BEACH PARTY ANYONE?
13 years ago
Monday, November 16, 2009
Chapter 9 - Scientific Looking
I choose this "Scientific Looking" video due its extreme "Awe" of how advanced with the possiblities of seeing what was once "unseen", and the beauty that comes from see all the stars, consolations, and planets that are out there besides us....
Enjoy. Pat Kaehler.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Final Presentation
TINA’S BLOG FROM CHAPTER 5
For this week’s blog I chose the use of “In God We Trust” printed on all American currency as being politically, socially, and emotionally charged. The image, idea, and who or what God is varies greatly, and always has. My bringing this subject to surface is not that of ungodliness, atheism, or any anti-religious opinion, I believe it is something we have all grown accustom to seeing without giving it a second thought. All people certainly have the right to relate God in any way they choose, and it is exactly for that reason our government’s actions should not put one belief before another. The separation of church and state refers to the limits our very own Constitution places on the power of the government (both federal and state) to legislate about religion. The First Amendment explicitly prohibits the government from establishing or controlling religion, yet “In God We Trust” was put on all PAPER currency by an act of Congress in 1957. The mid to late 1950’s was a time of terrible racism, religious discrimination, and political oppression in the United States. Following World War Two the fear of communism grew. Adding “In God We Trust” to American currency was thought to be an act of religious and political propaganda to counter the threat of “godless communism”. Aside from all this political hypocrisy what does God have to do with money anyways? I would imagine God would be against it, for what good or purpose does it bring? I am sure we have all heard the saying “money is the root of all evil”, who could argue that? The actual saying appeared in the New Testament; “For the love of money is the root of all evil”, Timothy 6:10. Given this direct opposition from the bible we go ahead and put God on money anyways. It seems mixing God and money could emotionally confuse our younger generation, it is just an advertisement like any other… God is good, he is the creator of all things, and he is on money, so let’s go spend it! (That must be good too). It is the American way, what could possibly be better?
Pat’s response (in full length):
The original national motto: "E Pluribus Unum"
The original motto of the United States was secular. "E Pluribus Unum" is Latin for "One from many" or "One from many parts." It refers to the welding of a single federal state from a group of individual political units -- originally colonies and now states.
On 1776-JUL-4, Congress appointed John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson to prepare a design for the Great Seal of the United States. The first design, submitted to Congress on 1776-AUG-10 used the motto "E Pluribus Unum." It was rejected. Five other designs also failed to meet with Congress' approval during the next five years. In 1782, Congress asked Mr. Thomson, Secretary of Congress, to complete the project. Thomson, along with a friend named Barton, produced a design that was accepted by Congress on 1782-JUN-10. It included an eagle with a heart-shaped shield, holding arrows and an olive branch in its claws. The motto "E Pluribus Unum" appeared on a scroll held in its beak. The seal was first used on 1782-SEP-16. It was first used on some federal coins in 1795. 1
The replacement motto: "In God We Trust:"
The war of 1812 was an unusual conflict. Both sides claimed victory. The winner depends upon which history books or which country's schools you attended. Also, the war lasted well beyond 1812.
During 1814, Francis Scott Key (a.k.a. Frank) had an eventful September. "Traveling under a white flag, Key met with both an enemy general and admiral, recovered a war prisoner, became a war prisoner, watched a historical bombardment, lost a night's sleep, and wrote" what eventually became the American national anthem: The Star Spangled Banner. 1
The final stanza reads:
"And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
In 1864, the words were shortened to "In God We Trust" and applied to a newly designed two-cent coin.
Almost a century and a half ago, eleven Protestant denominations mounted a campaign to add references to God to the U.S. Constitution and other federal documents. Rev. M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville PA was the first of many to write a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase in 1861 to promote this concept. 2 Watkinson suggested the words "God, Liberty, Law." 3 In 1863, Chase asked the Director of the Mint, James Pollock to prepare suitable wording for a motto to be used on Union coins used during the Civil War. Pollock suggested "Our Trust Is In God," "Our God And Our Country," "God And Our Country," and "God Our Trust." Chase picked "In God We Trust" to be used on some of the government's coins. The phrase was a subtle reminder that the Union considered itself on God's side with respect to slavery. Congress passed enabling legislation. Since an 1837 Act of Congress specified the mottos and devices that were to be placed on U.S. coins, it was necessary to pass another Act to enable the motto to be added. This was done on 1886-APR-22. "The motto has been in continuous use on the one-cent coin since 1909, and on the ten-cent coin since 1916. It also has appeared on all gold coins and silver dollar coins, half-dollar coins, and quarter-dollar coins struck since" 1908-JUL-1.
The 1828 dictionary contains the definition of money as:
A coin, stamped metal; any piece of metal usually gold, silver or copper, stamped by public authority, and used as the medium of commerce. Bank notes or bills of credit issued by authority, and exchangeable for coin or redeemable, are also called money; as such notes in modern times represent coin, and are used as a substitute for it.
The Light of Media Bias within Religion, Faith & Spirituality:
I chose this to represent my final presentation as not only as it speaks to me personally, but as Chapter 5 covered “charged” topics, pictures, and ideas, Tina’s post was certainly one that represented how the mass media limits its facts, objectivity and fairness. I believe this article that was presented on Google and I am attaching the main article from Google below, have been reported as media bias and would like to have the opportunity to show the biased representation of the mass media internet postings.
Per the Critical Thinking in Media Analysis for this class, Democracy is effective only to the point that the public is well-informed any topic, nationally or international events. Some of the myths that obscure our logic is that most stories are produced with independent investigative journalism, that news writers only report facts without drawing conclusions, that fact and opinion are clearly separated in what is printed as news, that objective reality is the only thing reported. But we all know that there can be a massive background of facts, but because of space, 99.999% of facts are not printed, nor mentioned later in an article, thus objectivity and fairness is compromised. Another biased and objective ideal that no one achieves is the interpretation of any one story or article, due to the multiple points of views, any event or circumstance reported can and will be viewed and interpreted in different ways.
To achieve objectivity we first need to identify the point of view from which a news story is constructed, then identify the audience it is written for, recognize the points of view it is negating or ignoring, and then distinguish the raw facts behind the story from the interpretation and spin being put on the facts.
The quote I attached below is exact wording from the article, which I would say the point of view for the whole article, “that government doesn’t support religious freedom”? The intended audience, in my opinion is all the American’s that have not a clue what and how the “In God We Trust” came about and why. Our thirteen colonies were founded on the declaration of independence, all the men the signed the declaration were men that believed in God, and knew they needed a higher power in order to survive and wanted this great nation of ours to be founded on solid ground (it’s in the bible). How can they say government doesn’t support religious freedom, we are not imprisoned for speaking our mind, quoting scriptures, or cursing? Are we? So, I would have to suspect the author of this article wanted to get most American’s “charged” in order to do some shaking and get the uneducated population “charged” to storm congress?
The points of view that have been negated or ignored are the 99.999% of the facts of how, why and when the “In God We Trust” was actually founded.. Yes, the bills were printed with this in 1957, but the phrase was enacted, voted on, and applied to coins way before the 20th century. The writer should have included the details of the original thoughts and reasoning behind the phrase. But by excluding the original origin and meanings of why we have this, the writer was able to create the “charged” ideas and acts of defaming the bills to get its targeted audience to do the same and make a statement of what “who can follow instructions”? Certainly not based upon the written words in the article of our government not tolerating religious freedoms, otherwise they would be jailed for their acts, and included in the article is the content that it is perfectly legal to defame the face of a bill, so that negates it’s meaning right there..
We have within this great country of ours countless denominations and followings, groups, gatherings, congregations, body’s, whatever you want to call it, allowing you to choose and believe what you want to believe and follow. It’s not government that is limiting our choices, it our lack of knowledge….
So what does "In God We Trust" actually mean? Based on the facts, it means only that the government continues to maintain superstitious practices and paranoid acts that should have died along with McCarthyism. It means that the government does not actually support religious freedom. It means that the government continues to establish that monotheism, belief in one "Almighty God," is the de facto official religion of the United States.
God Bless America! One Nation, Under God.
Along with "In God We Trust" these ridiculous and unthinking statements are the hallmark of government in the United States.
As Americans evolve to reject religion and the ranks of atheism, agnosticism, and secular humanism continue to grow stronger, we may eventually achieve an enlightened government; one that supports the separation of state and church; one that respects the rights of individuals.
Until then however, let's just keep on spending that "godless" money….
For this week’s blog I chose the use of “In God We Trust” printed on all American currency as being politically, socially, and emotionally charged. The image, idea, and who or what God is varies greatly, and always has. My bringing this subject to surface is not that of ungodliness, atheism, or any anti-religious opinion, I believe it is something we have all grown accustom to seeing without giving it a second thought. All people certainly have the right to relate God in any way they choose, and it is exactly for that reason our government’s actions should not put one belief before another. The separation of church and state refers to the limits our very own Constitution places on the power of the government (both federal and state) to legislate about religion. The First Amendment explicitly prohibits the government from establishing or controlling religion, yet “In God We Trust” was put on all PAPER currency by an act of Congress in 1957. The mid to late 1950’s was a time of terrible racism, religious discrimination, and political oppression in the United States. Following World War Two the fear of communism grew. Adding “In God We Trust” to American currency was thought to be an act of religious and political propaganda to counter the threat of “godless communism”. Aside from all this political hypocrisy what does God have to do with money anyways? I would imagine God would be against it, for what good or purpose does it bring? I am sure we have all heard the saying “money is the root of all evil”, who could argue that? The actual saying appeared in the New Testament; “For the love of money is the root of all evil”, Timothy 6:10. Given this direct opposition from the bible we go ahead and put God on money anyways. It seems mixing God and money could emotionally confuse our younger generation, it is just an advertisement like any other… God is good, he is the creator of all things, and he is on money, so let’s go spend it! (That must be good too). It is the American way, what could possibly be better?
Pat’s response (in full length):
The original national motto: "E Pluribus Unum"
The original motto of the United States was secular. "E Pluribus Unum" is Latin for "One from many" or "One from many parts." It refers to the welding of a single federal state from a group of individual political units -- originally colonies and now states.
On 1776-JUL-4, Congress appointed John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson to prepare a design for the Great Seal of the United States. The first design, submitted to Congress on 1776-AUG-10 used the motto "E Pluribus Unum." It was rejected. Five other designs also failed to meet with Congress' approval during the next five years. In 1782, Congress asked Mr. Thomson, Secretary of Congress, to complete the project. Thomson, along with a friend named Barton, produced a design that was accepted by Congress on 1782-JUN-10. It included an eagle with a heart-shaped shield, holding arrows and an olive branch in its claws. The motto "E Pluribus Unum" appeared on a scroll held in its beak. The seal was first used on 1782-SEP-16. It was first used on some federal coins in 1795. 1
The replacement motto: "In God We Trust:"
The war of 1812 was an unusual conflict. Both sides claimed victory. The winner depends upon which history books or which country's schools you attended. Also, the war lasted well beyond 1812.
During 1814, Francis Scott Key (a.k.a. Frank) had an eventful September. "Traveling under a white flag, Key met with both an enemy general and admiral, recovered a war prisoner, became a war prisoner, watched a historical bombardment, lost a night's sleep, and wrote" what eventually became the American national anthem: The Star Spangled Banner. 1
The final stanza reads:
"And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
In 1864, the words were shortened to "In God We Trust" and applied to a newly designed two-cent coin.
Almost a century and a half ago, eleven Protestant denominations mounted a campaign to add references to God to the U.S. Constitution and other federal documents. Rev. M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville PA was the first of many to write a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase in 1861 to promote this concept. 2 Watkinson suggested the words "God, Liberty, Law." 3 In 1863, Chase asked the Director of the Mint, James Pollock to prepare suitable wording for a motto to be used on Union coins used during the Civil War. Pollock suggested "Our Trust Is In God," "Our God And Our Country," "God And Our Country," and "God Our Trust." Chase picked "In God We Trust" to be used on some of the government's coins. The phrase was a subtle reminder that the Union considered itself on God's side with respect to slavery. Congress passed enabling legislation. Since an 1837 Act of Congress specified the mottos and devices that were to be placed on U.S. coins, it was necessary to pass another Act to enable the motto to be added. This was done on 1886-APR-22. "The motto has been in continuous use on the one-cent coin since 1909, and on the ten-cent coin since 1916. It also has appeared on all gold coins and silver dollar coins, half-dollar coins, and quarter-dollar coins struck since" 1908-JUL-1.
The 1828 dictionary contains the definition of money as:
A coin, stamped metal; any piece of metal usually gold, silver or copper, stamped by public authority, and used as the medium of commerce. Bank notes or bills of credit issued by authority, and exchangeable for coin or redeemable, are also called money; as such notes in modern times represent coin, and are used as a substitute for it.
The Light of Media Bias within Religion, Faith & Spirituality:
I chose this to represent my final presentation as not only as it speaks to me personally, but as Chapter 5 covered “charged” topics, pictures, and ideas, Tina’s post was certainly one that represented how the mass media limits its facts, objectivity and fairness. I believe this article that was presented on Google and I am attaching the main article from Google below, have been reported as media bias and would like to have the opportunity to show the biased representation of the mass media internet postings.
Per the Critical Thinking in Media Analysis for this class, Democracy is effective only to the point that the public is well-informed any topic, nationally or international events. Some of the myths that obscure our logic is that most stories are produced with independent investigative journalism, that news writers only report facts without drawing conclusions, that fact and opinion are clearly separated in what is printed as news, that objective reality is the only thing reported. But we all know that there can be a massive background of facts, but because of space, 99.999% of facts are not printed, nor mentioned later in an article, thus objectivity and fairness is compromised. Another biased and objective ideal that no one achieves is the interpretation of any one story or article, due to the multiple points of views, any event or circumstance reported can and will be viewed and interpreted in different ways.
To achieve objectivity we first need to identify the point of view from which a news story is constructed, then identify the audience it is written for, recognize the points of view it is negating or ignoring, and then distinguish the raw facts behind the story from the interpretation and spin being put on the facts.
The quote I attached below is exact wording from the article, which I would say the point of view for the whole article, “that government doesn’t support religious freedom”? The intended audience, in my opinion is all the American’s that have not a clue what and how the “In God We Trust” came about and why. Our thirteen colonies were founded on the declaration of independence, all the men the signed the declaration were men that believed in God, and knew they needed a higher power in order to survive and wanted this great nation of ours to be founded on solid ground (it’s in the bible). How can they say government doesn’t support religious freedom, we are not imprisoned for speaking our mind, quoting scriptures, or cursing? Are we? So, I would have to suspect the author of this article wanted to get most American’s “charged” in order to do some shaking and get the uneducated population “charged” to storm congress?
The points of view that have been negated or ignored are the 99.999% of the facts of how, why and when the “In God We Trust” was actually founded.. Yes, the bills were printed with this in 1957, but the phrase was enacted, voted on, and applied to coins way before the 20th century. The writer should have included the details of the original thoughts and reasoning behind the phrase. But by excluding the original origin and meanings of why we have this, the writer was able to create the “charged” ideas and acts of defaming the bills to get its targeted audience to do the same and make a statement of what “who can follow instructions”? Certainly not based upon the written words in the article of our government not tolerating religious freedoms, otherwise they would be jailed for their acts, and included in the article is the content that it is perfectly legal to defame the face of a bill, so that negates it’s meaning right there..
We have within this great country of ours countless denominations and followings, groups, gatherings, congregations, body’s, whatever you want to call it, allowing you to choose and believe what you want to believe and follow. It’s not government that is limiting our choices, it our lack of knowledge….
So what does "In God We Trust" actually mean? Based on the facts, it means only that the government continues to maintain superstitious practices and paranoid acts that should have died along with McCarthyism. It means that the government does not actually support religious freedom. It means that the government continues to establish that monotheism, belief in one "Almighty God," is the de facto official religion of the United States.
God Bless America! One Nation, Under God.
Along with "In God We Trust" these ridiculous and unthinking statements are the hallmark of government in the United States.
As Americans evolve to reject religion and the ranks of atheism, agnosticism, and secular humanism continue to grow stronger, we may eventually achieve an enlightened government; one that supports the separation of state and church; one that respects the rights of individuals.
Until then however, let's just keep on spending that "godless" money….
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A Michael Jackson "Pastiche" done well....
Most of us probably can relate to Michael Jackson in one generation or another, meaning either his earlier work or his latest material. But for some of us, we can relate to "Saturday Night Live" in the older days of when their skits, impersonations, and satire hit every bone in our bodies with laughter... Here is a perfect example of " Pastiche" with Steve Martin doing "Michael" dance....
Pat Kaehler.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Is Your Botox Bogus?
I found these ads in my Redbook online magazine for anti-aging, moisturizing, and renewing products for women. However, I found this phrase "Is Your Botox Bogus?" written just under the first picture for anti-age cream. I found it interesting that the makers of this ad would try to get its audience to re-think and question whether their current form of anti-aging treatment is working, and why not try ours? The signs, connotations, and meanings that each of these three pictures are showing is that all of us need to start using something to keep us younger looking, softer feeling, and moisturized. The connotation is that if you don't use these, you will age quicker, have rough skin, and feel dryer, meaning we must take action and start now while we can still look young and beautiful? The lack or unfulfilled need these ads are suppose to fulfill in my opinion is that beauty comes from within, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? No matter how much moisturizer I apply in the morning, will it stop the aging? Will I lack the wrinkles and lines that come at age 43? My body and its needs changes constantly, whether I use their product or not, and I will continue to age gracefully regardless of what product I buy and use. Pat Kaehler.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Magazine Overload?
I subscribe to Redbook magazine, and have for some time, but now, not only do I get it in hard form, the paper copy we are all use too, but I also get it online now. On the October 29th, edition of Redbook online, there are approx. 30 or so articles to choose from for either quick viewing or quick reading, in 5 minutes or less....I remember when it would take a good portion of an afternoon, sitting on your favorite lounge chair outside, or favorite arm chair in the livingroom, or even a waiting room, when waiting for the doctor and their always late, it would take that long or longer to get through an article or whole magazine if you skipped some articles.
But, in today's society of the medium, women between 25 -50 and the change in our culture to have it now, quick, fast, women having less time to do more, this mass media of magazine has change to accommodate the rapid pace at which this narrowed medium has asked for articles, tips, suggestions, receipes, and everything else they desire to be at their fingertips.
Redbook has had to change to the culture of American women, between working, raising a family, school for the adults, kids activities, laundry and everything in between has forced this magazine to change its medium, direction, accessibility (to online access), quick reading, quick responses, and most of all to focus more on the needs and wants of women in today's society.
Pat Kaehler.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Forever Beautiful!
This is a picture of a rainbow hitting the rocks of Sedona, AZ. As I was trying to find a "charged" picture, this once struck me with its shear beauty, awesome power, forever promise, and new life that rain brings and the ending that brings a beautiful rainbow! I never tire of viewing the beauty of nature, the awesome array of color that is created with precision each and every time a rainbow appears. It brings freshness, an air of calm, and renewed energy that all things are bright and beautiful especially after a rainfall and the forever promise that a rainbow brings... Pat Kaehler.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Rune Scape? Only a kids game? Is it too violent?
We all want our kids to be entertained, enjoy the latest and greatest video, music, and game that the latest technology has come up with, but do some take it too far in violence, time spend playing (being hoked on playing the game), or crosses over to several generations? Rune Scape, a action level game of search, seek, find, destroy, kill, and concure each level to gain access to the next. My oldest son plays it, my daughter plays it, and by the intro to this video, so does almost every generation out there. It uses hand and eye coordination to improve your skills in order to advance. Rune Scape uses live action figures and great animation to keep you interested.... Too interested? Pat Kaehler.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Normal versus Otherness, you decide..
A very typical and common picture of siblings doing what they are known for and what come nature to them at times, to get what they want and when they want, and at any cost. Sibling arguments are considered “normal” to most parents, and pretty sure most of us as adults have experienced or heard of sibling rivalry at one time or another. Do we let it happen? Or stop it, discuss the ramifications, and have our children act like young adults? What would be considered the “normal” or use these situations to create the “otherness” of our society?Pat Kaehler.
The norm of what most of us American’s are trying to do these days, to save any way we can and here are some great tips and ideas to help us savvy computer users to utilize the web for more than just fun…Pat Kaehler.
Would you consider this “norm” or “otherness”. In our society, happy, enjoyable, fun, and carefree marriages are considered? Curt and I will be married for 20 years this October 21st, and I admit we have had our share of ups and downs, struggles and joys, happy and sad times, but with a lot of work, it has survived and going strong… Pat Kaehler.
Monday, September 28, 2009
"Surrogates" or "Steel"?
This picture was used to depict an image for the new movie coming out called “Surrogates” with Bruce Willis in it, about a Technology has advanced enough so that nearly everyone has a surrogate - or "surry" for short. While reclining at home and plugged into a machine, people control a robotic version of themselves that safely maneuvers through the world in all of its slings and arrows.But, as I take a look at this picture, to me it gives the impression that we are no longer frail or weak, or need emotion. That we are interchangeable? That we can replace what we don’t like?
We were made in the likeness of God, with heart, mind, and soul. We can and should continue to care for one another, care for our bodies, and work towards change, not replace it with metal…
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Does the world evolve around money?
The world revolves around money? Ideology or truth?
So many of us have grown up thinking that we must keep up with the Jones, and outdo the generation before us, and keep working harder to make more money. But is that really truth or ideology of our ideas of money and the uses we have, the dependency of cold hard cash.
We need to get back to the basics of bartering, exchanging, working together, helping one another, blessing those that are around us. If we did more of these types of exchanges, we could work less, give more, and enjoy the life God has given us to be part of this society to bless others and receive blessings in return.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Strong versus weak news stories..
I chose two different types of stories, the first on Mr. Brad Pitts expensive tastes and how he chooses to spend his money, whether that be on gerbils his his choice and whether he uses wisdom or foolishness is his business, but the news reports think its a hot story to print.
On the other hand, my second story is about charter schools, since 2001, a half-dozen charter schools have found a way to double dip into state tax credit programs and get funding not only from their public status and earn up to $7332 per child already, but have managed to run the second half of their day for kindergarden as a private school thus receiving tax-credit donations for their schools besides the public funding they are receiving.
Please read for your self the injustice and un-ethical stance some schools have taken to display injustice and foul play @ AZ republic.com.
Pat Kaehler.
JRN131 Ms. Way
On the other hand, my second story is about charter schools, since 2001, a half-dozen charter schools have found a way to double dip into state tax credit programs and get funding not only from their public status and earn up to $7332 per child already, but have managed to run the second half of their day for kindergarden as a private school thus receiving tax-credit donations for their schools besides the public funding they are receiving.
Please read for your self the injustice and un-ethical stance some schools have taken to display injustice and foul play @ AZ republic.com.
Pat Kaehler.
JRN131 Ms. Way
Monday, August 31, 2009
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