some scientists that we will encounter an 'ice age' in the future, as little as a decade or 2. That is scary. With this rise in sea level The melting of the polar ice caps would bring more fresh water into the Atlantic Ocean resulting in an effect on the Gulf Stream, part of The Great Conveyor Belt. This system gives the northern regions of the world a temperate climate. If this natural flow of cold and warm current is disrupted the ocean currents will shift, and the results will be disastrous. People are not paying attention to what could happen here. We have evidence of this situation as a possibility! That alone should wake people up. Recently there has been mush debate on the global warming issue. “The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, a product of an international treaty on climate change, was ratified by 165 countries between 2005 and 2006. It requires 35 industrialized countries to cut greenhouse gases emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.” Australia and the U.S., aka the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters, are the only two major industrialized countries to reject the Kyoto Protocol. “The Bush administration objected to the Kyoto Protocol because developing nations that produce significant amounts of greenhouse gases do not have to meet the same goals as developed nations.” So basically we are saying well why should we have to when they aren’t… The U.S. has also said that this emissions reduction would hurt the economy. Well that’s nice, when nature is giving us the beat down of a life time we can look back and think about our selfishness. Although many nations have agreed to decrease emissions in the past, many have failed and have actually increased them globally. It’s time to stop making empty promises and follow through with this or else.

K Fed going down

I decided to take a little break on the real issues for a bit and focus on some celebrity entertainment. Here’s a long awaited newsflash: On November 7th 2006 mommy Spears filed for divorce. I am not a die hard fan of Britney Spears but I do not like Kevin Federline so I am going to be rooting for the mommy in this one. Finally Britney has smartened up and kicked her blood thirsty boy toy to the curb. What the hell was she thinking anyway? He sucks at dancing, singing, and living! He dated actress Shar Jackson, and has 2 children with her as well. Actually he was with Britney while Shar was pregnant with his 2nd child, which is messed up! After he found out about the divorce- on his blackberry ha-ha, Federline counter-filed court papers wanting spousal support and sole custody of the couple’s two children, 1 year old Sean Preston, and infant son Jayden James. Hmm let's compare, wealthy successful all-known pop singer v deadbeat dad flop out loser. I don’t’ think so, but hey you never know, there are many injustices out there and this could be one of them. As for Federline’s “career” the tracks of his new album debuted at 151 on the Billboard 200, only selling 6,000 copies during its first week. In an MTV interview last week Federline jokingly said if his album didn’t do well on the charts “I would probably poop on myself.” Well Federloser lets see it! Good thing that Britney has that iron-clad prenup she doesn’t want to talk about, b/c Federloser is looking to score some moola, and he is going to get paid either way, just not as much as he would like! In the end there is no doubt in my mind that Federline will try to find some other meal ticket…

Bush wants SPACE

“U.S. President George W. Bush has signed an order declaring the United States’ right to deny adversaries access to space for hostile purposes.” (yeah who he deems hostile, which would be everyone standing in his way of glorious domination) “Bush also said the United States would oppose the development of treaties or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space.” First off, Bush is stating that he can limit other countries to space? That is bullshit! Second, the greedy bastard will not accept any limitations on himself! How can we make the rest of the world hate us even more? We have to go and make yet a dumb ass comment like this. This world is so messed up, everyone wants to own everything, money is the root of all evil, etc etc… I know that is the way things have been since the beginning, divide and conquer, but it sucks! What gives Bush the right to even think that he can conquer and dominate space!!! This is absurd. We don’t even know how big the universe is! How can we claim it all! This pisses me off, everyone is so greedy! He is even pressuring NASA for manned missions to Mars… I don’t have anything against the exploration of space, but to actually claim it? We are like a spec when it comes to the cosmos. Our government is very greedy, wanting to get their grimy hands on everything in existence. It’s not enough that we consume almost everything on this planet, but now we have to go and do this??? Clearly Bush refuses to acknowledge that we might not be the only ones out there! What if we aren't? If Bush thinks that we can go and claim space for ourselves, how are the life forms that are already out there going to feel? I hope they won’t take the greedy politicians as a representation of the entire human race and vaporize our asses. Anyway people all over the world are outraged at Bush’s stupid idea. Read the article.

TV Propositions' Intentions

I am so sick of the campaign commercials for the propositions. They are so repetitive and they don't even really explain what the proposition is all about. They use such heavy propaganda with the intent to encourage or discourage the audience from voting for one party, and hammer it into your head so it stays there. These proposition campaigns also use quotes out of context from the original documentation. This can change the whole meaning of the point being discussed. Political groups use this to their advantage to attack the opposing campaign, often blurring the real truth and omitting important details that can affect the voter’s opinion. It’s all about the image of the proposition, not the actual facts. Luckily when general election time comes around they send out booklets explaining every proposition in depth. Furthermore they even sum each one up in a sweet little package for the voters that don’t want to go through the entire documentation so they have no excuse to not know what they are voting for unless they are alliterate. Being alliterate means that a person only chooses to read when they have to, like for work. It is commonly known that a lot of people in the U.S. can’t read or choose not to. We rank 49th in the illiteracy rate, and that isn’t even including the people that can read yet choose not to. They make decisions solely on what they see and hear on TV, mistaking many things presented as fact when they are actually generalized, heavily diluted, or just made up. A lot of those individuals don’t even know what they are voting for b/c they don’t have all the necessary facts to make an educated decision. So when the Official Voter Information Guide is mailed to “responsible” voters, some of them take one look at the booklet and toss it in the corner where it sits there collecting dust with the rest of the books that they have neglected. Then they happily trot off to “do their part” when they have in their minds only what they saw on TV from those advertising campaigns commanded by political propaganda bullshit instead of basing their educated opinions on the real facts! While the actual illiterates can’t defend themselves from the ads, b/c they don’t have the ability to consume the facts unless someone tells them. This is the role of those campaign ads. The people that drive these proposition campaigns know a good sum of people like to take the easy way out, so they target the non-readers and TV viewers. They tell people what to think often misinforming the audience. Political propaganda plays a dirty game and can heavily influence an opinion. Just remember there are two sides to everything and always get the facts! Check out this video

I watched the new "Celebrity Paranormal Project" that aired last night on VH1. It's about 5 celebrities that visit a supposedly haunted location. They go inside the haunted location and try to see or hear any paranormal activity. I don't know what to believe... I mean it's on TV so chances are it is probably staged but the people that share the experiences with the beyond seem genuinely scared. What is interesting is that when the celebs get their assignments the base command tells them the whole story about the deceased they are trying to connect with. So the celebs automatically have this image and idea in their head of what they are going to see. They also can’t return to the base until they have completed their assignment. The cognitive perception is easily fooled when the idea is already presented in their mind. So it is hard to determine whether the images the experiences are real. I also think that this show is a little disrespectful towards the dead. The people go in and contact the dead just so they can have the experience. I do believe in spirits and maybe some of them are trapped but I don't think that it is right to disturb the dead. It’s not like they are trying to free the spirits so they can “cross over.” It seems more for the purpose of entertainment, even so when I was watching the show it did give me chills at some points. I wonder if the celebs get paid for it…

American Beauty

So I came across an advertisement for American Laser Centers. It’s a full page ad with an attractive blonde hotty on the right hand side. On the left there is a small caption saying: American Beauty-“Looking gorgeous is easy when you choose with confidence” This of course suggests to choose American Laser Centers. I think this ad uses stereotypes. The woman used is a blonde hair, blue eyed beauty. This is such a big stereotype of the all American girl. Remember those old movies with the high school chicks? They were the perfect package of the all American girl. But what is interesting is that this girl in the ad isn’t a natural blonde. She has dark roots, and flawless skin… artificial beauty. Whatever happened to the “natural beauty?” Women in America are becoming more fake every day; fake breasts, fake tans, fake fingernails. Plastic surgery is at an all time high, fake breasts, fake skin, fake face. We constantly cover our faces with shit. We are all looking for a quick fix b/c people have become lazy. Not to mention those TV shows, “Dr 90210”, “Extreme Makeover”, or “I Want a Famous Face.” This country has an obsession with physical perfection. From the outside eye, women are portrayed as beautiful and perfect… but they are totally fake! Those women with 5 inch long nails bleach blonde hair, orange tinted skin from “fakin’ bake.” Sometimes it’s really sickening. What’s wrong with having your natural skin? Why do you have to have butt implants and D cups? I guess this is more appealing to many than less b/c it’s taking over our idea of being beautiful...

straight up

First I would like to say that I am not going to talk about what other people wrote. I Love Lucy, All in the Family, Mash... didn't we talk about all those in class? Whatever, I am going to be honest. First I have to say BBC World News is number one. I watch the news a lot and after watching Fox, or CNN, or ABC news networks. I turn on the BBC World News to see what is really going on. Let's face it our news networks are all the same, sometimes focusing on trivial things that are only for entertainment. And really what happened to news isn't supposed to have an opinion? That is so dead here! You flick through the channels only to find that each news show is talking about the same thing...BBC shows you what is happening in the world without repeating the same damn headline over and over again. I find this really important. It might not be so influential with society and all but that's how I feel straight up.

Second I would have to give it to Reading Rainbow. This show along with Sesame Street encouraged reading among many children. It's interesting to know that LeVar Burton, who is also known for his roles in Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation, which were also influential TV shows. Reading Rainbow Reading Rainbow has won 7 Emmy awards for Outstanding Children's Series over the last 10 years. Celebs like Bill Cosby have guest starred on the show to read to the children(actually i think i remember that one). This show was very influential for kids and still is.

Third I have to hail to South Park. I can not express how much I love this show. It mainly focuses on "American culture and current events, and challenges deep-seated convictions and taboos, usually employing parody and black comedy"-Wikipedia. Examples of some episodes: when Paris Hilton comes to town "stupid spoiled whore", the conflict with Michael Jackson, and most recently the one with Bush and 911. That one was great! At the end of every episode there usually is an important, heart felt lesson expressed by one of the 4 boys. Each episode focuses on something that is or has taken place in recent events, which gives fans something to relate to. Unless you get those "crab people" episodes that are totally random. It is also interesting to know that Cartmen's character, that butt hole, is based on Archie Bunker. Even though this show is not aimed towards kids, seeing that it is on at 10pm, they probably still watch it-which is the parent's fault by the way. Anyway this show has gained much popularity and some harsh criticisms from many public protests, religious groups and so on. But Matt Stone and Trey Parker just use it for inspiration often reflecting the shows criticisms in their episodes. They are genius.