As you may know, one of my most favorite shows is Grey's Anatomy, and last night was the season five premiere. It was two-hours of indulgence as I watched my favorite characters play out their story lines in the confines of Seattle Grace Hospital. Meredith and Derek are finally headed in the right direction. Christina had eyes for the bad-ass army trauma surgeon who literally pulled a large icicle from her side abdomen (and then they kissed!). Izzie dreamed about Denny (again) and Alex was...well...Alex. I love this show. It is totally my guilty pleasure for the week (that and Gossip Girl).
I love television. Some people really love movies, but I really love television. If it's a good TV year, there may be a show on almost every night of the week that I look forward to watching. This year, there is Gossip Girl on Mondays, House on Tuesdays, and Grey's Anatomy and The Office on Thursdays (although I am totally torn on Thursdays because Grey's and The Office come on at the same time. Thank goodness for the Internet where I can watch the missed episode for free).
So, I'm pretty happy this year. Maybe that makes me lame, but I really do look forward to a watching my favorite shows on TV at night. Probably the best - and worst - thing that ever happened to me is when TV shows started appearing on DVD. Ohmygoodness - you mean I could start watching my favorite shows back-to-back whenever I wanted? Heaven! I'll never forget how excited I was to get Felicity on DVD a few years ago (love that show). And of course I have all of Grey's, The Girls Next Door, the entire series of Friends, and the entire series of Sex and the City. I'll probably buy The Office at some point, and I did download the entire season of Gossip Girl on iTunes.
So there you have it - the television viewing habits of A Coffee To Go. What are yours?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Bob's Out To Get You
I like to think of myself as a somewhat health conscious person. I walk the dogs almost every single day for an hour. I try to eat well (however, anyone who knows me knows that chocolate and ice cream are my downfall). If I was independently wealthy and didn't have to work, I would eat all organic foods and go to the gym every day, and walk my dogs at night. Then I would paint in the mornings and blog in the evenings. I would volunteer on a weekly basis and cook dinner every night. And laundry would never be out of control. And the bathrooms would always be clean..
Wait, this post is suppose to be about health and fitness, not my fantasy life.
So being that I am somewhat health conscious, I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this article on Yahoo!
listing the worst breakfast foods in America. And the kicker of them all really made me laugh.
Yikes! 1,543 calories! That is more than what I eat in a day (or what I strive to eat less than in a day). And 77 grams of fat? Are you kidding me? Wow. The sad thing about this is that the breakfast probably costs something like $4.99 while a healthy breakfast is much more expensive. (I won't go into how the media and all the experts complain and complain and complain about how obese America is when healthy food is extremely expensive and the crap you can buy at any fast food place is on the dollar menu. )
My breakfast of choice these days is plain Shredded Wheat with sliced banana and skim milk. Fiber! Fruit! Dairy! A true breakfast champion.
So, the lesson here kids? Stay away from Bob's place. He's clearly out to get you with his banana pancakes.
Wait, this post is suppose to be about health and fitness, not my fantasy life.
So being that I am somewhat health conscious, I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this article on Yahoo!
listing the worst breakfast foods in America. And the kicker of them all really made me laugh.
The Worst Breakfast In America
Bob Evans Stacked and Stuffed Caramel Banana Pecan Hotcakes
1,543 calories
77 g fat (26 g saturated; 9 g trans)
2,259 mg sodium
198 g carbs
109 g sugars
It’s not a good sign when it takes you nearly five seconds to spit out the name of your breakfast. This bad boy packs in more than 75 percent of your calories for the day, along with more sugar and fat than nine glazed Dunkin’ Donuts, and nearly as much sodium as five Bloody Marys.
Yikes! 1,543 calories! That is more than what I eat in a day (or what I strive to eat less than in a day). And 77 grams of fat? Are you kidding me? Wow. The sad thing about this is that the breakfast probably costs something like $4.99 while a healthy breakfast is much more expensive. (I won't go into how the media and all the experts complain and complain and complain about how obese America is when healthy food is extremely expensive and the crap you can buy at any fast food place is on the dollar menu. )
My breakfast of choice these days is plain Shredded Wheat with sliced banana and skim milk. Fiber! Fruit! Dairy! A true breakfast champion.
So, the lesson here kids? Stay away from Bob's place. He's clearly out to get you with his banana pancakes.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Gloves Are Off...Way Off...
It's gettin' nasty out there folks.
Just in the past several days, we've had...
SNL portray Sarah Palin as dumb and clueless.
Hackers got into Sarah's Yahoo! email account and splashed her personal email and photos all over the Web.
Barack Obama told Iraqi officials during his visit overseas this past summer to delay negotiations with the Bush administration and keep the war going until after the election.
Joe Bidin said paying more taxes is patriotic.
Michelle Obama told a crowd of supporters in Charlotte, NC not to vote for someone just because they were "cute." She was referring to herself, of course...not Sarah Palin.
Barack Obama is running attack ads on John McCain claiming that he doesn't even send his own email. McCain doesn't email because sitting at a computer and typing on a keyboard is extremely painful because of the severe injuries he suffered during his time as a POW in Vietnam.
Barack Obama has told supports to just argue with people and get in the faces of people who do not agree with Obama's ideals.
So, who's ready for the election to be over?
Just in the past several days, we've had...
SNL portray Sarah Palin as dumb and clueless.
Hackers got into Sarah's Yahoo! email account and splashed her personal email and photos all over the Web.
Barack Obama told Iraqi officials during his visit overseas this past summer to delay negotiations with the Bush administration and keep the war going until after the election.
Joe Bidin said paying more taxes is patriotic.
Michelle Obama told a crowd of supporters in Charlotte, NC not to vote for someone just because they were "cute." She was referring to herself, of course...not Sarah Palin.
Barack Obama is running attack ads on John McCain claiming that he doesn't even send his own email. McCain doesn't email because sitting at a computer and typing on a keyboard is extremely painful because of the severe injuries he suffered during his time as a POW in Vietnam.
Barack Obama has told supports to just argue with people and get in the faces of people who do not agree with Obama's ideals.
So, who's ready for the election to be over?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Today, We Nest
This year has been a transition year. My husband has been in the mortgage business for over eight years. Well, you can probably imagine how that has gone this year. So after many long, hard months, he has made the transition from being a small business owner of a mortgage company to another small online business owner. And now he will start working from home. And thus, our house has been in a transition too, as we rearrange rooms, move in furniture we need and sell furniture we don't need. Some rooms are clean and straight, others are in complete disarray.
But today, today we nest.
Last night we went to Home Depot and purchased two gallons of paint and a new ceiling fan (thanks to a Home Depot gift card...our saving grace). We are painting the "old office" and creating a second guest room/sitting area (we're moving another desk into this room to for additional work/blogging space). The "new office" - our bonus room - will be my husband's home base, literally.
But back to the "old office" for a minute. (Side bar: is it just us, or do you too have trouble figuring out what to call the rooms in your house? I think it has a lot to do with how you grow up, and what your parents chose to call certain rooms. And then you bring two people together, and suddenly it's "what do we call this room" and "can you put this in the den? the what? you mean the family room? no, the den!" Now, throw in the fact that you decide to switch up a room - how hard is it to start calling it something different! Sheesh. One should not have to think this much at home.)
But back to the story at hand. We're painting the room a nice khaki green color. We've moved a day bed into the room that we got from my husband brother, who in turn got it from his mom. We've moved out a bunch of things and (hopefully) won't move too much back in, as to keep the clutter to a minimum. We'll install the ceiling fan to replace the old, hideous one that hangs in there currently (seriously, the previous owner of this house had the worst taste in ceiling fans and well, pretty much everything). We'll clean and organize, and hopefully by the end of the weekend (or the end of next weekend), we'll have a nice second guest room/sitting area.
During these times of transition, it will be nice to have another room in order. I'll post some before and after pictures in a few weeks.
But today, today we nest.
Last night we went to Home Depot and purchased two gallons of paint and a new ceiling fan (thanks to a Home Depot gift card...our saving grace). We are painting the "old office" and creating a second guest room/sitting area (we're moving another desk into this room to for additional work/blogging space). The "new office" - our bonus room - will be my husband's home base, literally.
But back to the "old office" for a minute. (Side bar: is it just us, or do you too have trouble figuring out what to call the rooms in your house? I think it has a lot to do with how you grow up, and what your parents chose to call certain rooms. And then you bring two people together, and suddenly it's "what do we call this room" and "can you put this in the den? the what? you mean the family room? no, the den!" Now, throw in the fact that you decide to switch up a room - how hard is it to start calling it something different! Sheesh. One should not have to think this much at home.)
But back to the story at hand. We're painting the room a nice khaki green color. We've moved a day bed into the room that we got from my husband brother, who in turn got it from his mom. We've moved out a bunch of things and (hopefully) won't move too much back in, as to keep the clutter to a minimum. We'll install the ceiling fan to replace the old, hideous one that hangs in there currently (seriously, the previous owner of this house had the worst taste in ceiling fans and well, pretty much everything). We'll clean and organize, and hopefully by the end of the weekend (or the end of next weekend), we'll have a nice second guest room/sitting area.
During these times of transition, it will be nice to have another room in order. I'll post some before and after pictures in a few weeks.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Is This Really The Best Idea?
Good Morning America Whistle-Stop Tour '08
Two months. Fifty states. A completely re-hauled train. And three helicopters following the train as a backup in case the satellite feed goes out.
I hope they aren't planning to do a story on the energy crisis. Or wasteful government spending.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Where Were You?
On this, the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington DC and Shanksville, PA, I can't help but to think back on where I was on this day seven years ago on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.
I was a senior in college, living in a small apartment near campus with three of my closest friends. It was a regular morning; I was getting ready to leave for my first class and we had The Today Show on in the background.
R: "Hey, looks like a plane hit one of the World Trade Center buildings."
Me: "Really? Oh wow...look at that. What a horrible accident."
As I watched fire consume the top of one tower, as I listened to Matt Lauer narrate the scene on TV in front of me...the second plane hit.
This was not a horrible accident.
Not knowing what to do, I did what I had been doing for the past three years - I went on my way to class. As I rode the bus to campus - and the memory of this moment is somewhat of a blur - I wondered what the hec was going on. To be honest, I don't remember if others sitting on the bus around me were talking about what had just happened. I don't really remember the walk to the journalism school to attend my censorship class. What I do remember is opening the doors to the lobby of the J school and seeing a huge crowd of students standing in front of the four television screens that formed a giant square in the middle of the lobby. On one screen, the Twin Towers, burning. On another the Pentagon, on fire. Another was a news reporter frantically reporting every update that came in, and the other screen another news reporter reporting just as frantically.
As I looked around me, I was stunned. People were crying. As I turned back to the screens, I couldn't help but wonder what I would see next. The arch in St. Louis in ruins? The Space Needle in Seattle on fire? The Statue of Liberty smoking? What was next? What could possibly be next?
I made my way to class, which was only half full. Our professor briefly mentioned what was going on and then cancelled the rest of class.
What to do now?
I headed back home. Again, the events of the day are blurry. But I remembered that it was one of my roommate's birthday...A's 21st...and had planned to go to Franklin Street to a few bars that night. Those plans were scrapped. I think we just went to dinner as a group, a local place...I don't even remember where. We prayed. We prayed for our country, those lost, those missing, our President, our government, our American citizens, ourselves. We prayed for understanding. Why did this happen? What did it mean? How could someone do this?
It was an event that even to this day I don't fully understand. How people can be so heartless, so cruel, so calculating, filled with so much hatred for America. How someone can get on a plane, knowing they would die, and that they would kill others, and bring with it so much despair to our country. Who becomes that person?
That night, we ventured to the Student Union to watch the President address the nation. We sat in silence as our President spoke about the events of the day. A grave sense of reality washed over me...today meant war. Today meant that tomorrow and the next day and the day after that would never be the same. We were changed. We were all changed. And now seven years later, we are still changed.
They say we live in a "post 9/11 world." We do. We always will. And while I hope the events of September 11, 2001 will never happen again, I hope that we will always remember the events of the day, and that we never forget the 3,000 plus lives that were lost that terrible day. Thousands of families were broken that day, and they are rebuilding their lives. But they are changed forever.
Just as we all are.
I was a senior in college, living in a small apartment near campus with three of my closest friends. It was a regular morning; I was getting ready to leave for my first class and we had The Today Show on in the background.
R: "Hey, looks like a plane hit one of the World Trade Center buildings."
Me: "Really? Oh wow...look at that. What a horrible accident."
As I watched fire consume the top of one tower, as I listened to Matt Lauer narrate the scene on TV in front of me...the second plane hit.
This was not a horrible accident.
Not knowing what to do, I did what I had been doing for the past three years - I went on my way to class. As I rode the bus to campus - and the memory of this moment is somewhat of a blur - I wondered what the hec was going on. To be honest, I don't remember if others sitting on the bus around me were talking about what had just happened. I don't really remember the walk to the journalism school to attend my censorship class. What I do remember is opening the doors to the lobby of the J school and seeing a huge crowd of students standing in front of the four television screens that formed a giant square in the middle of the lobby. On one screen, the Twin Towers, burning. On another the Pentagon, on fire. Another was a news reporter frantically reporting every update that came in, and the other screen another news reporter reporting just as frantically.
As I looked around me, I was stunned. People were crying. As I turned back to the screens, I couldn't help but wonder what I would see next. The arch in St. Louis in ruins? The Space Needle in Seattle on fire? The Statue of Liberty smoking? What was next? What could possibly be next?
I made my way to class, which was only half full. Our professor briefly mentioned what was going on and then cancelled the rest of class.
What to do now?
I headed back home. Again, the events of the day are blurry. But I remembered that it was one of my roommate's birthday...A's 21st...and had planned to go to Franklin Street to a few bars that night. Those plans were scrapped. I think we just went to dinner as a group, a local place...I don't even remember where. We prayed. We prayed for our country, those lost, those missing, our President, our government, our American citizens, ourselves. We prayed for understanding. Why did this happen? What did it mean? How could someone do this?
It was an event that even to this day I don't fully understand. How people can be so heartless, so cruel, so calculating, filled with so much hatred for America. How someone can get on a plane, knowing they would die, and that they would kill others, and bring with it so much despair to our country. Who becomes that person?
That night, we ventured to the Student Union to watch the President address the nation. We sat in silence as our President spoke about the events of the day. A grave sense of reality washed over me...today meant war. Today meant that tomorrow and the next day and the day after that would never be the same. We were changed. We were all changed. And now seven years later, we are still changed.
They say we live in a "post 9/11 world." We do. We always will. And while I hope the events of September 11, 2001 will never happen again, I hope that we will always remember the events of the day, and that we never forget the 3,000 plus lives that were lost that terrible day. Thousands of families were broken that day, and they are rebuilding their lives. But they are changed forever.
Just as we all are.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Pit bulls, Lipstick, Pigs...Oh My!
Unless you have been living under a rock the past couple of days, you are fully aware of the controversy surrounding Barack Obama's comment at a political rally on Tuesday. Just Google the single word "lipstick" and you'll see.
You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. - Barack ObamaAbout a week ago at the Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin made her now famous joke saying that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick.
Now, the Right is saying this was a direct attack on Gov. Palin by Obama. The Left is saying that in no way was this an attack on Gov. Palin. In fact, the pig/lipstick joke has been used by politicians in the past, including John McCain. So, says the Left, how can this be an attack on Palin when McCain himself used the joke last year?
Ah...key words there, Left: last year.
The Left is forgetting the all too important factor of context. You remember context, right? Oh wait...that's right...it's all too easy to take things out of context so that it fits your political agenda (after all, you do it all the time in your campaign ads).
John McCain did use the lipstick/pig joke back in 2007, when he was referring to Hillary Clinton's health care plan. This was way before he had chosen Sarah Palin as his running mate and certainly way before he was considered even close to being the front runner for the GOP ticket.
Since the RNC, Palin's quip about pit bulls and hockey moms has become famous. And now suddenly Obama uses this joke at a rally...yet he says it wasn't directed at her, he wasn't calling her a pig, and this is just another fictional controversy cooked up by the GOP. Well, I find it hard to believe that Obama's joke wasn't about Palin. If you watch the video on YouTube, you'll notice the immediate laughter, hoots and hollars from the crowd as soon as he mentions the word "lipstick." They knew who the joke was directed towards. Why doesn't Obama?
The "Lipstick Bungle" at it has been called will surely die down soon and give way to another scandal. There's bound to be at least a few more before November. I just hope that in the meantime, a lipstick color comes out in honor of Palin. I'm thinking "Barracuda Burgundy" or "Pretty In Pink Palin."
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Right Around the Corner
I love this time of year.
More specifically, I love the fall.
I love when the weather turns crisp at night, and the sky is a sharp shade of blue unmatched during any other time of year. Kids are back in school, waiting for the bus in the morning, with backpacks and lunch boxes in tow. I always looked forward to the first day of school. It was an event I never dreaded. In fact, I saw it as an opportunity - new clothes to wear, new Keds to break in, a new backpack filled with mechanical pencils, erasers, folders, notebooks and other goodies. Fall was just the beginning.
Spring may hold claim to new beginnings and rebirth, but I've always seen fall as a beginning as well (old school routines die hard I suppose). Falls brings with it a return to routine, to school, to football games and tailgate parties, yard sales on the weekend and pulling out the sweaters from the back of the closet. Fall means the end of a long, hot summer, and is the predecessor to the holiday season (another favorite time of year). Weekends are filled with raking leaves and putting extra blankets on the bed. Pumpkin pies are baked. Fireplaces are lit. Football games are watched.
I absolutely love this time of year.
So we wait out the final 90 degree days in North Carolina during September. We longingly look at our sweaters and hope for a crisp morning. We drink our steaming cups of coffee in the morning and anxiously await for the days when we need it to warm up, and not just for it's caffeine content.
Fall is right around the corner, and I for one cannot wait to welcome it to North Carolina.
More specifically, I love the fall.
I love when the weather turns crisp at night, and the sky is a sharp shade of blue unmatched during any other time of year. Kids are back in school, waiting for the bus in the morning, with backpacks and lunch boxes in tow. I always looked forward to the first day of school. It was an event I never dreaded. In fact, I saw it as an opportunity - new clothes to wear, new Keds to break in, a new backpack filled with mechanical pencils, erasers, folders, notebooks and other goodies. Fall was just the beginning.
Spring may hold claim to new beginnings and rebirth, but I've always seen fall as a beginning as well (old school routines die hard I suppose). Falls brings with it a return to routine, to school, to football games and tailgate parties, yard sales on the weekend and pulling out the sweaters from the back of the closet. Fall means the end of a long, hot summer, and is the predecessor to the holiday season (another favorite time of year). Weekends are filled with raking leaves and putting extra blankets on the bed. Pumpkin pies are baked. Fireplaces are lit. Football games are watched.
I absolutely love this time of year.
So we wait out the final 90 degree days in North Carolina during September. We longingly look at our sweaters and hope for a crisp morning. We drink our steaming cups of coffee in the morning and anxiously await for the days when we need it to warm up, and not just for it's caffeine content.
Fall is right around the corner, and I for one cannot wait to welcome it to North Carolina.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Inhalater
Lunch at Johnny J's Diner in Casper, Wyoming - $6.79
One tank of gas for campaign tour bus - $360
Hotel room for the night while campaigning in Dillonvale, OH - $159
The Great One without his teleprompter - priceless.
(While I can appreciate the man is probably sleep deprived (like every politician that has ever run for office), don't rail Bush for his "Bush-isms" when Obama pulls one out in this priceless clip.)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Classes I Missed During College
Just over six years ago, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I earned my BA in journalism and mass communication. As one of the most popular majors for students at the university, the School of Journalism was home to some of the best professors at UNC, talented and promising students (I see one of my former classmates as a reporter on our local news all the time) and some of the most interesting classes offered at the university. One my classes - Censorship - was a coveted class that typically only seniors were able to enroll in (seniors got first dibs during semester registration). I took classes in advertising (my concentration), editorial writing, media law, women in advertising, first amendment issues, and copy writing. I loved my major, and wouldn't have opted to graduate with any other degree. Between the coursework and the professors, I couldn't have asked for a better educational experience than the one I received at Carolina.
However, on thinking back on my degree and college experience, I'm afraid that I might have missed some critical coursework on my way to becoming a journalist. After all, I don't currently work in the field of journalism. Did my class selections more than six years ago prevent me from becoming a reporter or a high-powered ad executive? Did I shut myself out of journalism so many years ago and did not even realize it? Perhaps if I had taken the following classes, I would be a news commentator right this very moment.
Spinning 101. The objectives of the course are to equip students with the artful tactics of spinning a news story to meet either 1) your personal agenda or 2) the agenda of the news outlet you work for. Students are expected to master spinning techniques such as editorializing, miss-characterization, and politicizing news stories. This course has Math For Journalists as a prerequisite.
Rewriting History 141. In this course, students will learn how to take an otherwise reliable source for a news story, throw it out the window, and write the story you really want to write, regardless of the factual information at hand.
Smear Writing 132. Students will learn the art of smearing a political candidate, regardless from what party, to fit the agenda of 1) you or 2) the news outlet you work for. In this course, you will learn the ever popular method of smear writing in the blogging world.
Math for Journalists 165. This course teaches students how to skew statistics, recalculate figures, adjust political poll numbers, alter dates and times, and in some instances, eliminate important numbers all together.
Reporting From the Pedestal 212. This graduate-level course will teach students how to elevate themselves to "elite journalist" status. During this course, students will learn how to look down on the common man, look up to admired politicians, avoid criticizing these admired politicians, and associate strictly with other elite journalists. Students will also learn the importance of incorporating The New Yorker, The Economist, the New York Times and MSNBC into everyday news media intake.
Maybe I did shoot myself in the foot all these years ago. After all, most of the "journalists" I see on television embody the above principles. Most articles that appear in mainstream newspapers and news websites are written with an agenda (usually a liberal agenda). Journalists are not journalists any more. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and Katharine Graham. Gone are the days when what you heard on the nightly news was actually...gasp!...factual and not dripping with a political agenda. What's left today is a glut of information that consumers have to wade through in order to get to the real truth. That is, if consumers take the time to actually research what they hear on television or read about online.
Now, I admit, that a lot of my posts center on politics and conservative ideals. I'm a proud member of the GOP. I am pro-life, a Christian and a proud wife to a God-fearing, Christian man. I have strong views about the world and society, and opinions on everything from the Olympics to the economy to UNC football games.
But I don't claim to be a journalist. We all have our own opinions and ideas about the world, but journalists are suppose to leave their opinions at the door and deliver unbiased stories to the public. But all too often, journalism students are educated at increasingly liberal universities (and I don't exclude my own Alma mater here) and then join liberal media outlets upon graduation. Perhaps it would behoove everyone - journalists and consumers alike - to cancel classes such as Spinning 101 and Reporting From The Pedestal 212 so that, finally, consumers can decide for themselves, and not have to wade through biased stories from mainstream news "journalists."
UPDATE: Check out this gem from Michelle Malkin. The perfect punctuation for this post.
However, on thinking back on my degree and college experience, I'm afraid that I might have missed some critical coursework on my way to becoming a journalist. After all, I don't currently work in the field of journalism. Did my class selections more than six years ago prevent me from becoming a reporter or a high-powered ad executive? Did I shut myself out of journalism so many years ago and did not even realize it? Perhaps if I had taken the following classes, I would be a news commentator right this very moment.
Spinning 101. The objectives of the course are to equip students with the artful tactics of spinning a news story to meet either 1) your personal agenda or 2) the agenda of the news outlet you work for. Students are expected to master spinning techniques such as editorializing, miss-characterization, and politicizing news stories. This course has Math For Journalists as a prerequisite.
Rewriting History 141. In this course, students will learn how to take an otherwise reliable source for a news story, throw it out the window, and write the story you really want to write, regardless of the factual information at hand.
Smear Writing 132. Students will learn the art of smearing a political candidate, regardless from what party, to fit the agenda of 1) you or 2) the news outlet you work for. In this course, you will learn the ever popular method of smear writing in the blogging world.
Math for Journalists 165. This course teaches students how to skew statistics, recalculate figures, adjust political poll numbers, alter dates and times, and in some instances, eliminate important numbers all together.
Reporting From the Pedestal 212. This graduate-level course will teach students how to elevate themselves to "elite journalist" status. During this course, students will learn how to look down on the common man, look up to admired politicians, avoid criticizing these admired politicians, and associate strictly with other elite journalists. Students will also learn the importance of incorporating The New Yorker, The Economist, the New York Times and MSNBC into everyday news media intake.
Maybe I did shoot myself in the foot all these years ago. After all, most of the "journalists" I see on television embody the above principles. Most articles that appear in mainstream newspapers and news websites are written with an agenda (usually a liberal agenda). Journalists are not journalists any more. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and Katharine Graham. Gone are the days when what you heard on the nightly news was actually...gasp!...factual and not dripping with a political agenda. What's left today is a glut of information that consumers have to wade through in order to get to the real truth. That is, if consumers take the time to actually research what they hear on television or read about online.
Now, I admit, that a lot of my posts center on politics and conservative ideals. I'm a proud member of the GOP. I am pro-life, a Christian and a proud wife to a God-fearing, Christian man. I have strong views about the world and society, and opinions on everything from the Olympics to the economy to UNC football games.
But I don't claim to be a journalist. We all have our own opinions and ideas about the world, but journalists are suppose to leave their opinions at the door and deliver unbiased stories to the public. But all too often, journalism students are educated at increasingly liberal universities (and I don't exclude my own Alma mater here) and then join liberal media outlets upon graduation. Perhaps it would behoove everyone - journalists and consumers alike - to cancel classes such as Spinning 101 and Reporting From The Pedestal 212 so that, finally, consumers can decide for themselves, and not have to wade through biased stories from mainstream news "journalists."
UPDATE: Check out this gem from Michelle Malkin. The perfect punctuation for this post.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
An Issue Too Important To Vote "Present" On
Last month I mentioned the story of Jill Stanek, a former registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL. Ms. Stanek is a pro-life advocate who helped bring up the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that was signed into law by President Bush in 2002.
And guess who opposed the bill not once, but two years in a row?
Interesting how opposing this important bill wasn't above his pay grade back then. Barack Obama clearly had an opinion back then on when life begins. In fact, he had such an opinion that he didn't even vote "present" on this bill. He voted "no."
Jill Stanek's experience holding the precious little boy with Downs Syndrome who lived for a mere 45 minutes because his parents did not want him profoundly changed Stanek's life mission. She is a crusader for pro-life. She is an advocate for the unborn. She is a maverick.
And in stark contrast to the couple Stanek mentions in the video, the parents who did not want to love and care for a little boy with Downs Syndrome, the parents who threw out the identity of "mom" and "dad" along with their baby, you have Todd and Sarah Palin, parents to a four-month old Downs Syndrome little boy. A precious life, a loved son, a member of the family. Trig Palin's life was never in jeopardy, but so many unborn babies' lives are in jeopardy because their parents are deciding whether or not they should live.
How I wish this was never a question that ran through the mind of an expectant mother. How I wish that every life was seen as precious and valuable, not expendable or optional.
But Barack Obama thinks otherwise. He does believe life is optional. He does believe that parents should have the right to choose whether or not their baby lives. And he believes that babies who survive an early labor abortion should not receive medical attention.
Barack Obama has a strong voting record - it includes a lot of votes cast as "present." But his voting record against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act is strong too - it includes a lot of votes casts as "no."
Well, I have one vote to cast against you, Barack Obama...
NO
And guess who opposed the bill not once, but two years in a row?
Interesting how opposing this important bill wasn't above his pay grade back then. Barack Obama clearly had an opinion back then on when life begins. In fact, he had such an opinion that he didn't even vote "present" on this bill. He voted "no."
Jill Stanek's experience holding the precious little boy with Downs Syndrome who lived for a mere 45 minutes because his parents did not want him profoundly changed Stanek's life mission. She is a crusader for pro-life. She is an advocate for the unborn. She is a maverick.
And in stark contrast to the couple Stanek mentions in the video, the parents who did not want to love and care for a little boy with Downs Syndrome, the parents who threw out the identity of "mom" and "dad" along with their baby, you have Todd and Sarah Palin, parents to a four-month old Downs Syndrome little boy. A precious life, a loved son, a member of the family. Trig Palin's life was never in jeopardy, but so many unborn babies' lives are in jeopardy because their parents are deciding whether or not they should live.
How I wish this was never a question that ran through the mind of an expectant mother. How I wish that every life was seen as precious and valuable, not expendable or optional.
But Barack Obama thinks otherwise. He does believe life is optional. He does believe that parents should have the right to choose whether or not their baby lives. And he believes that babies who survive an early labor abortion should not receive medical attention.
Barack Obama has a strong voting record - it includes a lot of votes cast as "present." But his voting record against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act is strong too - it includes a lot of votes casts as "no."
Well, I have one vote to cast against you, Barack Obama...
NO
Thanks To Palin
Just this past week I've become a blog contributor to a new conservative website, Thanks To Palin. My first post can be found here.
The website is dedicated to promoting political and socially conservative ideals, and praises John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate for Vice President. Stop by often to see what's going on. I'll be posting about once a week.
The website is dedicated to promoting political and socially conservative ideals, and praises John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate for Vice President. Stop by often to see what's going on. I'll be posting about once a week.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Deadly, Like A Poisonous Mushroom
LONDON - The author of the best-selling novel "The Horse Whisperer" is recovering in a hospital after eating poisonous mushrooms during a holiday in Scotland, his agent said Tuesday.
Nicholas Evans' agent said the writer, his wife, her sister and the sister's husband became sick after cooking and eating mushrooms they had picked in the woods Aug. 23.
The A.P. Watt literary agency said tests established that the mushrooms included the highly toxic variety Cortinarius speciosissimus, which attacks the kidneys.
The agency said in a statement that all four had received dialysis treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and responded well. It they were "walking about and were in a cheerful and positive frame of mind.
Maybe that's what you get for picking...and eating...mushrooms found in the woods...
Monday, September 1, 2008
Family First, No Matter What
Bristol Palin, the 17-year-old daughter of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, is pregnant. And unmarried. And keeping the baby. And marrying the father. Life doesn't get more real than this, and the Palins know this. And they are prepared. And supportive of their daughter.
The situation is messy. The circumstances far from ideal. But the Palins are a real family, facing real issues that affect millions of families. Except now they are doing it in the public spotlight. It will be hard for Bristol these next few months. It will be hard for Sarah, and her entire family. But they seem to have a strong family, one that doesn't get going when the going gets tough. They put their family first, no matter what, and hold strong to one another. They are a family that sticks together, that presses on during the hard times. Sarah and Todd are parents that set a great example of how important it is to love and support your children, even when they make a bad choice or fall into trouble. Barack Obama on the other hand, has a different idea of family support should one of their daughters "make a mistake".
And I couldn't have said it better myself.
We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us,” the Palins said in the statement. “Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support." The Palins asked the media to respect their family’s privacy.
The situation is messy. The circumstances far from ideal. But the Palins are a real family, facing real issues that affect millions of families. Except now they are doing it in the public spotlight. It will be hard for Bristol these next few months. It will be hard for Sarah, and her entire family. But they seem to have a strong family, one that doesn't get going when the going gets tough. They put their family first, no matter what, and hold strong to one another. They are a family that sticks together, that presses on during the hard times. Sarah and Todd are parents that set a great example of how important it is to love and support your children, even when they make a bad choice or fall into trouble. Barack Obama on the other hand, has a different idea of family support should one of their daughters "make a mistake".
I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. - Barack Obama
And I couldn't have said it better myself.
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