Topics

My first topic is reporters and other forms of media being embedded with combat units. I am strongly against having reporters in combat zones, but I am aware there is another side to the argument. Having reporters attached to units that go "outside the wire" is too dangerous, soldiers should not have to babysit reporters. Soldiers fight wars, not reporters. The other side is, how else will the public know what goes on in combat zones? The public has the right to know....
The second topic I am interested in doing is the medias influence on public opinion. I am baffled at how easily people take information from the media and believe it. It seems as if no one is taking the information and doing research to confirm or deny it. People loose their sense of individuality and personal opinion when everyone's view points just happen to be what Rachel Maddows thinks. If Oprah promotes a product on her show it is sold out and on back order by the end of the next day. It's as if no one can think for themselves. I understand that the media does serve an important purpose in educating I just think that people should take this information with a grain of salt.
The third topic I am thinking about doing is teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is once again on the rise after a brief decline in the 90's. I would be interested to see if the media has any effect on these statistics. There are multiple shows on multiple networks that condone and glorify teenage pregnancy. I think that it would be impossible for this to not somehow effect teenage girls, but to what degree. This topic is interesting but would probably be the hardest one to find concrete and credible data and sources for.

The Tribe Has Spoken

Miley Cyrus and your parents please extinguish your torches on the way out. Miley Cyrus is most famous for her role as Hannah Montana on Disney's hit TV show. She has recently become known for many controversial photos and life choices.

She is very much in the public eye, and it is important to note that she is still a child, although she chooses to live her life as if she is an adult. When I googled Miley Cyrus the first photo that came up was one where she was half naked in her underwear, pulling up her shirt in a provocative manor. She has also been 'linked' romantically to men in their twenties and as you can see has recently become a pole dancer.

The problem isn't necessarily the choices that she makes, but the fact that she is a celebrity who is very much in the public eye and is also sixteen years old. There are millions of little girls who look up to her and this behavior shouldn't be acceptable. This sets a horrible example for the tons of children who want to grow up to be just like 'Miley'. As someone who gained fame on a 'wholesome' network such as the Disney Channel should be more aware of her fan base and act accordingly.

In her defense she is just a child, and when did it become okay to exploit children for monetary gain? As a society we should be better than this. It seems as if her parents are too busy getting rich off of exploiting their child to step up and be parents. I think if anyone should be putting their foot down and knowing when to say enough is enough it should be her parents. Which is why I choose to vote off Miley Cyrus along with her irresponsible parents.

Forest Gump

One of my favorite movies is Forest Gump. I have seen this movie countless times and can't quite seem to get sick of it. Whether I catch it on T.V. or watch the DVD I always enjoy this movie.

I find when I watch Forest Gump it touches on every emotion. I feel happy for and proud of Forest when he finally catches shrimp on his boat after countless failed attempts. I feel bad for Forest when he is a child who wears leg braces and can't walk properly and when the other children tease and harass him. I feel extreme joy when Forest's leg braces break off and he can finally run for the first time.

Forest is a very simple person who doesn't let anything deter or hold him back. He is able to accomplish so much during the course of his life. He is a star college football player, a decorated veteran, a champion ping pong player, a successful shrimp boat captain, and eventually a loving father.

The one part of the movie that always frustrates me is Forest's relationship with Jenny. Jenny is his childhood crush that Forest will always love. I find myself getting so fed up with her presence. She is constantly in and out of Forest's life with no regard for his feelings. I understand that Jenny does care about and love Forest but she takes advantage of him and he is too blinded by his love for her to notice this.

Teenagers & Their Warped Sense of Pride & Accomplishment

It is no secret that American teenagers walk around with a false sense of entitlement. There is no more grotesque and appalling example of this than teenage mothers and the sense of pride and accomplishment that they feel by having a baby. I recognize that mistakes happen and there are exceptions, but the fact that teenage pregnancy is once again on the rise can not be chalked up to multiple mistakes. When you are sixteen and find yourself pregnant this is not an accomplishment, just because you are physically able to have a child doesn’t mean you should or that you can handle the responsibility.
As previously discussed social networking sites are extremely popular and have become a way for one to keep people informed and up-to-date with aspects of their life. The picture I chose is actually a MySpace graphic. I think it is a prime example of how teenage pregnancy has not only become widely viewed as socially acceptable, but that it is has now become glamorized and something to be proudly displayed. As a teenager you are not fully matured and grown yourself ; I believe that teenagers are not emotionally, financially, or mentally ready to take on all the responsibilities that accompanies a child. Although the child may be very loved and cared for, in actuality it places a huge burden on everyone around them. It becomes necessary for friends and family to step in and take on much of the responsibilities, which isn’t always fair to them.
Although I don’t agree, I do recognize how a young mother could argue that they are not glamorizing pregnancy but that this it is a part of them, that it isn’t going away and that they shouldn’t have to hide it. I don’t think that the image itself goes too far, however, I do think that that it is a prime example of some young mother’s mentality.

Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have become a significant part of today's society. Sites like these have become a primary source of communication for many people and a way to reconnect with old friends. Basically they are a great way to keep in touch with people who aren't important enough to warrant a phone call or face to face interaction.
Social networking sites are now the main source of communication for many people. These people feel the need to constantly update their 'status' with every detail of their life. People tend to feel to safe on the Internet and as a result share too much information. Sometimes forgetting that they have five hundred plus 'friends' of which they may only know seventy five or so. Once something is on the Internet it is there forever, people share information and pictures that they may not want to follow them around for the rest of their life.
Aside from the possibility of violent crimes, especially against children, there are other effects to using social networking sites. Potential employers and universities have started to look at peoples Facebook and MySpace profiles to weed out candidates. Social networking sites can also create an unsafe sense of familiarity. Just because you happen to be friends with someone on MySpace or Facebook doesn't mean you actually know that person, they could be anyone, including a convicted sexual offender.
The Internet and social networking sites can be very useful tools, when used correctly. Personally, I do not currently use networking sites. But, when I was deployed and didn't always have access to a telephone these sites were very a great way for keeping in touch with friends and family at home. I think the choice to use these sites is just that, a personal choice that comes along with risks. There is no way for these sites to regulate member usage and guarantee safety. It is up to the individual to be responsible for their own safety. Even if policies were reformed there would be no actual way to verify the information.

"Pain is temporary-Pride is forever"

If I had to create a bumper sticker that modeled my philosophy for life, it would be "Pain is temporary-Pride is forever". This was something that one of my drill Sergeant had told me during basic training. The more I think about the philosophy the more I realize that it applies to many aspects of my life. Almost a mind over matter. There was an instance when I was doing a ruck march and was able to work through the pain of a broken foot to complete the march because of this motto.
Pain is not always physical. This bumper sticker can apply to anyone doing something that may be difficult or make them uncomfortable. The difficulty is only temporary, however the sense of pride is well worth it and lasts much longer. This motto has gotten me through many difficult tasks and pushed me to do and complete things I may not have otherwise completed.