A Friend of A Friend...

lately I've been doing some thinking and I came to the realization that I need to accept that not everyone gets along. This has nothing to do with recent events in my life...The thought just somehow came to my mind while I was reading for my midterms.

Friend's of friends don't always click or get along as they would perhaps with other people. I think that I like to perceive harmony within all my friends or acquaintances. However, as much I want there to be a harmony, congruence or that perfect 'click' within everyone I know, I have to understand that that won't always be the case.

Anyway back to the books! :|

Red Eye Fox News Ignorance.

I don't know if I should just watch this video (below) and laugh at the ignorance of the hosts or be upset by their utter stupidity. There is a group I've seen on Facebook demanding an apology from Fox News and Red Eye. I decided to join this group, but in reality I don't think an apology is enough.

The host Greg Gutfeld apologized for his comments saying they were merely misunderstood. He says: “I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humorous and ridiculous manner.”

For more on the apology of Greg Gutfeld click here.

However, after watching the video, I don't see what humorous "other" meaning can be derived from what he, along with the other commentators are saying? The things they are saying are not well researched information that may seem to be the truth to the viewers. Consequently this perpetuates false perceptions, stereotypes and ideologies about Canada.

As I mentioned already, an apology is not enough. I want Mr. Gutfeld to go back on his show with his hosts and revise and correct all the wrong and misleading information they have shared to their viewers. Unfortunately that is clearly not going to happen...

IV

So I can't say it feels just like yesterday, because it doesn't. Moreover it doesn't feel like it's ancient history. It doesn't seem like it's been a long time since. But I think that it may be myself who's keeping it this way. Perhaps I'm trying hard to not make what happened a distant past. The longer it's been the more disconnected I am with him.

I'm okay right now though. I was going through the newspaper and reading about the funeral of actress Natasha Richardson made me feel a little heavy inside. But I made it pass. This is not the place, nor the time. Although I do believe I won't be so bad this year. I've already had my little moment this weekend.

Anyway I REALLY need to go study. I realized this weekend that I have 3 consecutive midterms starting next Monday! ...And another 2 midterms the following week..:|

I'm going to die..

Summertime

I saw/heard this on youtube a while back and just wanted to share this with the few people who read this blog. The song is called Summertime by Gabe Bondoc.

I really like this song. It's cute...and most importantly it reminds me of the summer and how I really can't wait for it to come!

The List

I have been putting it off for a while now, but it has been started. My list of things I wish to accomplish before I die. It's actually quite amusing to write to be honest.

Anyway, one of the items of the list should be to never be sick again. if only that really could be possible. I'm stuck at home, instead of out (as planned...I was going to be out possibly in a state of euphoria on a dance floor..). What's worst is that I'm too sick to read/study and too congested to sleep.

Liberal Media Does Not Exist.

This might not make any sense at all...I just wanted to share what I learned in class today..

In my Film, Television and Society class the professor brought up a book called "The Myth of The Liberal Media" by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky.This book challenges the media and the news we find in the society. Although I have known for a long time now that the media and even some of the News Broadcastings are biased, the facts that Herman and Chomsky were raising were still a little startling to me. They show us that this idea of "liberal media" is not true at all.

In all honesty, I was really tired in class today. In consequence, I wasn't fully listening. But from what I understood, my professor was explaining how Chomsky and Herman explain that there are five filters that information goes through before reaching the media. This might not be completely accurate, again I was really tired...

1. Ownership: Many owners of the huge media and news broadcasting companies are very conservative. Some things will not be aired because it goes against their conservative views.

2. Advertizing: Since many broadcast companies rely on ads to pay for their costs, the focus of the ads are made to always show the good of the product.

3. Sourcing: Major networks rely on "think tanks" (experts, academics, etc.) for more information. For example you see many journalists at the White House, at the Pentagon, and much more. However, the "think tanks" that are picked are usually ones that also have a conservative point of view.

4. Flak: If ever someone, like a journalist would challenge the the goverment, they would be disciplined. An example is Daniel Pipes. He had great experience in the Pentagon and wrote an article on how the Pentagon was wasting a lot of money a couple of years ago. He lost his job, even though he was right.

5. Anticommunism - or Free-Market Ideology: The media and the news show us that the free market is the only way to solve the ills of the community. You have many journalists who go to other countries to film the life of the citizens. But the way the scenes are presented and through the narration, the audience will be lead to only see the Network's point of view.

We finished the class today by watching the film of the book. It really does make you think about how you have to be very critical on what you see and what you hear from the media. Question every angle.

As Chomsky and Herman explain the news media is subordinated to corporate and conservative interests. They further explain how their function can only be seen as that of an "elite propaganda".

Liberal Media does not exist.

People Grow, People Change

Last week finally marked the beginning of the Winter term for the students of York. It honestly seemed like the Fall term was never ending due to the ridiculously long Cupe 3903 strike of 2008-2009. Since exams had just come to an end, I took last week as a good time to catch up with some friends. I have been telling them that lately I had felt like I had no friends, since I hadn't had a chance to go out due to the heavily compressed schedule of the remaining of Fall term and exams. Many of my friends agreed, and what I found interesting is that each friend had their own individual reason.

One of them in particular, explained to me how she had been having conflicts with her now former best friend. That resulted in a cascade of other issues with the rest of her "clique". But she continued to discuss how this situation she was in has led her to realize how she had changed and grown up, whereas her friends hadn't. Their full-time interests had become her part-time interests. What I mean is, what they loved to do all the time was something she realized she could only afford to do once in a while. She had work and school to take care of as well. It wasn't all only about parties and hookups with guys anymore. Most importantly she was tired of conversations being saturated only with gossip and implicit competitions of who's personal stories were more interesting.

This made me think and it seems mainly that people grow and people change emotionally, intellectually,in what they like, in what they want over time. Sometimes your pace is not the same as others and it may have an impact on the relationships you have with your friends, family and lovers or may not. If I look at myself, there are friends from High School that I don't really speak with anymore. What happened? I'm not too sure myself. New experiences change us, new situations bring another "us" out. We change in time. Some of us still cling to the past, keeping relationships as strong as ever. Whereas some don't or can't.