Do you want fries with that?

First of all, I would like to apologize for my misleading title; this has nothing to do with fries.  However, it does has to do with extras, like fries.  EXTRA:  PLEASE LOOK AT NOT ALL PROTESTS ARE CREATED EQUAL.
And now for the actual post!

Junior Theme is in full swing, and thus I am utterly confused.  I went about my "Why" question as if it were sarcastic, like "Duh, Autism shouldn't be considered a childhood disorder even though it impacts people their whole lives" rather than "I'm going to answer the question 'Why is Autism considered a childhood disorder when it impacts people their whole lives.'''

So I am redirecting my research from where it has been focused the last week.  I spent a lot of time researching Autistic adults rather than the reasoning for the child-focused attention it recieves.  So now, I am researching the history and authorities during different time periods, rather than stats and facts.  So far so good; how is your research going?  Hope it's going well!

What Should I Title This? (Junior Theme Day 1)

Everyone has their "isms."  My sister has a Chloeism of picking her outfit the night before she wears it.  My dog has a Mikeism of barking at very inconvenient times.  Me?  My Glennaism is being indecisive.

This has been an ongoing problem at places like restaurants, clothing stores, and libraries.  "I like the blue one... No, no, no I don't like that one- I'll try the red.  Or maybe the green?"  Some decisions are never decided, they just hang there in my head.  Example:  Hmm, which example should I use?  There are too many to count.

This state of uncertainty may be uncomfortable, but is FAR better than actually making an important decision; buyers remorse, anxiety, and self doubt ensue.  Yet, today for the first time in a long time, that didn't happen.

Today I picked my Junior Theme general topic: Autism.  I am still deciding between "why" questions, but the fact that I actually made a decision in a timely manner is invigorating!  Maybe it is a sign or maybe the sun and moon are aligned in a certain way or something, who knows!  More likely, it is something I am genuinely interested in and know very little about.  So Curiosity overcame the long established Glennaism.  Here's hoping Curiosity comes your way, too.

8.9

Please join me when I send thoughts and prayers to those devastated by the natural disasters in Japan.  A summary of today's events can be found on the links below:

• CNN video...http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2011/03/11/natpkg.japan.day.of.quake.cnn 
• US Geology Survey...http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0001xgp.php

To aid in relief efforts,
...Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation
...Donate at redcross.org
...Donate at http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/

Thank you.

Not All Protests are Created Equal

Just to our north, in Madison, Wisconsin, public workers are protesting to protect their collective bargaining rights.  Collective bargaining is defined by Merriam-Webster as "a negotiation between an employer and labor union usually on wages, hours and working conditions."  For over two weeks, thousands of people have slept inside the state capital, standing (or laying on) their ground.  The Christian Science Monitor reports that the public servants' actions reflect most American's opinions: they want collective bargaining.  The protests themselves seem to be at a stalemate, as both sides are taking action but neither one stronger than the other.  A big problem: 14 Democratic representatives (whose presence is required to vote on the proposed bill that is being protested) are taking refuge in unknown Illinois motels.  At this point, there is no clear answer.  To hear both sides of this unresolved issue, please watch this video from CNN.

Across the ocean, a different protest wages on:  one against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.  Hundreds have been killed as people rebel against his 40+ year long regime.  An interview with Qaddafi about the conflict is HERE.   Anti government protests across the country have been swift and strong, says the New York Times.  It also reports:

Colonel Qaddafi lashed out with a level of violence unseen in either of the other uprisings, but the rebels fought back and won tribal leaders and an increasing share of the military to their side, seizing the eastern half of the country.

Overall, the situation is not a good one.  People are dead in the streets and families are seeking refuge as their ears ring with the cracks of machine gun fire.  For a detailed explanation of what is going on, please watch this video.  VIEW WITH DISCRETION.

News outlets label both occurrences as "protests," but do they do so accurately?  My opinion: no they do not.  Unless they include the thousands of adjectives that separate these events, news sources do not do either bloody, peaceful, dangerous, hateful, organized, effective, national, fair, or terrifying "protest" justice.  

Protests in the streets of Libya.

Protests at the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin.

And the Oscar Goes to...

Last night, I spent 3 hours glued to the television watching stars shine almost as brightly as their rented jewelry during the ever anticipated Oscars.  My friends and I were abuzz with outfit critiques and our own votes for who should have won and who did win... most of the time our choices were based on those we had actually heard of.  Winter's Bone, for example: not on my list.

That got me thinking, what does the Academy base their votes on?  Obviously to be part of this prestigious movie watchers' club one must go to many more movies than my teenage budget allows.  However, if I managed to see The Fighter, The Black Swan, True Grit, The Social Network, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, and Toy Story 3 (movies that seemed to run the show [it's a movie pun!!], total list of nominees HERE) I would be a very educated home-audience member. 

What set these movies apart from the other thousands produced every year?  Well, audiences receive them well... very well.  As of early February, The King's Speech made $93.9 million dollars, behind The Social Network's $96.6 million, even still behind The Black Swan which made $99.4 million (Report from LA Times).  I know that the Academy does not vote for the highest grossing film, or else there would be a different list of winners than was announced last night. 

What then, constitutes a winner? 

One must first apply to be considered for an Oscar, and meet THESE qualifications, for example must have played in Los Angeles and must meet certain filming requirements.   This year, the Academy accepted submissions from THIS list.  Those who apply are judged by an Academy of 600 members in the film industry.   Ethics and fairness are also emphasized:

"The Awards competition is a process that requires the voting members of the Academy to make their choices based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements"

So it seems that when I suspect movies win awards for having a decorated director or lead actor, I was assuming too much.  The Oscars are legitimate: they measure artistic merit, not financial.  That makes me feel a little better about supporting Hollywood; this part at least.  Don't get me started on spray tans...

Some pictures from last night's event:

    
    
                                            

TV Tokenism

In class today, Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Bolos recapped their experience on the recent CASE conference.  They told us a little bit about TV Tokenism, which is, according to the always reliable dictionary.com, doing the absolute minimum.  In regards to television, this means the minimal amount of diversity in casts of characters. 

Mr. Bolos told us to think about the nature of Network Dramas.  I am a reality TV junky, so I do not know much about the hour long programs on public networks.  After a little digging, I found some popular shows as depicted by the NY Times.   The first show on their list and my point of focus: Law and Order. 

A brief synopses, for you and I both...
It has been running on NBC for 20 seasons and has different "versions," including Special Victims Unit (SVU).  The first half-hour of the show is dedicated to Law and takes place at crime scenes, and the second half focuses on the Order in a court room.  For a more complete description and for credits, please click HERE.

The main character, as TV Tokenism ensures, is a white male.  His colleagues are mainly white as well, with the exception of two Black cast members.  Click HERE for bios, and please note that Sam Waterston's biography appears upon opening the "Bios" tab; I did not click it.  It is a sad truth that even in this dynamic and arguably progressive society, the main character of one of the longest running Network Dramas is a white male.  Previous protagonists include others that fit the same bill: pale skin, grey hair, male, and over 50.

To say that Law and Order represents all Network Dramas in this sense would be over-simplifying, but to say it is unique would do the same.  Next time you are watching House or 24, for example, take note of the nature of the characters, and of which characters are not present.

Spread the Love, Stop the Hate

The Civil War ended in 1865.  In 2011, 146 years later, it still impacts us.  CNN reported HERE on the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" who want to honor a KKK leader from the Civil War through a licence plate.  The NAACP (of Mississippi) has asked the Governor to deny this proposal, as it is clearly offensive.
Among the many questions this brought to my mind, one was strongest: Why?  Why would anyone want to honor a terrorist?  I can only imagine: hate.  Hate has long existed in the world, and will unfortunately continue to exist.  Currently in the US, there are about 5,000 Klansmen.  (Stats about the KKK).  I am still struggling to understand... how can there even be one?!?! 

Their hate makes me angry and disappointed, so I'll protest it.  Instead of dwelling on their hate, and especially because it is Valentine's Day, I'm going to spread the love.  Some lovely things that have changed since 1865...

*Women accounted for 51 percent of all workers in the high-paying management, professional, and related occupations in 2009(click HERE for more stats)
*We have a Black President, Barack Obama
*Public High School graduation rates are expected to increase (click HERE for more stats)
*Life saving medical advancements continue to be made all the time (click HERE for timeline)

So, to you SCV out there, I hope you realize your failings soon, as they are most certainly failings.  To everyone else, even if you cannot change other people's views, change yours.  Not just between white and black, but between among all races, religions, sexualities, mental, and physical abilities: there is still work to be done.  We can do it; educate yourself and change what you don't like.  Hope this blog post helps a bit.