I began to see, through the conversation, how each show had helped to shape each of us. Every cartoon that we became addicted to as a kid added to our character, our personality. In honor of these wonderful additions to my generation’s upbringing, I would like to feature clips of some of the favorites. This isn’t really an article so much as an homage to the days of yester-year. Ah, to be young again!

Amongst the guys, the favorites were:

He-Man seemed the most popular. I found their YouTube page, which features a few full episodes.

He-Man

G.I. Joe

Transformers

Thundercats

Chip’N'Dale Rescue Rangers

A few of the odd ones from the boys were my friend, Matt, (who requested JabberJaw, “I mean come on, who can’t love a talking shark that quotes Rodney Dangerfield…lol”)

Jabberjaw

and my own brother (that I can blame for this one).

Captain Planet

Though, I had forgotten this one existed, my partner brought it up and numerous others concurred.

Heathcliff

From the ladies, we liked….

The Smurfs

She-Ra

Rainbow Brite

Strawberry Shortcake

Guys and Girls seemed to agree on a few cartoons.

DuckTales

X- Men

Spiderman

Ghostbusters

Schoolhouse Rock

Gwen had her favorites too…

Care Bears

Voltron

My Little Pony

Then there is me and the cartoons that I love(d).

Beatlejuice

Gummie Bears

David the Gnome

Batman

A few people suggested shows that weren’t necessarily cartoons but remain beloved favorites of kid-dom.

Alf was both animated and live action.

Alf

And finally, the creme-de-la-creme for us all…..

Fragglerock

Maybe watching these videos will make you, like me, feel old. However, sometimes, we just need to relive the good “old” days!

Anime is a style of animation originating in Japan, most commonly found in Manga (pronouned Mon-guh), or Graphic Novels. The characters have small limbs, large eyes, and engorged heads. The popularity of this has spread from comic strips to books and then to television and movies. It has become a worldwide phenomenon. Since the 1970s, Anime has spread from Japan to the rest of Asia and now it has been welcomed with open arms by the Western world. Most people become aware of Anime when the robots known as Mecha started showing up. The popularity of Mecha and other super robots has grown and interest in other forms of Anime blossomed out of it.

There are those that refer to Anime as Japanimation or JapAnime. For those that watch the more adult and sexually explicit forms, known as Hentai, the nicknames have become Japanaporn or Japornimation. In the US, Anime books like Manga are devoured by teenagers and adults alike. The first mainstream Anime television was geared towards children in America and I’m sure you’ll recognize the name: Pokémon. Other shows did precede Pokémon but none matched it for success. Now it is almost impossible to turn on Disney, Syfy, or Cartoon Network without watching an Anime programs. These are mainly for kids but Adult Swim has several versions for adults as well.  Some networks have even been created that are strictly for Anime, like the Anime Network and FUNimation.

For those that are dedicated to this particular type of art, Anime is the term used to refer to work created outside of Japan. Manga is the term for the Japanese Anime exports. The fans even have their own terms as well. Otaku refers to those who are into Anime and Manga; it literally translates from Japanese as “the obsessive ones”.  Though in Japan this is a negative reference, Anime fans in America have embraced it with vigor.

Anime has spread much of the Japanese culture. It has exposed the masses to Shinto; the spiritual practices and rituals of the Japanese people. It uses the animation to show traditions that are almost unheard outside of the country.

Many of the Otaku use conventions and the internet to connect to each other. There are clubs and gatherings that focus on cosplay or costume play. Otaku take great pains to re-enact their favorite scenes while they pretend to be a specific character. Some of these costumes are based on Anime or Manga but others come from American cultural cartoons or comics. A few of the most dedicated Japanese fans even venture into dressing up as Tokusatsu or the live action Japanese movies and television shows that feature superheroes and special effects (think the original Godzilla movies).  Those who participate in cosplay are a subculture of the Otaku. It is not uncommon for men and women to switch genders in their costumes as well, with women dressing as men and vice versa, called crossplay.  Those who focus strictly on Manga sometimes use the Japanese word Reiya (pronounced layer). Being Reiya is like being a member of the Otaku elite.

Inside of the crossplay, there are the animegao. This is a niche of cosplay dedicated to men who dress up as the female characters in Manga. They wear large head pieces or masks with body suits that completely hide their natural appearance. Some women will venture into animegao but they usually choose to be robots or animal characters.

The animal characters that some fans choose to dress up as are often called furries. These are normally some Anime based superhero but some cosplay involves the creation of custom characters by the fans. Most people outside of the cosplay world think of the furries in a sexual aspect but that is another subset, not the mainstream purpose. Those who do participate in the more graphic aspects do so while in their costumes, sometimes online or in person. There are organizations that are strictly for furries and that have nothing to do with Anime though.

Another of the sexual aspects of Anime is the Lolita. These started as a Japanese fad with women dressing in Victorian fashions, as children or in school uniforms to entice men. Gwen Stefani made the trend famous with her showcasing of the well known Harajuku girls in her music videos and fashion line. That fad has spread into the Anime world and there is now Manga Lolitas as well. These suggestive costumes in the comics and cartoons have translated into cosplay as well. Some of the Lolita are featured in the more pornographic Anime or Hentai. Those who dress as a Lolita will often participate in costumed sex play, role playing, and fetishism. The wearing of the schoolgirl outfits in this is referred to as seifuku cosplay. In Japan there are hotels and clubs (known as image clubs) that specialize in these activities with costume rentals or staff who dress up in cosplay.

When looking at the Hentai subset of Manga, we must consider the actual meaning of the word: strange play. Much of this pornographic material (only available to those of age) is completely different than what Americans have become used to as porn. It involves many same sex or Lolita scenarios. There is a common thread of bestiality as well. The Yaoi (same sex) paintings, comics, and cartoons are referring to male and the Yuri to female but both are aimed at a female audience. Most of the characters are portrayed as androgynous men and women who are well endowed. Much of the Hentai is geared for a specific fetish of the viewer.

Many of the Otaku use their internet connections to each other to create their own avatars or cartoon representations that they design of themselves as well. These may or may not be similar to the Otaku’s actual appearance.

The magazine Cosmode is a fan based Anime and Manga magazine that spreads the newest and most popular fads throughout the world. There is both a Japanese and English version of the publication.

The Toho or Touhou genre of Manga is made by the Toho Company Ltd, a Japanese film, production, distribution, and theatre company. The fans that are dedicated to the works of this particular company are referred to as Toho instead of Otaku because it is a much more specific genre inside of the Manga. The Toho Company is most famous for producing the kaiji (monster) and takusatsu (special effects) movies.

When it comes to the Anime conventions, these are multi-day events that allow the Anime and Manga fans to peruse the scene. The Otaku and Toho participate in cosplay and there are representations of other famous cartoon or comic works as well. These conventions or cons are an opportunity for people to dress up in their favorite costumes, regardless of the genre, and gather with those who share their interests. There are panels or discussions that entertain and inform fans. Most of the cons are interactive with special screenings, workshops, and contests. Vendors come in force to parlay memorabilia. Social activities are also planned by organizers for the con attendees. Comiket is the largest Anime convention in the world, taking place annually in Tokyo with hundreds of thousands of Otaku. Inside the United States, there is the New York Anime Festival and Anime Expo in Los Angeles are the largest cons with the Naka-Kon in Kansas City growing in popularity with each year.

Anime is a very specific world and to the un-inoculated, it can be overwhelming. I hope that after reading this, your knowledge will have grown and you might even be willing to give this unique art form a chance. Who knows, you might like it!

This video aired on Lynchburg news last night.

2/16/09 UPDATE: I just found this news article on the Sweet Briar College website. No new information. Campus Community Prays for Colleague’s Safe Return.

*****

I’ve read on fellow SBC alumnae Washington Bella’s site that reports are going around the college campus that Eleanor Salotto may have committed suicide. I will try to find a source with more information throughout the day.

If this is true, please keep Eleanor and her family in your thoughts.

Like I mentioned before, Eleanor Salotto is one of the best professors I ever had, and she is someone who changed the way I analyze film and literature. Words cannot express how much I respect and love Eleanor (which is hilarious considering she taught English). Eleanor Salotto is an amazing woman and I hope any students who had the pleasure to learn from her keep her in their thoughts.

Eleanor Salotto was one of my Film Studies professors at Sweet Briar College who taught me to love film passionately, and I often ask myself: “what would Eleanor say here?”

If you have any information regarding Eleanor Salotto’s whereabouts, please contact the Lynchburg Emergency Communications Center at (434) 847-1602 or the Lynchburg Police Department at (434) 455-6041.

Eleanor Salotto’s Missing Person’s Report

With the start of a new decade, I have found myself looking back at the past ten years. I began the year 2000 with nothing but bright horizons and no idea of what was in store for me. I didn’t realize that my whole world would change because of two little words: I do.

Making the decision to get married for me was not easy. I know you are probably asking yourself, “What’s the big deal? Lots of people get married!” You see, the biggest obstacle for me was that by putting that ring on my left hand, I wasn’t just becoming a wife; I was becoming an Air Force wife. I was entering unchartered territory into more than a marriage but an entire new lifestyle.

Two weeks after my wedding, I said goodbye. The Adonis that had stolen my heart boarded that airplane grinning, nervous, and cracking jokes. When I saw him again, all those months later, I was stunned at the change. He’d added muscle to an already athletic frame but he was so thin that even his mother had trouble recognizing him. His demeanor was entirely different as well. He’d become serious and cynical. His eyes seemed to observe everything around us before he reacted. When he talked about his training, it included hand to hand combat, grenades, rifles, pistols, driving techniques, pressure points, joint manipulation, apprehension and restraint maneuvers, convoy procedures, and lessons in emergency medical care. It is a bitter pill to swallow to realize that the government has turned the person you love into a combat ready, trained weapon.

That shock was only the first of many because the Air Force decided that our first base was going to be two thousand miles from home. So at eighteen, I packed up and left my friends and family behind. My days became a blur of his training and learning to live on my own in a world that has its own language and uses acronyms for everything. There were times that he wasn’t able to come home for days on end and I had no idea what he’d been doing. He’d just call to say that he was on his way. He’d walk in the door, covered in gun powder, exhausted, and dressed in camouflage.

It had never occurred to me that our military is trained to use lethal force until I attended my first “spouses function”. I was in a room full of alpha males who were telling jokes about shooting each other with paint balls during their last exercise, which was apparently about breaching their way into a building and then clearing the rooms with each taking turns as the bad guys. My only memories had been my husband coming home covered in bruises and that he hadn’t eaten in fourteen hours. But when the presentations started and the troops in the room started chanting, “Two to the chest, one to the head”; I had to take a deep breath. My husband had been trained to kill.

The base we were stationed at was in the middle of a training exercise that to me meant long waits to get in the gate, showing identification everywhere, and being stuck inside buildings on base until the all clear was given. One morning, our phone rang and it was a neighbor. She was hysterical. Her husband was in the field that week. I heard a grumpy male voice tell her to calm down, that the heightened threat level would be lowered when the training was complete, and then his footsteps head downstairs as the doorbell rang. He turned on the television just in time to see video of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. My husband’s face froze. Before long, other friends and neighbors came over to watch with us because the majority of troops had already showed up for the duty day prior to the events. The moment it was reported that the Pentagon had received a hit; I heard his voice say “We’re at war.” He was calm, matter of fact, and completely resolved. He started to gather his gear up and when the phone call came for him to report in, he didn’t hesitate. Dressed in his pajamas, I remember him saying “Turn your heads, ladies.” That was right before he dropped trou to pull on his uniform and boots in the corner of our living room. He kissed me and was gone.

Later that day, he came home long enough to pack a rucksack. It was chemical warfare gear, gas mask, bullet proof vest, Kevlar helmet, and his web gear (a vest that holds lots of ammunition and is worn over their battle uniform). I drove him to a helicopter hangar across base and didn’t see or talk to him for a week. Huge concrete barriers blocked streets and entryways to buildings. Every sign and building display had been covered. There were troops walking down the street with M16s (think, BIG rifle seen in every war movie in the last fifty years) and others could be seen on the rooftops. All the gates to the base were closed; it was a strict, no one in and no one out. Even phone lines had been frozen. I was trapped on base, in my house, not able to go to work and I couldn’t even call to tell them I wouldn’t be there.

In the aftermath of September 11^th, my world changed. The security measures that had been annoying before became part of my every day routine. The biggest addition though was the constant worry and fear. I got used to my other half being gone six months out of every year, being on call constantly, working twelve hour days, spending hours at the gym to keep his fitness levels up, with no way to depend on him for anything. We had to plan our vacations six months ahead of time and then cancel at the last minute, more than once. He missed three Christmas holidays in a row, both our children’s first birthdays and many thereafter, our wedding anniversaries, and milestones like first steps, first words, and the first day of school; with me left behind to carry on. His phone would ring in the middle of the night and he’d leave for days on end. I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Explaining his job and responsibilities to our children and those unconnected to the military became an arduous task. Trying to tell an employer that I had no family close by to help out or a husband to lean on when my kids got sick has meant a very patchy resume. Discussing financial matters was like beating my head against a wall because I could only present a power of attorney and had to make every money decision without knowing if he would approve or not. There was one instance that I was attempting to buy a car and the salesman kept asking me to call my husband at work, I tried outlining that he was unreachable until he contacted me due to operational security but to no avail.

Now that our country has been actively fighting the war on terror for more than eight years, I find myself realizing how far forgotten the military community has become to the American public. Everyone knows of someone who is serving in uniform but not many know anyone personally. While politicians and the media argue each other to determine who is right and who has the best idea, my family has to continue on. And prepare for the eventualities.

My husband recorded videos of himself reading children’s books so that our kids can get their bedtime stories. He wrote them letters too, to make sure that they know just how much he loves them. We’ve had to explain in very simple terms why the sacrifices our family makes are worth it. Our daughter says it best, “My daddy protects the United States flag.” The kids learned at an early age to put on a brave face when the phone rang from a government number. Very few people write a will when they are in their early twenties but we had to, just in case. I’ve had to realize that this man I adore may not come home and that has meant contemplating every possible future for myself and my little ones.

Among military spouses, we all live with what is called “the blue car nightmare”. It is a dream in which we see a blue car with government plates pull up in front of our home. We watch a pair in uniforms approach the front door solemnly and then brace themselves to ring the bell. We stand there, on the other side of that barrier, knowing that turning the handle will open a wound from which there is no recovery. This nightmare is made worse because there are so many men and women who are married to airmen, soldiers, sailors, and marines for whom this scenario became a reality. Their presence is a constant reminder of the ‘what if’s.

Please watch video all the way through to the end.

So while my friends from back home worried about if they could get the time off to go to a concert that weekend or if they forgot to contribute to the beer fund, I was unable to relate. Sure, they’d all bought the “Support The Troops” magnets for their cars but I’ve never met a single military member who actually received that support. Newsflash, those little yellow ribbons were a scam, a business profiting off of Americans who were willing to part with a mere five dollars, once, to alleviate their conscience and fulfill their civic responsibility.

When the presidential elections of 2004 and 2008 were underway, I was often asked by civilians who I supported. I wasn’t able to answer that question. Because regardless of the person who becomes the Commander In Chief, my life will stay much the same; my husband will still have to head overseas to carry out his missions, he’ll still be overworked and under-appreciated. He’ll still get up long before the sun comes up to do his duty, he’ll still shake his head when someone tells him that he could have chosen a different path. And after watching spoiled college kids put on demonstrations protesting the war, berating our men and women who are fighting, and then burning the flag, he is still willing to die to defend their right to do so.

I know that the last few years have been hard on this nation; people are suffering. Jobs are being lost left and right and for many, there is no light at the end of the tunnel with bills piling up and no means to pay them. Families are losing their homes and putting food on the table has become a struggle. Doctor visits and higher education are beyond the reach of a growing number of Americans. With the economy in dire straits, I’ve been told that I should be grateful (and I am). I know for certain that on the first and fifteenth of every month, a paycheck is going to be deposited in my husband’s bank account. He is going to get an allowance to help with groceries and for our house. We will never have to pay for a doctor bill or trip to the dentist. Every member of our family has a life insurance policy and can continue learning for as long as they would like due to the educational benefits, scholarships, and grants available. I am very aware that I have a comfortable life and have been cushioned against the worst of the financial woes. But that security has a very steep price, my husband leaving us behind to complete the terms of his service to the best of his ability, regardless of the inconvenience and heartache it causes to our family. At some point the economy will recover and lives will get back on track but this military world is constant.

I have an incredible sense of pride in my husband. He grew up with few options and used the Air Force to pull himself (and me) out of poverty to a better life. He has used the opportunities available to him to better his career and we are provided for. He makes the choice to put on that uniform every day and go to work, unsure of what the day will bring or cost him. He faces the risks with confidence and caution. He is uncomplaining when it comes to what the military requires of him. He makes sacrifices willingly because he knows that, in part through him, our nation is secure. There are times that I wish he had a normal Monday through Friday job but I realize that he is so custom built for this path, he might have been issued dog tags at birth. This life isn’t easy and it should never be entered into without extreme consideration. It takes a special kind of person to serve their country, to be patriotic enough to risk their safety, to have the will to pull those combat boots on every single day, and to do whatever it takes to protect their comrades. My husband once told me that in order to celebrate Halloween via a webcam meant having to stay awake after a full day’s mission to make up for the eight hour time difference and then wait in line to access a computer that he was only allowed to be on for fifteen minutes, just to watch our little girl grin and say, “I dressed up in a poodle skirt, Daddy!” But to him, that made it all worth it.

I have always considered myself among the fortunate few when it comes to religion. I was raised an Episcopalian, a faith that is jokingly referred to as “Catholic Light”. Being a member of a church that held ceremony and tradition in such high esteem, while maintaining a foothold in the modern world, was nice. My faith never told me that any other religion had it wrong. I was never told that being female left certain areas off limits (actually, my first communion or Eucharist was instructed by one, Mother Vicki). Being gay was never condemned or even discussed. Church, for me, was about my personal path to God and not about judging the lives or choices of others. It has continued to be a place of comfort and inspiration in my life, even when I’m not in regular attendance. It has also made me grateful for my religion choosing to only involve itself in my spiritual life and leave the social decisions up to me.

Perhaps because of the background of my own religion, I have always been suspicious of Catholicism. To me, it seems wrong to tell people that they can’t talk directly to God but must use intermediaries, be it priest or saint. I’ve never liked the idea of confessing my sins to a person instead of during prayer. The biggest part of why I don’t appreciate the Roman church is its tendencies to act holier-than-thou in the face of blatant evidence to the contrary. The Vatican tends to ignore what is reasonable and realistic for its members and tries to use guilt and shame to get its way.

While never a fan of the office of the Pope, I had a respect for John Paul II. His successor, on the other hand, filled me with a sense of trepidation that continues to this day. We are talking about a man who was a member of the Hitler Youth. Yes, I know that he has stated that it was against his will and such but I have a hard time believing that when he had an Italian (um, hello, Mussolini) mother and a German father who was active in local Nazi politics. Pope Benedict XVI’s representatives even tried to publicly deny these facts following his election to the Papal Seat but those denials had to be retracted due to public proof. Let’s face it; the Nazi party was not just a social culture but a popularity one, much like being a Democrat has become today. Being a member was hip and brokered acceptance, it was a status symbol to belong and participate in the Nazi agenda. But it was impossible to ignore the intolerance, hate, and violence. Knowing that this man joined in during his teenage years, I find it sickening. Benedict may publicly state that he opposed the regime but how has he proved that? Oh yeah, by admonishing those who criticize the church for their indifference during World War II and attempting to fast track the beatification (the process of making someone a Saint) for Pope Pius XII. Pius is most famous for his silence on the atrocities that occurred in Italy under Mussolini and then Germany under Hitler. He refused pleas for help from non-Catholics. He wanted the church to maintain a position of neutrality because he had signed a Concordiat (aka treaty) with a diplomat in 1933 which stated that the church would stay out of political matters in Germany. Is it no surprise that Benedict would want to make this man a saint? Mister Hitler Youth wants to beatify the only man in the world whose voice would have stretched across every nation in every language to condemn the Holocaust but who chose not to speak up because he didn’t want to rock the boat. This is where I’m going to take a deep breath and move on.

In 1940, the Vatican came out against the use of contraceptives and this Pope maintains that stance. He opposes the distribution of condoms to combat HIV/AIDS or other STD’s and has stated that it will actually inflame the problem. He believes that celibacy is the cure in every situation. This means that a Catholic man (or any man for that matter) who is infected is not allowed to use protection while having sex with his wife. Hand in hand with this is his continued support for the 1968 decree of the Church against the use of birth control for women, regardless of the health risks, nature of insemination, or financial ability to raise a child. This is meant to encourage sexual unions that will bring about life, but in all reality the decree brings about death. He refers to homosexuality as an “intrinsic moral evil”, clearly ignoring that a large portion of priests have been found to prefer sex with the same gender, as evidenced by the sexual abuse scandals around the world. On this note, Benedict, acting in his position as Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (once called the Holy Office or Director of the Inquisition) prior to being elected Pontiff worked diligently to assemble files on priests who had been accused of taking advantage of those who sat in the pews of their churches. These files were not turned over to the police but were for internal use only, though no one knows to what purpose other than to protect the guilty and save face for the Church.  I am unsure how to respond to a man who encourages secret proceedings regarding the pedophiliac society that has become rampant amongst the clerics. While he inherited the problem, he has, obviously, been a church leader for the last forty years with considerable influence and yet chose not to punish those offenders. Enabling further offenses by approving the shuffling around of the guilty parties to new churches after allegations arose and preventing law enforcement authorities from access to records of prior crimes. At one point, he even issued an edict saying that those children who spoke out against the church as victims should be considered for excommunication.

Benedict has other faults. In 1997, while still a Cardinal, Benedict stated that over the next century Buddhism would be the main “enemy” of the Catholic Church. He opposes all genetic research that could save lives and I don’t just mean stem cells. He has openly stated that a person either agrees with science or theology but cannot support both. He refuses to allow women into seminary to train for priesthood or other positions of power within the church. He has said that no person should elect a public official who was agreeable in every way if they supported abortion and he went so far as to say these politicians should even be prevented from receiving Holy Communion. He has said the following about children’s fantasy books: “these are subtle seductions which act imperceptibly and thereby deeply, and dissolve Christianity in the soul before it can grow properly.” Benedict has even gone so far as to this day support the trial and subsequent imprisonment of Galileo during the Inquisition for heresy when his scientific views contradicted Church doctrine.

He continues to refuse to recognize other religions’ leaders as his spiritual equals. Benedict has already started trying to recruit Anglican priests into the Catholic faith by “forgiving” them for their marriages and children. Since divorce is forbidden in the church, he can’t insist that these men cast off their families but he has encouraged that they take the vows of celibacy that all other newly ordained Catholic priests must swear to. Despite the fact that the average age of the clergy is sixty, Benedict is not leading the church into the 21^st century but is instead sticking to the archaic rules of old. One of the major points of ancient law is the limiting freedoms. First is speech because the Vatican doesn’t tolerate even the most minor of disagreements with their views, most notably within Italian borders. Second is the Pope’s encouragement of universities limiting material that is available to students; in particular that which is deemed blasphemous or offensive by the church.

I suppose that I find the largest crime of Pope Benedict XVI to be that he has no desire to make his faith relatable in the modern world. He continues to take steps backwards due to his desire to take Catholicism towards a more traditional standpoint, circa the 1700’s by all appearances. The Vatican and the Pope have one of the loudest and most influential voices in the world. When that is used to combat social issues in remote regions on the basis of religious dogma instead of personal well being, I cringe. Having Catholic priests in Uganda support a bill against gay and lesbian rights that promotes “corrective rape” (the idea is that a man rapes a lesbian and she will no longer be gay) and even has a death penalty clause for those living with HIV; it is enraging. I wish this were an isolated incident but, in truth, it isn’t. Other countries have similar laws on their books and the church continues their bigotry, I mean support.

Religion isn’t just supposed to be a dogma to tell people what they can and cannot do. It is supposed to act as a moral compass for each person. It is to provide strength, wisdom, and encouragement for the believers. Catholicism is the largest of the world’s churches. It has amassed wealth and influence more than any government in history. With the right leader, the Vatican could act as a shepherd to modernize their flock and guide them. Instead the leadership elected a Pontiff that doesn’t care about being reasonably responsible. He doesn’t care about the social pressures or even mortality risks that his edicts have. Benedict XVI has proven that he doesn’t care about the consequences of Catholic policies. In this man’s world there is only black and white, no grey, when it comes to his version of right and wrong. After all, who cares if millions will be abused or even die? The most important thing is that congregants continue to tithe and the Pope stands his ground because God forbid, such a man be considered fallible or hell, just blatantly wrong about so many things.

Cable companies make their money off of bundling channels together. The basic ones are those watched most often. The extended packages are for the remaining channels and then premium for the specialties. If you are a sports fan, you can buy the sports package or subscribe to watch particular events. There are extra fees for each DVR you have or if you have digital cable. If you want movie channels, you have to start forking over even more dough.

Now that these businesses are offering internet and home phone services, the costs are going up too. If you choose to have all three, many companies will give you a discount. What they don’t tell you is that this is often only for a limited time.

When I recovered from the shock of my $240 per month bill, I realized that I needed another solution. I can stream most television live if I connect it to my laptop but that means that in order to watch anything, it would have to be connected at all times, not convenient.

On my quest for cheaper entertainment, I was complaining to anyone who would listen. And therein found an answer: Apple TV.

Apple has become the answer to many technology questions in recent years; it is no surprise that television would be one of them.

Apple TV is a box that you purchase once. It costs $229 and has a 160GB hard drive for up to 200 hours of video. What it does is use your wireless connection to access your iTunes store account. You use your own HDMI cable to hook it to any widescreen television and suddenly, you are done. Instead of paying a monthly rate, you pay to download what you want to watch. It can be movies, television shows, or music.

So for the price of less than one month of my cable bill, I can buy one Apple TV. After that, I only pay for the shows I want to watch and I can still hook up the computer to stream live for concerts, sporting events or whatnot. Since I already have iTunes on my computer, I can access what is stored there as well via my wifi network connection. It even allows me to rent movies. I have thirty days to watch them and a twenty four hour window to finish the show. This contrastswith On Demand or Pay per View movies that must be watched within one day, no exceptions. Even cooler, the iPhone and iPod Touch work as remotes (don’t fret; you do receive one with the unit).

Cable providers are going to have to start realizing the phenomenon that is Apple TV. Customers are tired of paying high prices for their favorite shows, movies and the content they never wanted in the first place. Enabling consumers to buy only that which they want to see is the wave of the future.

I am the person that consumes books whenever I come across something intriguing. So today, while in a quaint book store and drinking a glass of tea, I was surprised to run across a graphic novel that looked interesting. Even more so, I had never heard of it before.

The front cover is a picture of a swastika with a cat’s head in the middle looming over a pair of trembling mice. Maus is written and illustrated by Art Spiegelman and was published, originally, in 1980 in Raw magazine as a series. It is the story of Artie, a young man and cartoonist who has a strained relationship with his father. During visits to his dad, Vladek, he is able to communicate better than they have in years. The source of their conversations is history. Specifically, it is the history of their family.

Vladek tells his son of how he came to meet and then marry Anja, Artie’s mother. He describes their life together in the late 1930s in Poland. The major difference between this graphic novel and other comics is that it is based on the recollection of events of a real person. In the book, the Nazi’s are portrayed as cats, the Jews as mice, and the Poles as pigs. You see, the Spiegelmans are a Jewish family.

The author gives a vivid description of a son trying to come to terms with the atrocities his parents survived while learning more about his father, a man to whom he has had little interaction with before the storytelling episodes began. The story regularly flashes between the present day and Vladek’s memories. He tells of being betrayed by friends, family, acquaintances, and total strangers to the Germans.

It takes a lot for me to be moved to tears. I’m a pretty cold hearted person when it comes to emotional things and when considering that this is a comic book, the idea that tissues would be needed is surprising. However, during one particularly harrowing part, Vladek is describing how the Nazi soldiers treated the Jews in the condensed neighborhood they were forced to live in. He tells of how the soldiers slowly took people away, sometimes as individuals but just as often in large groups. When getting ready to deport them to Auschwitz, they would separate the men from the women and the adults from the children. For children too small to be of use…..

At the very moment I reached this part of the story, my toddler ran into the room and giggled, “Mommy!” I couldn’t control the flood gates. To realize the level to which these people must have sank to be able to hurt a child. Especially one so young; that they were unable to do anything to either offend or defend.

Within the pages of this book are the tales of love, fear, devotion, understanding, pain, and incredible loss. Though the drawings may be simple, the story weaved is compelling. Maus I: My Father Bleeds History now resides in my permanent collection and I’ll be picking up the rest of the series soon.

I feel like looking back at this time in human history is important. We need to remember that individuals, just like us, had to live through it. We do not need to put just one face to it but many. And sometimes, taking such complexities and simplifying them into a historical game of ‘cat and mouse’ has more of an impact than if it were a story told any other way.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” –George Santayana

That’s right, folks. Our governments have been led by those with the biggest bank accounts for so long that we’re standing at a precipice. Because the rich haven’t wanted to change their ways, they wanted to keep profits on the rise and costs on the fall. They ignored what their practices did to the world around us and so did we. The outcome of that has been a drastic and marked change in our environment. We used to refer to it as “global warming” but now we know better. It is Climate Change. Humans have impacted the world in such a way that our climates are changing everywhere. Some areas are facing rising temperatures, some increased precipitation, while others are seeing drought on a biblical scale.

The United States is a leader among nations but our flaws have wreaked havoc. We have been focused on having the biggest house, the newest car, or even the most expensive bottled water for so long that we didn’t think about how our lifestyle was hurting the environment. Even now, when it is impossible to ignore that pollution has caused our world to reach a crisis point, many people are unwilling to change their ways.

Why should we pay more for some products that we know come from “green” businesses when we can pay less at super stores who import the same item from overseas where it is mass produced by companies that line the pockets of corrupt politicians so that they can ignore responsible environmental restrictions and continue to dump their waste in the waterways, air, and land around them? After all, getting that item on the cheap was way more important, right?

As the water levels in our oceans continue to rise, we’re going to start seeing populations move inland. Cities are going to have to raise their buildings and reinforce their infrastructure if they want to literally “stay afloat”. Our weather systems are going to change and the behavior of those systems that has been expected for so long will cease to exist and what is left will become erratic. People are going to have to realize that if we don’t start massive and global reversals in our way of life, then Mother Nature will force her will upon us and that is most likely to include eradication of populations unable or unwilling to adapt.

We are already seeing problems manifest. The North Pole’s ice pack is predicted to breakup and/or melt within the next ten years. By the end of this century, the oceans will have risen an estimated three feet. The difference in these water levels are enough to completely submerge many of the world’s cities; London, Copenhagen, New Orleans, Shanghai are just a few who will be unable to cope. The rise in temperatures has already driven insect and animal populations farther from their native ecosystems than has ever been predicted. Birds that used to flock south for the winter, nesting in Mexico, now rarely migrate beyond Oklahoma.  

Earth is a planet and it will exist long after the human species has died out. But unlike any other animal, we have the opportunity to save ourselves and prevent further destruction. We can’t afford to do what is easy anymore; that habit has led us to where we are now, living in a world that that is slowly dying around us and also, because of us. It goes beyond just turning off the lights when we aren’t in a room. It means turning off and then unplugging those electrical items that aren’t in use. It means scaling back on the air conditioning and heating of our homes. It means using less gas and buying more fuel efficient vehicles. It means reducing what we spend and purchasing items that aren’t harmful to the environment in their manufacturing. It means recycling and sorting our trash. It means reusing whatever we can. It means living our daily lives conscious of the fact that our actions have consequences. We can longer say that it will be our grandchildren who will have to deal with the environmental problems. It is us, our generation that has to stand up and say we will make a difference.

Shirking the blame for the problem of Climate Change has been a trait passed down thru the decades but that precedent must be broken. We have to assume responsibility for the damage the human race has done and realize that we are in a race for our very survival and way of life. Continuing down the path of least resistance will not work; we must make the decision to change. One voice may not mean much but adding your own to those who are already speaking up will produce deafening results.

Resources:

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/qthinice.asp

http://wildlife-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/global_warming_and_its_impact_on_bird_migration

http://www.science.gc.ca/default.asp?Lang=En&n=75365FD3-1

 Picture Source: http://askehbl.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/25-ways-to-help-curb-climate-change/

I have found this latest obsession nauseating. It isn’t just the rich and famous who lose their identity when they enter a relationship. It happens to the rest of us too.

Everyone knows that when a single becomes a pair there are changes in the dynamic but that doesn’t mean that the person stops being who they were before; they’ve just become something else as well.

When I was a single gal, I was the “fun girl”. The girl with a circle of friends made up almost entirely of guys. I was their drinking buddy, their confidante, their advisor on all things female. I warned them when their girls were getting too big for their britches and when the psycho gene was started to surface. I’d help them figure out what to wear and laugh when they got all dolled up for a date but I was still able to appreciate the fart jokes. I was seriously good with the advice while being able to kick back with them for some major Capture The Flag antics.

After my partner and I started our relationship, it was amazing to see how fast “I” became “we”. I seemed to enter the realm of The “We” People without realizing it. Who I was got lost along the way and I had to fight to be seen as a person with my own ideals, not in my relationship, but to outsiders.

Watching the rest of the world strip the famous of their accomplishments due to the celebrity of their relationships made me see that we do it, not just to the acting elite, but to each other.

When my buddy starts dating a new girl, I suddenly have to invite her along whenever I want to hang out. Just like my friends have to designate that I’m the only one they want to spend time with by saying its “girl time”.  I think that everyone does this though. We immediately assume that because someone we know has entered into a relationship (or, god forbid, a marriage) then they are somehow off the market for good times. Perhaps it is time for us to see that our social selves do not die a sudden death when we decide to be with someone and neither does anyone else’s.

Now I admit to losing my temper when I see that a woman has stopped thinking for herself. There are too many housewives who let their husbands make all the decisions for them. They are the chicks that adopt the political, religious, moral, or ethical principles employed by their spouse instead of determining, for themselves, what they believe. I see men do it too. They give up control because it is easier to let someone else think for them. But, I ask this of you, my readers, please do not think that everyone is like this.

While some people may willingly give up their former ways when they join The “We” People, not everyone does. In fact, most people don’t. I know that I find that assumption infuriating. There have been times when people referred to me as “Ken’s Partner” instead of by my name and I was quick to correct them. I didn’t stop drinking beer or watching Longhorns football when my relationship started. I didn’t have to stop going dancing or give up reading comic books because I was with someone. My goals and options may have changed but who I was didn’t.

Maybe I’m one of the lucky ones. My partner doesn’t “let” me out of the house. That gives the impression that I am “allowed” to do things. Instead, I consult with him out of courtesy and respect. I inform him of when I have plans, I don’t ask permission. And that often includes a night on the town without him but he’s okay with that too.

So those of you who are single, stop ignoring your friends who are with someone. Extend the invitation, they aren’t off limits. They get enough time with their significant other that I’m sure they’ll relish the idea of going to a party alone. Don’t hate them for not being available as much and learn to like who they’ve chosen to date (if possible). Realize that being in a relationship doesn’t mean that your friend has disappeared; they are the same person. They have the same job and the same sense of humor. There’s just another person that comes along with all of that too.

And to those of you who are attached. Do not give up the right to think for yourself and make decisions about what is best for you. If a person truly loves you, they want you to have friends of your own. They will want you to enjoy time away to cut loose and go crazy. They’ll want you to maintain who you were before and not forget your identity. If the person you are with can’t relinquish a few hours of your time or encourage you to keep doing what has always been important to you, then they probably aren’t the person for you.

Just because you want to be with someone, doesn’t mean you always have to be with them. And just because your friend is with someone, doesn’t mean they can’t be the same friend they’ve always been.

Trust me, I speak from experience, as one of The “We” People.

Picture Source: recovery101.today.com/…/arguing-family/