Reality Shows

December 2, 2009

How far is too far when it comes to Reality shows?  It seems that everyone wants to get on a Reality Show at all cost.  Take for instance the couple who crashed the White House State dinner last Tuesday.

If you look at the news that is all they are talking about.  What really did happen does anyone know.  If this couple crashed a state dinner at the White House just to be on a Reality Show, what does that tell you about this countries state of mine.

In a time when people are losing their jobs, and homes people like that couple find it funny to crash a state dinner at the White House.  Although they have said they were invited no one has found their name on the guess list.

If they were not invited why would they go through all this trouble and stage such an event.  To put the President and his wife along with other government officials  in danger shows lack of concern for the security of this country.

A Reality show is for people to be seen on a  weekly basis so I would guess that if the ratings start off high that would definitely get people to tune in to see what will happen next.

However the couple who crashed the White House state dinner should remember although  they might be getting a lot of news coverage from this event,  there are always  consequence for every action taken.

Yvonne McClaine

Commenting on Disneys’ Princess and the Frog.

November 25, 2009

Yesterday in class we discussed the new Disney movie the Princess and the Frog although I had not yet seen the advertisement regarding the movie but since then I have done so.

Last night I saw a commercial about the Princess and the Frog and I began to see what everyone was referring to.  The stereotypes of African-Americans on how they are supposed to look and dress is so obvious.  It brings about a hidden prejudice on Disney’s part.

They say that there has been an out cry in the African- American community about not having them portrayed in Disney’s movies in a positive manner.  While  it has been said that they should have not made this movie because it shows that Disney does not have a high regard when it come to portraying minorities in their movies.

Disney studios need to recall this movie and take a lost from it because it sends the wrong message to our children.  All African-American parents should boycott this movie sending a clear message to Disney studios that we will not put up with this type of portrayal of people being played in a movie.

I could point out all of the different ways this movie has misrepresented the African-American community but it goes without saying, that Disney studios did not want to make the movie in the first place and they shouldn’t,t have.

Yvonne McClaine

Review on the film clip Oleanna.

November 19, 2009

Today we saw a film clip which was very controversial having to do with what is and what is not appropriate behavior of a professor in regards to his female students.

Since the movie was in the 90′s a lot as change when it comes to being accused of sexual harassment.  In this particular case the professor was unaware of the allegations that were brought against him.  A slight touch on the shoulder and innocent phrase spoken my the professor.

The question is this what is considered  inappropriate and how would one know that it is.  In this particular story the student seems to think that because the professor touch her on the shoulder he was making sexual advances toward her and it needed to be addressed.

A woman being young are of more maturity should be able to tell when a man is making inappropriate advances toward her.  If that is the case you should call them out on  it and make your feels regarding the situation be known.

Even though the movie was made in the 90′s these things still go on today. Where a male student or a female student has miss understood what really transpired between them and the professor.

My thought is this if you are not sure what did or did not happen you should ask for a meeting with the professor express your concerns and take  it from there.  So many people whether male or female are quick to jump to the wrong conclusion when it comes to sexual harassment or what they think it might have been.

Men and women face the fact everyday that someone has mistaken a remark are a slight touch as sexual harassment, but I believe we all know the difference.

Yvonne McClaine

 

 

 

Holiday’s at Santa Monica College

November 12, 2009

Yesterday was Veterans Day all the banks, postoffices, county, state and federal government offices were closed. I noticed that a lot of colleges, high schools and regular schools were closed.  Santa Monica College was not among one of them.  I believe last year that the college was closed in honor of this day.

Why was the campus  not closed yesterday?  Usually there is and explanation for the change but I did not see are hear of one.  I understand that the campus will be closed on Friday for the staff and the few students who attend on that day.  I realize that there have been some serious cut backs within the system and fewer things are offered then before.

The higher-ups have spoken and there was no day off for Veterans Day for the majority of the campus and we will have to contend with the Thanksgiving break in two weeks.  So I did ask around for some reason of why but did not get a straight answer only speculations on what might have been.

I know you are probably thinking I could have taken the day off but what good would that have done me if my classes were still going on.  It is only beneficial when everyone is off and you are not missing out but  it would have been nice to have a break in mid week.

Yvonne McClaine

The Political Scene

11-5-2009

On Wednesday the L.A. times featured an article about the GOP.  How the Republican party had won two prime Democratic seats in an election that was helded on Tuesday.  I did not read the article I only saw a little bit of it while someone else was reading it.

That night on the evening news the lead story was about the two seats that the Republicans had won over the Democrats.  They went on to say that the two seats the Democrats had lost was where Obama had won last year in the election.  This seemed to be great news because they seem to think it would have affect Obama’s rating as President.

The news reporter went on to say that the voters had spoken this might become a trend across the country.  When they took the polls it showed no signs of President Obama slipping in the polls.

As I look at another news station I learned that same day that in New York the Republicans had lost a seat to the Democrats that was very sufficient.  Apparently the Republicans had held this seat in the government every since the civil war.

It seems to me that this lost up states the two seats that were won.  The news media has away of omitting things that are connected and only gives the public one part of the story.  Which is this that the Republican party really did not gain or win in victory.

The most important seat that they had held onto since the civil war was lost to them on Tuesday’s election.  The reporter showed an interview with a Republican and his statement was as follow’s “if the Republican party had not been fighting among themselves this lost would not have occurred.”

It is always important to hear more than one persons view on the event which is being reported because they never tell you the whole truth.

Yvonne McClaine

 

 

Walmart and Cosco’s selling more than traditional items.

October 29, 2009

Yesterday on the evening news there was a story about Wal-Mart selling coffins.  From my understanding you can go online to their website and purchase a coffin to be bury in.  Wal-Mart is not the first to offer this type of service, I understand that Costco’s started it first.

I ask members of my family and friends had they ever heard of this and they all said they had.  I was kinda of shock that Wal-Mart along with Costco’s is in the burial business per say.  When did it become fashionable to sale a coffin along with selling clothes, grocery, toliet articles, etc.

I would think that one would want to buy a coffin in person to get the full understand of what they were exactly getting.  It stands to reason that the cost of a coffin has risen and the lowest these days is around $3,000 dollars. It is like bargain shopping through the internet.

After talking to several people about buying a coffin online I began to understand the concept.  We as a society have changed into shopping on-line for the cheapest rate for quality merchandise.  My thing is this how do you know what you are getting if you can not see it.  Your argument would be that when you buy anything on-line you run that risk.

But buying a coffin is a little bit different from buying other items, you definitely have to know what you are purchasing.  I just think that some things should not be offered for purchase on-line, because buying a coffin is so personal and I don’t think you can take  it back.

Yvonne McClaine

 

 

How do other countries Live?

October 22, 2009

On Wednesday October 21, 2009  I watched a segment of The Oprah Winfrey show.  The segment was about how other countries live.  What I found interesting was Copenhagen, Denmark.  In Copenhagen the citizen’s pay 15% taxes and if their salaries increase they can pay as much as 60%.

The people of Copenhagen don’t seem to mine paying high taxes.  The tax money is put to good use.  The money goes toward universal health care, education, and low rate child care.  The tax money is put back  into the community so everyone benefits from it.

In Copenhagen there are no homeless people everyone gets to eat, they don’t have poor people.  When you get laid off from your job the state government pays 90% of your salary for four years and will assist in helping you find a job.

They believe strongly in family values and that spending time with their family members is very important.  Over 70% of the people in Copenhagen ride bicycles so obesity is not an issue for them.  They promote being healthy and claim that is why they are so happy.

People in Copenhagen enjoy nature and believe you should spend a lot of time doing an outdoors activity.  Even though their taxes are high it seems to benefit the country.  The most important thing is this, no one goes angry, everyone has a place to stay and there is health care available for you.

When you work your tax dollars pay for the benefits, nothing is really free.  The money is placed back into the system so everyone benefits from it.

It seems that their health care system works because they started caring and helping one another.  In a country that has such rich resources as ours it is a shame that no one cares.

Yvonne McClaine

Governor’s Wife cited for using cell without ear device.

October 15, 2009

One Wednesday I was watching channel sevens evening news.  The next story that the report reported was about the  First Lady of California being cited for using her cell phone without a earing piece.  According to the news reporter she had been cited before and nothing was done about.  The Governor took  a stand saying” that he wasn’t aware of the situation regarding the citations.

Keep in mind that the law was passed last year about hand hailed cell phones and I still see numerous people driving while taking on their cell phones without the ear piece.  The commentary said that the First Lady of California issued a statement that she apologizes and would donate her  old cell phone to the battered women’s shelter and hope that others might due the same.

Now here is the purpose of this information as it stands.  The reporter asked this question How do you feel about the First Lady of California violating the cell phone law her husband the Governor put into place?  Some reactions were she was a hyprocrite and others stated that she should not receive special treatment.  Then the reporter asked several people had they ever been cited for the same thing and most of them said they had.

My comment is this of course the Governor’s wife should be held accountable for her actions when it comes to abiding with the law at hand.  No special treatment should be given to her in any giving situation and it was proving that she broke the law.  But how can people call her a hyprocrite when they have admitted to doing the exact same thing by getting citations and still using their cell phones without a ear piece.

The bottom line is this the law was put in place to protect us from ourselves.  It has been proven that serious accidents have occured when people drive with one hand and talk on the phone with the other hand.  We should all be concerned with practing safe driving while on the road.

Yvonne McClaine

Do men are women gossip the most.

October 8, 2009

The question comes up alot whether men are women gossip the most.  Early this week I witness first hand how men can set their sites on something and will do anything to get it. The story goes like this and I will change the names of the people  involved in case someone knows them.  Tom works for Wells Fargo bank and is an Assistant Manager and wants to get promoted to Manager.  Now Tom does not like the Manager that is in charge and has been lobbying to get his job. Tom has been going behind his back saying he is not qualified to do the job and he could do much better.

Now Tom has a friend at the bank and they have decided to do whatever they can to remove the Manager. All the while they are talking and going to lunch with the Manager but secretly talking and potting behind his back.  They both found out that the Manager has decide to resign from his position and it will be available soon. Here comes the tricky part Tom has decided that the job is his and no one can get it but him and his friend agrees.

Two days later Tom’s friend at the bank did something that he did not like, so he called another friend and began talking about the friend at the bank. He told the other friend that he just did not like the way he handle the situation and he would have to keep an eye on him. It is apparent that Tom is all about Tom and if you do something that Tom does not like he goes behind your back and talks about you.

My point is this instead of Tom going to his friend at the bank and discussing the matter with him he chose to call another friend and complain.  The proper thing to do I think was to tell his other friend how his friend at the bank had his back and was willing to go the distance to make sure Tom was considered for the promotion.  So who gossips the most men are women.  Most men would say that women gossip more than men, but after this I just don’t know.

Yvonne McClaine

Two different news Report

October 2, 2009

On Thursday I was watching KCAL 9 news as they reported on the latest news about the findings of Michael Jackson autopsy report.  They were interviewing a doctor who was part of a team that did the report.  According to the doctor Michael Jackson was in good health, his heart was strong, lungs were in good condition and his weight was what it should be for a man that was five nine in height.

There was some bruising from the CPR given him trying to save his life, but other than that he was in good health. The doctor may it quite clear and after that the reporter ending the story with a few more comments.  Later on in the evening I was watching channel 2 news and they were reporting the story about Michael Jackson as well, but reported a totally different story.

The reporter on channel 2 suggested that there was some problem with the latest autopsy report on Michael Jackson and that he had some kind of illness or he wasn’t in as good of shape as was reported but did not give any back up information.  I can now understand how people can become discourage and a little bit confused.

One news station reports one thing and the other say another but they both are reporting on the same story.  So this leads me to believe that one station is interested in the truth while the other is interested in distorting the truth.  It reminded me of the video Citizen Cane about how Cane was about truth at first and then changed and began writing about  half truth.

So I saw at first hand what distorting that truth can do to someone perceptive of what is and what isn’t.  The point being you should never rely on someone else for the truth because nothing is what it seems.  Always research any information giving to you because something has been added or left out.

Yvonne McClaine