http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/28/a-shift-in-obamas-same-sex-marriage-vow/#more-131550
I just came across this article when browsing through the CNN website and the title of it made me want to explore. Though uplifting, I think by the end of the article I was slightly disappointed. The article mentions that Obama is having a change of heart about same-sex marriages after speaking with people in his administration about how they are treated differently. I think that, being a minority himself, Obama can sympathize with feelings of alienation and oppression. Whatever the case may be, it seems like Obama strives for equality. If that is the case, maybe there will be same-sex marriage in the future.
I met a woman that works in the Obama administration in the commerce department and she is a transgender woman. Her name is Amanda Simpson and she's the first transgender presidential appointee. I think that shows for something and I think having people of the LGBT community in the administration will continue to open Obama's mind.
The latter part of the article discussed DADT (don't ask, don't tell) and Obama said that he feels this topic should be decided by the Congress, not the courts. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Neither seem appealing to me, and either situation frustrates me. I think Obama should step in and say how he feels about it.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Bill Curtis
Well... I wasn't in class on Monday so I didn't get to see the movie...so a reflection would be difficult. I heard great things about it though! I wish I had got to see it. Good choice, I'm sure, Dr. Castle :)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
So you agree, you think you're really pretty?
My friends and I are obsessed with the movie, "Mean Girls". Obsessed. All of us. Every person I meet, I think I base our future "close-ness" on how well they quote that movie. Sad, I know.
Anyways, my senior year of high school, my school and a few surrounding schools were putting on a talent show. This talent show was going to be big. A team from America's Best Dance Crew was performing because one of their members went to one of the schools involved. So I knew I had to have a great routine. Well, unfortunately, my friends and I are some of the least talented people on this Earth. So we did what any talentless teens would do. The Mean Girls Dance.
We knew that dance better than the back of our hands. Even the lines before and after the dance. Granted, none of us can sing so when it came time for Lindsay Lohan to sing when the music cut, I'm sure we sounded awful. Regardless, I think we did a damn good job. I've never been so proud to call myself Gretchen Weiners.
Too bad the judges had never seen the movie...needless to say, we did not win. We looked foolish.
Anyways, my senior year of high school, my school and a few surrounding schools were putting on a talent show. This talent show was going to be big. A team from America's Best Dance Crew was performing because one of their members went to one of the schools involved. So I knew I had to have a great routine. Well, unfortunately, my friends and I are some of the least talented people on this Earth. So we did what any talentless teens would do. The Mean Girls Dance.
We knew that dance better than the back of our hands. Even the lines before and after the dance. Granted, none of us can sing so when it came time for Lindsay Lohan to sing when the music cut, I'm sure we sounded awful. Regardless, I think we did a damn good job. I've never been so proud to call myself Gretchen Weiners.
Too bad the judges had never seen the movie...needless to say, we did not win. We looked foolish.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Repeat that order, please
I wasn't in town this weekend for Homecoming because I was at the Ingrid Michaelson Concert in Charlottesville! She's so great. She interacts with the audience on a level that some comedians can't even reach. I was super impressed by her.
But, okay. Let's talk about a little event that occurred right before the concert which made me realize how language barriers can impair success even with the simplest of media.
Before the concert, my three friends and I ordered Chinese food. Two orders were put on one credit card, and two on another. We specifically told the man on the phone, whom did not speak English well AT ALL, that they're two orders but need to come to the same place, so make them all together, please? He pretended to understand.
Needless to say, two of us were eating and finished for a half hour. The other two called the restaurant again and they were extremely confused. Yes, they gave us our two orders. We already got them.
Oh. Um, no. Those were just two dinners, not the two ORDERS. So, after much confusion on their part, my friends finally got their food. I felt bad that the delivery man had to go back and forth twice, but I really thought this situation was made clear.
My point is that even with cell phones and online that can track orders and make it visual for the employees, there are still significant problems in the restaurant business because of language barriers.
But, okay. Let's talk about a little event that occurred right before the concert which made me realize how language barriers can impair success even with the simplest of media.
Before the concert, my three friends and I ordered Chinese food. Two orders were put on one credit card, and two on another. We specifically told the man on the phone, whom did not speak English well AT ALL, that they're two orders but need to come to the same place, so make them all together, please? He pretended to understand.
Needless to say, two of us were eating and finished for a half hour. The other two called the restaurant again and they were extremely confused. Yes, they gave us our two orders. We already got them.
Oh. Um, no. Those were just two dinners, not the two ORDERS. So, after much confusion on their part, my friends finally got their food. I felt bad that the delivery man had to go back and forth twice, but I really thought this situation was made clear.
My point is that even with cell phones and online that can track orders and make it visual for the employees, there are still significant problems in the restaurant business because of language barriers.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Cheesus Christ...
So, okay. Let's just go ahead and accept that the media is based entirely on stereotypes. I got it. I know. You don't want to read about it anymore...
That said... Did anyone catch last week's episode of Glee?
The episode was titled "Grilled Cheesus" and centered around our favorite group of awkward high school kids struggling with religion in various ways. After his father experiences a life-threatening heart attack, Kurt, the show's "token gay", expresses his atheism to his friends in New Directions.
So let's take a guess: When we're talking religion and stereotypes, the black girl is a gospel church goer, the blonde cheerleader has specific, predictably protestant beliefs that cause her to be offended when someone suggests an alternate belief system and the gay kid doesn't believe in God.
Okay, cool. You don't need to watch the episode, because that's exactly what happened.
Now I'm no Glee hater. I love the music, and I think Lea Michele is gorgeous. But I just thought this particular character breakdown was unusually predictable, even for Glee.
That said... Did anyone catch last week's episode of Glee?
The episode was titled "Grilled Cheesus" and centered around our favorite group of awkward high school kids struggling with religion in various ways. After his father experiences a life-threatening heart attack, Kurt, the show's "token gay", expresses his atheism to his friends in New Directions.
So let's take a guess: When we're talking religion and stereotypes, the black girl is a gospel church goer, the blonde cheerleader has specific, predictably protestant beliefs that cause her to be offended when someone suggests an alternate belief system and the gay kid doesn't believe in God.
Okay, cool. You don't need to watch the episode, because that's exactly what happened.
Now I'm no Glee hater. I love the music, and I think Lea Michele is gorgeous. But I just thought this particular character breakdown was unusually predictable, even for Glee.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Shenandoah Hate Crime Trial Begins
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/10/04/pennsylvania.immigrant.beating.death/index.html?npt=NP1
First, I'd like to point out that I chose this article because of the recent events that have occurred at Rutgers University. I didn't do that case because it is high profile, but I wish it was getting even more attention. Hate crimes are a terrible thing in America.
My article is about a Mexican immigrant named Luis Ramirez who was beaten to death by three young men in Pennsylvania. The three men were drunk walking home from a bar and saw Luis and beat him to death while yelling racial slurs at him.The three men were first convicted of a misdemeanor simple assault. All felony charges were acquitted. After the verdict, the Governor of Pennsylvania wrote a letter to the U.S. Attorney General suggesting that the Justice Department pursue civil rights charges. One of the men's charges were dropped but the other two are facing hate crime charges now. If the two are convicted of the hate crime, they could face life in prison.
I do not think this crime is entertainment. The part of the CJ article that this reminded me of was the Crime Justice Policy and Media Research section. To me, this article instilled fear into the readers minds. I think this article isolates public interest groups, especially with the other recent hate crimes, and it shoves another traumatic hate crime in their face. This hate crime certainly makes some individuals feel victimized.
I happen to agree with the way the article is presented. It shows the seriousness of hate crimes and by instilling fear in the readers mind, perhaps adversaries of certain groups will have a change of heart.
First, I'd like to point out that I chose this article because of the recent events that have occurred at Rutgers University. I didn't do that case because it is high profile, but I wish it was getting even more attention. Hate crimes are a terrible thing in America.
My article is about a Mexican immigrant named Luis Ramirez who was beaten to death by three young men in Pennsylvania. The three men were drunk walking home from a bar and saw Luis and beat him to death while yelling racial slurs at him.The three men were first convicted of a misdemeanor simple assault. All felony charges were acquitted. After the verdict, the Governor of Pennsylvania wrote a letter to the U.S. Attorney General suggesting that the Justice Department pursue civil rights charges. One of the men's charges were dropped but the other two are facing hate crime charges now. If the two are convicted of the hate crime, they could face life in prison.
I do not think this crime is entertainment. The part of the CJ article that this reminded me of was the Crime Justice Policy and Media Research section. To me, this article instilled fear into the readers minds. I think this article isolates public interest groups, especially with the other recent hate crimes, and it shoves another traumatic hate crime in their face. This hate crime certainly makes some individuals feel victimized.
I happen to agree with the way the article is presented. It shows the seriousness of hate crimes and by instilling fear in the readers mind, perhaps adversaries of certain groups will have a change of heart.
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