A new look at Gitmo

Watch this, then tell me what you think!

Good in Hollywood?

I never thought I’d say this, but I am very impressed with Beyonce!  For those of you who haven’t heard about what happened at the VMA awards, watch this video. This is just another story that proves that there still is a lot of good going on in our country!

So why am I impressed with Beyonce?  According to Celebuzz, later on that night Beyonce’s video won Video of the Year (ironically enough).  When she rose to give her acceptance speech, this is what she said:

“Thank you. I remember being 17-years-old, up for my first MTV Award with Destiny’s Child and it was one of the most exciting moments in my life. So I’d like Taylor [Swift] to come out and have her moment.”

Taylor then was able to thank her fans.  I’ve never been very impressed with Hollywood.  They have continually drug down the morality in our society, instead of encouraging our culture and building it up.  But the respect and character that Beyonce showed was amazing and inspiring.  It was what Hollywood needs.  It makes me wish I was a fan of hers (or at least her genre of music).  I want to support her and send a message to hollywood that says “This is what I want to see more of!”  Anyone have any good recommendations of Beyonce songs/albums that would make a good buy?

facebook users be warned!

There is a new angle to Facebook that has yet to be discovered by the millions of users rapidly signing up accounts with the social network: employer hacking.  According to this article by CBS, before a person shows up for a job interview, his or her facebook  profile is combed through–even if the privacy settings are on “private.”  Face-to-face, employers will see “Jack” show up for a job interview in meticulous attire with polite manners and impressive resumes…but the employer has already seen his hungover pictures, read the nasty comment he left on his ex’s profile, and observed the rise and fall of his emotions and attitudes documented on statuses.  Jack may have sacrificed his job by venting on the social network.

Or, on the opposite end, people have been fired for what has been found posted on facebook.   

So, you tell me: is this savvy business skills or a breach of privacy?

not funny…

I’ll admit: I don’t watch David Letterman.  I don’t watch any late-night television comedy.  This is due to several reasons: I prefer to go to bed early, I don’t watch much television, I dislike comedians.  I find comedians to be little more than tasteless individuals who make money by making fun of other people. Am I wrong in my assessment?  As a girl raised to have a strong work-ethic and follow the Golden Rule, I find that to be reprehensible.   My review of Letterman’s remarks to Palin’s daughter has nothing to do with politics.  When you’re in politics, you need to have a thick skin, I realize.  But I don’t care who it was he made fun of.  I wouldn’t care if she were a stranger he randomly decided to pick on.  On what planet are such comments comical?  And why are we listening to it?  Letterman is saying these things to entertain you.  He believes you’ll think them funny.  And do you?  Did you hear the laughter in the background when he made his remarks?  We don’t need to turn his remarks into a political battle or scandal.  That will do no good to the poor girl he picked on and will only up his ratings.  We just need to say we disagree and then stop watching.  I don’t mean this as an act of boycotting.  A do-things-my-way-or-I’ll-stop-supporting-you ultimatum.  I’m not a fan of that either.  I just want our society to alter our own tastes.  Stop watching simply because you have found other, more productive things to do with your time.  Don’t only blame Letterman for making crass jokes.  Blame yourself and our society for enjoying them. 

And so, Mr. Letterman, I disagree with you.  I guess I can’t stop watching you, though, when I never really started.

Defending our Defenders

In recent decades, our military has come under attack by the people of America.  It has been claimed that their wars are not just and their methods inhumane.  In keeping up with this weeks Memorial Day theme, I want to speak out for those wonderful men and women who paid the ultimate price in our recent wars, only to be decorated as heroes because it was “politically correct” to do so.  They’ve come home in caskets with with very few people sincerely grateful for their sacrifice.  Although I cannot presume to speak for them, it is their stories that compel me to write this. 

Before any of you go trashing our beloved military, maybe you should consider the sources of your information first.  Just who are you getting these ideas of military corruption from? 

• The News Media?  They have already proven themselves to be biased and promoters of their own agendas and ideologies.  I have already started hearing the concern of America’s news being too far gone to turn back.  As someone who has worked in the reporting field and even toyed with the idea of a career in it, that breaks my heart.  American citizens no longer have the right to hear balanced, nonobjective news?  How tragic!  If what you hear on the news is spurring doubt or outright animosity towards our soldiers and their cause, please consider this vital point that you may be basing your beliefs off of lies.  I encourage you to do your own personal reporting.  Go out and interview returned soldiers, study the culture of the people we are fighting, read the historic reports filed by our military leaders and Commander-in-Chief.  You may come away with the same view, but you will also come away a nobler person for your efforts.
• Hollywood?  It never ceases to amaze me how celebrities try to butt into politics.  They certainly have the right and no doubt some of them are intelligent human beings.  But just because Matt Damon is hot and stars in your favorite action movie does not give you logical cause to assume that his personal beliefs are correct.  And when you see stars sit down for interviews on politics, you need to go back to my first point and ask yourself what the reporter is thinking!  Why is this reporter wasting time interviewing a subject who isn’t involved in the situation?  Who cares what hollywood thinks?  If they want their politics to matter, they can vote–just like the rest of us!  If you are lining up your views to that of your favorite TV star, consider this: Hollywood has already proven itself to be both immoral and irresponsible.  Who are these people to criticize our brave soldiers and their efforts while they themselves squander their money, sleep around, pose nude for pictures, marry on a whim, cheat on their spouse, divorce for flippant reasons and neglect their children?  Do you really think they are reliable sources of information?
• Politicians.  Ah, yes.  The people who are supposed to be our reliable source but, instead, have proven themselves to be corrupt.  America is inundated with cries–on both sides of the political aisle–of: what money?  Who is that?  I never said that!  I didn’t vote that way!  Our politicians are greedy liars who care only for themselves.  We have shamefully voted them in and do not know how to get out of it.  I believe part of that problem is linked back to having a corrupt news media, so we don’t quite realize who we are electing, but that doesn’t excuse us for not playing reporter ourselves before we place a check mark on a ballot!  What you hear your corrupt politicians say through your biased news media is not reliable enough to base your own judgments on.  It should be and I wish it was…but its not. 

I trust the military.  Where each of these groups–News, Hollywood, Politics–have failed us, our soldiers have stood strong.  Where each of the former groups have proven themselves despicable and unreliable, our soldiers have proven themselves honorable and trustworthy.  When the military experiences problems within itself, and corruption wields its ugly head, they promptly deal with it and then move on.  You see, the military runs on the basis that it has a mission and nothing must stand in the way of fulfilling that mission.  Including itself.  So when need be, the military will cut out that bad seed growing inside it because such a thing is a hindrance to a successful mission.  Then they refocus their eyes on the goal and surge on without a backward glance.  Imagine of our politicians did that, how strong  a nation we’d be!  If hollywood did that, how noble America would be in the eyes of the world.  If our News Media did that, how educated we’d be! 

As long as I must side between my military and the aspects of my Americanized pop culture…I will choose the military.  I am so grateful that so many soldiers have already laid down their lives for the very reporters, actors and politicians speaking against them.  That is American!

Truth Seeker

Why is it so difficult to be honest? 

I am in the middle of doing a research project on bias in the news media.  Although I knew about it before starting, I’m seriously APPALLED at what I’m uncovering.  Not outlandish lies from one side verses another, but reading the same story that points guilt at opposite people.

Example: I’m now reading two articles on America’s mortgage crisis.  One article blames Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on a majority of democrats in Congress and dishonest journalists who refused to speak up for the truth which they knew.  My other article blames it all on a majority of Republicans.  Both quote figures and names and sound well-researched and legit. 

But they can’t be. 

Maybe this means, for this particular topic, that BOTH democrats and republicans are at fault.  But then those articles should have come to such a conclusion.  They are bias.  They are lying.

And I’m annoyed. 

I’ve been considering going into the news-field.  I’m an English major now, but my school has a dual English-Mass Communications program that many of my friends take.  This research project, though with disappointing results, has been fun and exciting.  Maybe I need to step into the journalism field. At the very least, I’m going to start talking about truth here more (just to warn you).

It’s time to bring honesty back to America.