TMZ (Blog post #3)

As the mother of daughters, and maybe even more pertinent the mother of a son, I have finally hit morality critical mass. It happened about 6:30 PM yesterday evening while I was blankly staring at TMZ.

Maybe I should preface my critique before launching into a complete tirade...My husband is a devout follower of TMZ and if I do not choose to leave the room every night at 6:30 I am riddled with boobs, butts, debauchery and general I.Q. demolishment. I admit that I occasionally laugh, am sometimes amused but in general spend the time squirming uncomfortably and eventually vacate the room. My husband accuses me constantly of being "high brow" but the truth is I like lots of stuff that does not constitute "high brow". I love the entire Fast and the Furious series (I happen to appreciate fine looking men and fast cars...girls look too!), nearly pee myself every time I listen to Daniel Tosh's "Cargo Pant Day" skit & wholly appreciate Dave Chappelle's take on the seedier side of Sesame Street and the list goes on. My moral compass is not at a squeaky clean north 24/7.

Where TMZ completely lost me last night was their lecherous segment on the new Miley Cyrus video, which is pretty much obscene all on its own without the added explicit commentary and verbiage. (I now know what "tweaking" is - it happens A LOT in this video, have watched Hannah Montana grab some girls breast, make out with women and dolls etc...) Their show, much like their website, is devoted to about as much soft core pornography as is allowable by law. (Here is a link to their site, guys, Kate Upton is riding a horse topless on the front page.) True, there are many other stories on their site than just highly sexualized ones but the blatant objectification of women perpetrated by this organization and accepted by millions of people (women included) makes me, well, sad. Before I knew much about TMZ I let my oldest daughter visit the site, my bad! (I now ALWAYS visit a site first if I know nothing about it.)

I guess at the very core of my critique of this site is my disappointment with the direction of our culture that is encouraged by sites like TMZ. We are supposed to be this educated and socially aware group of people and yet we cannot seem to rise above our trog nature. And to give credit to our Cro-Magnon brothers and sisters, their lack of social finesse was due to a small brain and focus on survival. What exactly is our excuse? We chide other cultures for their treatment of women while marketing our bad behavior as entertainment. I know I will probably be perceived as bitter, old, past my expiration date and generally humorless for being so critical with TMZ and perhaps I am. I can live with the backlash and feel safe in the knowledge that the entire TMZ staff is busy digging up pictures of Rhianna tweeting her own bare butt and re-posting video of Kate Upton bouncing down the runway and could care less about my opinions.

"The Others" (Blog post #1)

I happen to listen to a podcast from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum titled Voices on Genocide Prevention which is the discussion of some topic related to genocide and ethnic cleansing led by a professional in the field. Not exactly light hearted fare but certainly enlightening and from my perspective rather provocative given the nature of the political, economical and cultural state of affairs our country is in.

Genocide and ethnic cleansing are the ugly result of a combination of things including humans, hatred, ignorance and intolerance whose flames are often ignited by the spark of what psychologists refer to as the creation of "the other".  This is the gradual demonization of one group of people, typically based on ethnicity or religion but can also include political affiliations and gender, and is perpetuated with great success in the most subtle of ways. We have all seen or heard about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and in the Balkans during the early 90's, as well as Rwanda, not to mention what is going on in Syria today. But what about us here in America? Certainly we are above such atrocity. Or are we?

My concern is the level of intolerance for the opinions and ideas of those that differ from our own as exemplified by our own government. Those who are our own elected officials, our supposed best, brightest, and most well behaved act with childish impunity when waggling their finger at one another and refuse to work in any capacity for the common good of the people. What kind of example are they setting for their citizenry? Both ruling parties heinously guilty of perpetuating a psychology that can lead to despicable acts of violence. One can easily navigate the internet and view many a political site or blog and see the ensuing comment section that is filled with venom spewed from everyday individuals desperate to settle some kind of score.

Are we on the brink of a genocide? No, I do not believe we currently are but I do not believe that it is out of our realm of future possibility. Many survivors of past genocides tell the same stories; they cannot believe that their own neighbors and friends would have turned on them in such a way. Like us, they were all civilized human beings.

Meine Name ist Leni!

Storytime!  You all get to learn something about me:

At age three I got my first real experience with a foreign language.  My parents and I traveled to Germany and the surrounding countries for about a month.  My dad was there on a military deployment, and my mom and I were able to go along and stay on the base he was at.  She and I got in a rental car and did tons of sightseeing.  This experience, combined with additional trips at ages six and ten, gave me a solid interest in the German language.  On each trip I learned a few more words and phrases and became familiar with the culture.  As I got older, I had a strong desire to continue my language education.

This desire led me to learn about Concordia Language Villages.  This language program, run by Concordia College (Moorhead, MN), is an internationally known, experience for children of all ages.  The main thing they're known for is two-week immersion summer camps for kids 8-18.  They offer additional programs, such as day camps for younger children and high school/college credit adventures, but the core number of attendees fall into the two-week sessions mentioned.  Currently, CLV camps for 15 different languages.  Most of these camps are located in Bemidji, MN, around Turtle River Lake.  Each camp is designed to feel authentic to the country that it represents.  The buildings, food, and street signs are all representations of a foreign country.  Counselors speak only in the language you are there to learn, and encourage learning through educational games, songs, activities, and skits.

I attended their two-week immersion sessions for four summers, from the ages of 12 to 15.  The eight weeks of my teenage years that I spent at the German camp, Waldsee (vaald-say), were eight of the happiest weeks I can remember.  My first memory from camp is arriving with my parents and finding out that as a camper, I would need to pick a "new" name to represent my German experience.  The name "Lena" grabbed my attention, as it felt familiar (Ole and Lena, anyone??).  But alas, someone else had already chosen my name.  So I chose the next-closest name: "Leni".  Now at first glance, you'd think it's pronounced "Lenny". But I will quickly correct you... It's pronounced "Laynee".  This name has stuck with me well beyond my camp years, and it has become a part of who I am.

It is quite likely that I could ramble on and on about my experience at Waldsee for much longer than you care to read.  I could tell you about the fast progress I made with my language comprehension, I could teach you a silly German song about animals, or I could make your mouth fill with saliva by describing fresh-baked croissants smeared with Nutella.  But instead, I will leave you with this piece of advice:  If you have kids, encourage them to learn a foreign language.  If they have an interest in a foreign language, send them to Concordia Language Villages.  It is an incredible experience, worth every penny, they will learn invaluable skills and make friends to last a lifetime.

Wilkommen in Waldsee!  It is a characteristic for the camps to name their main buildings after what main buildings in a city might be called.  For instance, Bahnhof means "train station", but at Waldsee it is the building you first enter when you get dropped off at camp--no trains around though!  You might be able to guess that Fussballplatz means "soccer field".  Soccer/fussball is an integral part of the Waldsee experience, as is ultimate frisbee!

At Concordia Language Villages there are LOTS of outdoor learning adventures, but sometimes there is homework too.  Here my friend "Benni" and I were studiously creating maps of Germany for an activity.  Notice that we are both wearing name tags.  It is a defining characteristic of CLV to have the campers decorate a name tag displaying the authentic name they have chosen for themselves.  These namenschilds, as they're called at Waldsee, become great souvenirs to hang on to.

It wouldn't be German camp banquet without pretzels, schnitzel, lederhosen, and dirndls!  Here we have counselor "Otto", "Dirk", counselor "Franzi", "Leni", and "Benno" (who I'm still friends with today).  During each session, the last evening is celebrated by a theme dinner night and diskothek-style party after.  It's a fun chance to get dressed up, eat great food, and dance to some popular European music.

The Seventh Sense (Blog Post #2)

There are the five human senses we are all aware of: touch, taste, smell, sight and sound, the debated "sixth sense" of psychic ability and the most illusive sense for those of the human race, which I have deemed the "seventh sense", common sense.

One area where the lack of common sense has come to the forefront of the conversational and political arena is the debate on gun control. CBS correspondent Bob Schieffer made some excellent points on both topics (gun control and common sense) in this 2012 blog. Now before you gun aficionados go all Charlton Heston on me let me be very clear; there is a lack of common sense on both sides of this debate.

Around the same time as Mr. Schieffer's post, writer Jason Whitlock came out with his own unique thoughts on gun ownership / the right to bear arms which is highlighted in this December 2012 article from the Daily Caller (audio of the original podcast included). Just to briefly sum it up for you readers Mr. Whitlock (whom I happen to enjoy one day and despise the next) christened the NRA the new KKK. A little extreme and, in my opinion, lacking in some basic common sense. This being said reading some of the commentary below the blog leads me to believe that the common sense deficiency is certainly a bi-partisan disease.

When are people and politicians going to realize that this is not a debate with clear cut boundaries? There are many facets to be taken into consideration when creating new legislation or changing existing laws. Guns are potentially dangerous and at their very worst, deadly. The same could be said for Hungry Man XXL frozen dinners and roller blading. All kidding aside, I am concerned about the lack of common sense within our country as well as abroad and hope that amidst the opposing and polarized arguments of "guns for all" and "guns as epitomizing the most disgraceful icon of racism" there might be some fragment of common ground deemed the land of common sense.

Legal Limit

I think it’s safe to say that drinking is a pretty popular pastime for a lot of people.  Heck, back in the day (and of the legal drinking age) I had my fair share of hanging out with friends at local bars.  However, we made sure to have a sober ride to and from the bars.  Unfortunately not everyone does the same and we are all aware of the dangers involved with drinking and driving.  According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) almost 10,000 people die in alcohol related traffic accidents each year and over 170,000 are injured.  In order to reduce the fatality rate the NTSB has proposed to lower the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level from 0.08 to 0.05.  Alcohol obviously affects everyone differently, but it is suggested that an average 30 year old male weighing 180 pounds would have to drink four beers in an hour and an average 30 year female weighing 130 pounds would have to drink two glasses of wine in an hour to have a BAC level of 0.05.  

Lowering the BAC level does seem like it would hold people back from having that glass of wine with dinner, but maybe instead people can decide to cook at home.  If they go that route they can have as many glasses as they like!  And, before people get too upset about this proposal, keep in mind that it took 21 years for all states to implement the last decrease in BAC level when it went from 0.10 to 0.08.  Also, the NTSB doesn't have the authority to make this change.  Each state would have to accept this recommendation and make the change on their own.

 

 

 

Summer Evenings (Fun Post #2)

I made such grand plans to stay on track for writing these six blogs and now here I am, at the proverbial wire, four blog posts to go. And while I have snippets scrawled in a notebook for each of the structured posts all I can think about while I sit in my slowly dimming living room is how delighted I am to be fortunate enough to enjoy another summer.

The windows are open and I hear cars, kids, frogs, and Tom Petty on my neighbors radio. It is so seldom that I sit like this and really listen. Most often at this time I am scurrying around trying to tie up the lose ends of the day; shuffling kids off to baths or bed, putting coffee on or wrapping up what seems like the fiftieth load of laundry of the day. But not tonight,  tonight I am satisfied to be nothing more than an observer, at least for the next ten minutes or so.

I love warm evenings like this. I love the feel of the slightest prickle of sweat from the stillness that turns to a chill when the breeze suddenly comes in through the east window. I love hearing the robins chirp out the last of their conversations before settling into the trees. And most of all I love how the ever repeating act of changing seasons can automatically transport me back thirty years. My hair is down and a little matted and my bare feet are black on the bottom and it pleases me to no end (of course unlike the ten-year-old me I will give in to the hygienic necessity of a good cool shower before slipping between the sheets) but not before enjoying a moment more of good old fashioned summer grunge.

The voices of my own children bring me back from summers spent at the pool, picking strawberries with my grandfather and playing "ghost in the graveyard" with my cousins. It is time to run those baths, get that coffee ground and pound out those other postings, but I still have had the ultimate satisfaction of enjoying the finer points of this one summer evening.

Man Made Global Warming?

History

People have long suspected that human activity could change the local climate. For example, ancient Greeks and 19th-century Americans debated how cutting down forests might bring more rainfall to a region, or perhaps less. But there were larger shifts of climate that happened all by themselves. The discovery of ice ages in the distant past proved that climate could change radically over the entire globe, which seemed vastly beyond anything mere humans could provoke. Then what did cause global climate change — was it variations in the heat of the Sun? Volcanoes erupting clouds of smoke? The raising and lowering of mountain ranges, which diverted wind patterns and ocean currents? Or could it be changes in the composition of the air itself?

In 1896 a Swedish scientist published a new idea. As humanity burned fossil fuels such as coal, which added carbon dioxide gas to the Earth's atmosphere, we would raise the planet's average temperature. This "greenhouse effect" was only one of many speculations about climate change, however, and not the most plausible. Scientists found technical reasons to argue that our emissions could not change the climate. Indeed most thought it was obvious that puny humanity could never affect the vast climate cycles, which were governed by a benign "balance of nature." In any case major change seemed impossible except over tens of thousands of years.

By the year 2000 man made global climate change had seemed apparent, many governments and corporations had lobbied for new legislation to either control the amount of green house gasses released into the atmosphere or they lobbied against the idea that humans could affect global temperatures.  Each side of the argument had compelling study's to accompany their position.

Greenpeace

According to Greenpeace,

"Climate change is a reality. Today, our world is hotter than it has been in two thousand years, and we are experiencing faster sea level rise and more extreme weather than scientists had previously predicted. By the end of the century, if current trends continue, the global temperature will likely climb higher than at any time in the past two million years. It’s not hard to see the result of our reliance on fossil fuels. The full impact of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster may take a generation to reveal itself, but already hundreds of species of marine life have been affected, as have the communities that rely on the Gulf. Around the country, communities face devastating levels of water and air pollution as a result of coal burning power plants, which produce millions of tons of toxic sludge and smoke each year.

Fossil fuels also account for more than 80 percent of US global warming pollution. Global warming, if unchecked, threatens to fundamentally change the planet that has sustained our civilization. In the US, we’re already seeing some of the effects—wildfires tearing through western states, devastating floods in the southeast, and historic droughts in the mid-west".

Debunking Greenpeace 

"Today, our world is hotter than it has been in two thousand years"-- false statement

The earliest record of any weather tracking is from 1659, which was kept by the Central England Temperature series.  Last time I checked my math the year 1659 to the year 2013 is only 354 years.  So how do we now that our world has been hotter than it has been in two thousand years if we haven't been recording weather for two thousand years.  

"Fossil fuels also account for more than 80 percent of US global warming pollution"--True statement, however!

The burning of fossil fuels undoubtedly contributes to pollution in the air, however to say that CO2, is causing temperature change is just not correct. Many scientists have proven that temperature influences the amount of CO2 not the other way around.  

The Great Global Warming Swindle 

Man Made Global Warming

To say that humans are the reason for climate change or global warming is not an accurate statement.  Obviously, the earth has been experiencing higher than normal temperatures in recent years, this does not mean however that we are to blame.  

Human contribute 0.00093% of all CO2 gases released into the atmosphere anually.  

Deciduous trees contribute 5% of all CO2 released into the atmosphere annually, each fall.

You know what the real problem is........the ocean.  Each year the big blue thing that covers 70% of the planet, contributes up to 93% of all CO2 released into the atmosphere. 

Lets please get all of the facts before we listen to big lobbyists like Greenpeace, and make foolish regulations that hamper the growth of developing nations.