September Update

Well, I've finished the first two classes of the digital photography program at UTA. I'm feeling pretty good about it. I'm also a little disappointed that I won't be able to take the next one until January due to work.

I bought my first external flash, an SB-600, which I'm super excited about! I learned a little bit about it in my most recent class and have been playing around with it on my own to try and get it down pat.

Even when I have uncooperative kiddos, work is fantastic! Part of it is, of course, because I enjoy taking great photos, but a lot of it is the girls I work with. They're all a lot of fun, and I'm loving learning the portrait aspect of my craft from them.

Update

Wow, I suck at updating lately. Probably because I've been super busy!

The new job is great - even when the kiddos I'm photographing are cranky. =) I'm getting a lot of great hands-on experience with taking, packaging and selling portraits. I can't wait to have my own studio...

The classes at UTA are going well too. I've been to two, but I missed my third one. In order to get my certificate, I can only miss that one class, so no more skipping out for me! We're supposed to go to the Botanic Gardens for our class field trip at the end of August, and I'm excited about that!

That's all I've got for today! =)

Photo Studio

I GOT THE JOB!!!

Interview

I had my interview with the photo studio yesterday at 4 p.m.

The manager seemed really nice and in addition to the regular interview schtick, we talked about photography in general. She seems to have the same mindset I do about it - she's just a few years ahead of me (I'll get there though!).

Hopefully, I'll know in a couple days whether they want to offer me the position, but I should know by Monday at the latest.

In other news, no new photos posted on flickr and I haven't put my NYC photos up on facebook yet either. =p

I have a tentative portrait session set up Wednesday morning when I get off of work, and I definitely have a session this coming Friday.

I will post the best of each!

NYC Cosmopolitan

NYC Cosmopolitan
Originally uploaded by drummergirl76108

This was one of my favorite photos of everything I took on the NYC trip.

Jada and I went on the Sex and the City tour on our last day, and one of the stops is at a bar from the show where everyone buys Cosmopolitans.

We got our Cosmos and were sipping on them and I just loved the way it looked in the orangey light coming from behind the bar. I took several shots of this one was the best.

I love sporadic photo shoots! =)

Job offer

I e-mailed the photo studio back yesterday. Haven't heard anything today, but since it's Sunday I'm cool with that. Hopefully, I'll know an interview time tomorrow!

Doh!

I completely slept through my class today!!

NYC & Photo News

No updates for the last week because I was in New York City having the best time!

I took lots of pictures, and if I ever get a chance to sit down and look at them I'll upload some of them to flickr and post the link here.

I mentioned last week that I was going to be a lighting assistant at a wedding for photographer Brandon Trull of Perry Aslyn. I got there and was not a lighting assistant. Instead, I got to shadow Brandon, observe what he did and take photos. It was awesome!

Tomorrow, I have a class at Fort Worth Camera to show me how to use my new D90. It kind of sucks though, because I'm working tonight until 6:30 a.m. and the class is 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Then, I get to go home, play with my puppy and sleep as long as I can before my shift.

I had a ton of e-mail since I hadn't checked it at all during my stay in NYC (because of computer issues). There were two in particular that relate to this blog and I'm excited to share about. The first was an e-mail from Ray at the DFW Strobist Meetup Group giving me the position of Assistant Newsletter Editor for the group. I'm very excited to have this opportunity to write for this growing group! The next e-mail was from a portrait studio that I've been trying to get a job at for months - they want me to call for an interview!!! =D

Update

Exciting stuff happening in the world of photography.

I have experience with film photography: film cameras, developing the film, developing the prints, etc. However, my digital photography skills are not up to par. I used a digital when I took photos for the newspaper and I used it a little bit after I took my film class, but usually it stayed on auto.

Well, Tuesday night I went to my first class at Wolf Camera. It was "Intro to Digital" and I probably already knew half of what our teacher (Rob) talked about. But what I didn't know was well worth sitting through the class. I now know what most of the buttons on the camera mean!

When I was leaving for work Wednesday, I found a package on my doorstep and another in my mailbox. The package on the doorstep contained Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography by Kirk Tuck, which is supposed to be the raw beginners guide to lighting. The package in the mailbox contained my ML-L3 remote, which will allow me to take pictures without pressing the shutter button on my camera.

I'm hoping the book will help me as I delve into strobism, and I know the remote will be helpful when I start my 365 project on flickr.

I posted a Bench Monday and a Pretty Pink Tuesday picture this week. I also made some edits to a picture in Photoshop based on suggestions made by flickrites in the Photography Critique group.

Saturday is my next big photography day! I'll be at that wedding as a lighting assistant!! =D

Bench Monday!

It's Monday, which means it's time for a Bench Monday photo!

Last week was my first attempt at a Bench Monday and it was thrown together last minute. I wasn't really happy with it (except that I got both of the puppies in it!). See the image here.

So all week I thought about what I wanted to do today and decided that I would pull the librarian bit. I dressed up in a pencil skirt and some funky shoes, stood on a stool and reached for a book. I took around 20 shots - killing my knees in the process of stepping up and down on the stool and kneeling to look at the viewfinder on my camera.

And it came out awesome! See the image here.

A little planning goes a long way. ;)

Photography

This blog is going to change its course a bit. I will still occasionally be blogging about my political views, but I'm more interested in turning this into a record of my journey into the world of digital photography.

I will be taking continuing education courses in photography at UTA starting June 30. I am also taking digital photography classes at Wolf Camera starting this Tuesday.

Just bought my first nice digital camera. It is a Nikon D90 and it's beautiful.

I've also purchased a pro account on flickr and have started posting my photos there. Click here to see them.

May 30, I will be assisting Brandon Trull of Perry Aslyn Photography at a wedding. I will be working as a lighting assistant, and am super excited for this learning opportunity.

And last but not least, I've joined an online meet up group of local strobist photographers. A strobist photograph is one where the photographer uses off-camera lighting, and I think they're awesome. For more info, go to this site.

The government is not my mother

The state Legislature is attempting to regulate how Texans live their private lives.

It is looking at smoking, sex and drinking.

More restrictions are being proposed for the first two and less for the third.

In the case of smoking, lawmakers are considering a statewide ban.

Their argument is that it is a public health issue and needs to be banned for the good of all Texans. They are also trying to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 19.

If they want to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco, then they’d better raise the minimum age to serve in the military also. The minimum age to enlist is 18 years old, and if you’re old enough to be sent off to fight for your country, then you’re old enough to buy cigarettes.

As for the argument that Texans need to have the government stick its nose in our personal lives and tell us not to smoke, I thought that was what my mother was for.

Now, onto sex.

The House has already approved a new tax on sexually oriented businesses that charge admission like strip clubs, adult movie theaters and adult video clubs. The tax would force these businesses to pay 10 percent on entry fee gross receipts, replacing the $5 per person “pole tax” approved in 2007. An Austin court has ruled the $5 charge violates a constitutionally protected right of expression.

How is this not like the pole tax the Legislature passed before?

This new tax could raise as much as $8 million a year in revenue for the state. It’s a way for the government to dissuade people from going to those establishments and make money off of those who still choose to do so.

The state can’t have it both ways. If it’s going to allow these businesses to run, then it needs to let them, not burden them with extra taxes that will inevitably hurt their industry.

In the case of alcohol, the Legislature is actually considering loosening restrictions. Lawmakers have proposed to lift the blue law ban that prohibits the sale of distilled liquor on Sundays.

Why is the government regulating all of this in the first place?

Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, believes it’s the responsibility of the state to regulate for the good of the public.

“Policy should be about encouraging good behavior,” Burnam said. “Regulation is an easy, shorthand way that behavior the general public disapproves of can be addressed.”

The last time I checked, my smoking, drinking and sex habits were my own personal business.

Citizens’ personal lives should not be privy to government regulation. Period.

Published in The Collegian May 6, 2009.

Administration rams ban through

The TCC Board of Trustees just voted yes to a ban on smoking on all campuses.

If the college wants to ban smoking, fine. It has the right to dictate policies on its own campuses. However, the way the policy passed was nefarious.

A five-day online poll was set up for students, faculty and staff to vote whether they supported the proposed smoking ban. There were no notices posted about the proposal or the online poll on any of the campuses.

Dr. Bill Lace, executive assistant to the chancellor, presented figures indicating 60 percent of TCC students and faculty voted yes to the smoking ban. After presenting that number, he clarified that the 60 percent was out of the number of students and faculty that responded to the poll, not 60 percent of the combined students and faculty.

The actual number of people who voted in the poll was 2,691. Out of that, 1,278 respondents were students. That’s only 3 percent of the student population.

Maybe more students would have participated in the decision process if they had been aware of the poll. Unfortunately for them, administrators felt that posting an announcement in CampusCruiser was sufficient notice.

At the board meeting, Lace admitted that Campus-Cruiser was perhaps not the best avenue to get the word out on the poll since many students don’t use it.

Without a direct message from the school, even students who do check their CampusCruiser accounts might not have known about the proposed smoking ban.

Faculty members were kept well-informed of the poll. They received notice to vote via their e-mail accounts. Why would faculty receive an e-mail notification but not students? Perhaps the administration felt more confident faculty would vote the way it wanted.

Also, administrators said the announcement was posted on CampusCruiser from Thursday to Monday, but that Saturday CampusCruiser was down because some of the servers were moved from NE Campus to the Trinity River Campus. This was a scheduled move discussed at the February board meeting with an e-mail notification sent to remind faculty.

Administrators had this information in front of them. They should have been aware that students would not have access to CampusCruiser and, therefore, have one less opportunity to see the announcement.

At the meeting, all the campus presidents supported the ban.

SE President Judith Carrier told the board her campus was practically smoke-free already with only one designated smoking section. She said students and faculty seldom use the designated area. However, after the meeting, a Star-Telegram reporter found students using the smoking area.

The smoking ban goes into effect May 27.

The ban itself is not the issue — the ham-handed way the administration rammed the ban through the Board of Trustees is the issue.

Bad communication, irresponsible information and overzealous administrators got the smoking ban passed, not the support of students.

Published in The Collegian on April 29, 2009.

Judge content, not the cover

Don’t judge a book by its cover is an adage more people need to take to heart.

Everyday people judge and dismiss other people they don’t think are worthy of their time or attention.

Sometimes we do it because some people aren’t as good-looking as others. Other times we judge people by what they wear. Even beautiful people are judged because of how they look.

Perhaps if we stopped presuming to know people based on appearances, we’d discover something really special.

That girl that walks around in the paint-spattered apron is actually the next Georgia O’Keeffe.

The guy with the hair halfway to his behind who’s always banging on the desk behind you is the next Ringo Starr.

What about that gorgeous blonde you always see at the mall? She’s not wasting her parent’s money like you assumed. She’s looking for inspiration to create her own clothing line.

We miss out on so much when we make assumptions about people and blow them off.

One of the things I love about being a journalist is learning people’s stories — what they do in their free time, why they chose their major and what they want out of life.

Some may argue that people are people. We’re all driven by the same basic wants and needs — food, shelter and clothing. But society has so many different kinds of people who come from an infinite number of backgrounds.

It’s exciting to compare other people’s decisions and their reasoning behind those decisions to your own.

Another reason not to make snap judgments about people is they might just be having a bad day. Everyone has them, but would you want to have your entire worth decided on the day you couldn’t get hot water, your hair dryer pooped out and you don’t have anything to wear because you forgot to move your laundry to the dryer? Didn’t think so.

Really, this particular adage and the golden rule go hand-in-hand. Just treat others as you want to be treated.Stop for a second and think about the hundreds of people you pass everyday. Those people have their own lives with dreams, disappointments and triumphs just like you. Aren’t you the least bit curious about what’s going on in their heads?

Take the first step.

Go out and talk to somebody you wouldn’t normally talk to.

Too big a step?

Quit avoiding eye contact with people in the hallway and smile at somebody you normally wouldn’t. It might just make their day.

Published in The Collegian April 29, 2009.

Tax Day Tea Party pics

Ok, so it's taken me a week and a half to get them up, but here are the photos from the Tax Day Tea Party at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, TX.

Degree doesn't equal success

Go to college, get a degree and get a job.

All of these actions are required to be successful in life. Or are they?

The traditional student path is not the only way to be successful. Jane Austen, Woody Allen, Richard Avedon and Jennifer Aniston are a few examples of people without a college degree who achieved success in their career paths.

Other options besides a formal education exist.

It’s no secret that a college education is not cheap, and some people are not willing to put themselves into what can sometimes be massive debt to pay for a diploma. After all, in the end it’s really just a piece of paper that says you’ve put in the work of studying and passing required classes to get it.

One popular alternative to college is the military.

For the commitment of their time, enlistees receive job training, room and board, meals and medical treatment. They also have the opportunity to move up in rank.

A roof over your head, food on the table and medical care when in poor health sound pretty successful.

Also, enlistees receive nonmaterial perks, such as the pride of serving your country and the honor of becoming a veteran.

If for some reason the military does not work out, those who have completed their commitment can utilize the GI Bill and the government will pay for the college education that was not affordable before enlistment.

Another option is to get a job.

The American dream says that anyone can achieve his or her dreams by working hard.

A friend once told me about a conversation she had with one of her photography professors. She wanted to become a fashion photographer and was going the college route to get there. Her professor told her that she just needed to get out there and shoot.

This is a viable option. Why not move to New York and study under one of the great fashion photographers? Ansel Adams dropped out of high school and today is considered a phenomenal photographer. His passion for and commitment to his work rather than a formal education enabled his success.

Another option is an apprenticeship. Do you love to build furniture or fiddle with wires? Learn a trade by apprenticing yourself to a furniture maker or an electrician.

College is not for everybody, but it’s not the end of the world. Your options don’t dry up because you don’t complete a formal education. Create your own self-worth.

Published in The Collegian April 22, 2009.

Media needs rights protection

A shield law, legislation to protect journalists from giving up their confidential sources and material, is making its way through the Texas State Legislature.

Texas is one of 14 states that do not have a shield law.

This legislation is critical to protecting journalists’ reputations for integrity and the confidentiality of their sources.

State district attorneys argue that shield laws harm their cases, but if whistle-blowers know their identities are not going to stay confidential, they will not come forward and the information they have might never see the light of day.

How would Woodward and Bernstein have broken the news on the Watergate scandal without Deep Throat?

One could argue that this argument does not apply since Mark Felt’s family eventually revealed him as the source years later. However, if Woodward and Bernstein had been forced to give him up at the time of the scandal, his reputation would have been dragged through the mud until any privileged knowledge he had was seen as the ravings of an attention-seeking lunatic.

Then where would we be? Nixon would have certainly been happier.

Without a law protecting journalists and their sources, it will be harder to uncover government and corporate abuses.The House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee approved House Bill 670, and the Senate Jurisprudence Committee approved Senate Bill 915.

The bill is scheduled to go to the Senate for floor action. If ratified, it will award qualified privilege to journalists on issues such as testifying in court, revealing confidential sources and handing over their notes to prosecution in court cases. Because the privilege is qualified, it can be overcome in certain cases. However, a judge will be required to determine whether information in the reporter’s possession and declared essential to criminal or civil trials could be obtained without the reporter.

Prosecutors also receive something out of the bill.

In instances where a journalist was an eyewitness to a crime or when someone’s life depends on confidential source information, journalists will be required to testify in court. It’s a win/win situation.

Currently, journalists and their employers can be subpoenaed for their notes and any information they didn’t use in an article or news report. Prosecutors will issue a subpoena and, unless the journalist wants to serve jail time for contempt or pay a monetary fine, he or she doesn’t have a choice but to hand the materials over to prosecutors. Not only that, the reporter is required to pick up the cost of making copies and delivering the material to the prosecution.

Under the shield law, journalists would have a basis to refuse the subpoena and hand over their notes. Journalists would be protected from them like they are protected from search warrants without probable cause.

Some might argue that journalists already have First Amendment protections, but state courts have not recognized any protection for journalists. Authors and bloggers, unless employed by print or broadcast news entities, are not covered in either of the bills.

Some might argue that the media should do whatever it can to assist in the investigation and trial process.

However, journalists need to stay independent of law enforcement and prosecution. It is their responsibility to report news in an unbiased fashion, and if the prosecution of alleged criminals is added to their responsibilities, they cannot remain unbiased.

The only way to stop the judiciary abuse of journalists’ rights is to enact a shield law.

Published in The Collegian April 8, 2009.

Evolution in schools debated

The great debate between the teaching of evolution and creationism in public schools was back before the State Board of Education last month.

On March 27, the board voted on proposed standards that would affect the science curriculum for the next decade.

The curriculum included two sections proposed by Chairman Don McLeroy, a self-proclaimed creationist, which recommended that students in high school biology classes study the “strengths and weaknesses” of the theory of evolution. After heated debate, both sections were narrowly shot down in an 8-7 vote.Thank goodness for that.

Should all arguments for and against a theory be examined?

Definitely, but the language in this proposal was written in such a way as to discredit the theory of evolution and validate creationism.

McLeroy and other social conservatives claim that the teaching of evolution is biased to support the validity of the theory.

But changing the vernacular of the curriculum to discredit the theory is just as biased.

The board did approve wording that requires the critical analysis of evolution by high school science classes.

Thus, when schools start looking at textbooks in a few years, many quality options will not be chosen because they won’t qualify under the phraseology used.

Social conservatives argue that evolution is not a sufficient explanation for the diversity of life on Earth and that intelligent design is a more logical theory.

Intelligent design is best defined by Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher.

He said that wherever complex design exists, there must have been a designer. Nature is complex; therefore, nature must have had an intelligent designer.

The evolution theory contends that animals and plants originated from other preexisting types and that distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations.

A valid argument can be made for and against both of these theories.

However, the personal agendas of both creationists and supporters of evolution should not be a part of the decision process in deciding what children should and should not be learning in school.

Sly wording does not need to be injected into the curriculum to give students the opportunity to scrutinize these arguments.

Published in The Collegian April 8, 2009.

Advocacy doesn't mean unity

The White House Council on Women and Girls, brought to life in March by an executive order, is unnecessary.

Linda D. Hallman is the executive director of the American Association of University Women, a group whose mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. The council was a high-priority recommendation from the AAUW to Obama.

Hallman commended the administration for the creation of the council and described it as a victory for her organization and the millions of women and girls who will now have a “pipeline directly into the White House.”

The praise for this initiative is foolish. Women and girls already have the opportunity to make their voices heard on issues that are important to them. Every American does. They can write to their representative and make their opinions known. Not only that, women hold a record number of seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives with 17 and 74, respectively. These female delegates do not lose their femininity once they are sworn into office, and male delegates would be unwise to ignore the voices of their female constituents as they outnumber males in the U.S. by several million.

Supporters for the council will argue that it provides an outlet for women to promote their views on political concerns such as abortion or equal pay. However, with so many advocacy groups already doing this, one more, even one in the White House, is superfluous.

How can the council advocate for all girls and women on political concerns when they have different opinions derived from a wide variety of experiences? It cannot claim the ability to represent the views of all women. Even women who have had similar life experiences can form different opinions. There is no way to speak for everyone.

This executive order is not a victory as Hallman believes. It is a throwback committee in a government full of committees. As a nation, we should be beyond the need for councils like this. All this does is imply that women and girls are segregated. It says they are a shoebox in a closet with floor-to-ceiling shoe racks.

It seems that everyone is classified these days, and it shouldn’t be that way. It is not about men or women, black or white, gay or straight. It’s about Americans.

Instead of installing councils that imply divisiveness in the country, perhaps President Obama should think about promoting unity.

*Published in The Collegian April 1, 2009

FYI

I won't have a new post until next week as I am enjoying my spring break this week!

“No taxation without representation.”

This well-known phrase epitomizes why English colonists broke away from England and created a new sovereign nation in the American Revolution.

Today, officials elected to office speak for citizens. However, as evidenced through a recent grassroots movement, a portion of Americans do not believe their interests receive representation.

Reminiscent of colonial America, around 30,000 citizens Feb. 27 participated in rallies across the nation based on the Boston Tea Party.

“No taxation without deliberation” adorned a sign held by a stimulus protester at a Tea Party protest in Cleveland.

A rant by CNBC journalist Rick Santelli on the floor of the stock exchange incited the grassroots movement.

The nearly trillion-dollar stimulus bill was hurried through Congress despite a promise the public could view the bill 48 hours before it went to a vote. Members of Congress didn’t even have two days to read through it.

The bill is more than 1,000 pages long, and its final language was posted online around 10 p.m., 10 hours before the scheduled vote. That’s not enough time for anyone to get through that behemoth and give serious consideration to what it entails and its consequences.

Timothy P. Carney, columnist for The Washington Examiner, totaled the cost of Obama’s domestic spending proposals including the stimulus, the second Wall Street bailout, the mortgage bailout and his proposed 2010 fiscal budget among others. Grand total? $7,371,000,000,000.

That’s a lot of zeroes.

And now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wants to give $900 million to Palestine to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

So the government uses our fear of a second depression to ram the stimulus and bailout after bailout through Congress, and then it wants to give our money away to rebuild an area that is still ravaged by rockets on a regular basis?

That is offensive.

Apparently, other Americans agree.

A second round of rallies protesting the government’s fiscal strategy is scheduled for April 15, the last day to file taxes.

If you’re interested in participating in the “Tax Day Tea Party,” go to www.taxdayteaparty.com.

*Published in The Collegian March 11, 2009.

Double standards in D.C.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has only recently begun filling in key positions in his department. Key positions that should have already been filled.

Is Obama being arrogant (because he chose him, Geithner must be able to handle the load by himself) or overconfident in Geithner's capabilities that he has allowed him to work solo in the attempt to fix the U.S. economy since January?

At a recent news conference, Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, told journalists that the reason it was taking so long to appoint Geithner's staff was that the nominees for the positions were undergoing "a very rigorous process." Apparently more rigorous than the process Geithner himself had to go through. After all, his tax fraud seemed to slip through the "rigorous process" of the nomination for treasury secretary.

Double standards are the best!

Texas Tea Parties

So far, six tea parties are planned in Texas for the April 15 "Tax Day Tea Party," including one in Austin!! Unless someone organizes one for Fort Worth, I'm planning on going to the one in Dallas. No location yet, but it will take place 6-9 p.m. I'll have my camera with me and have lots of photos to post!

Honor Killing Hits Close to Home

Honor killing is a disgusting social practice that has received media attention recently with the murder of a mother of four, Aasiya Z. Hassan, Feb. 12 in New York.

She only sought a divorce from her husband, Muzzammil Hassan. To defend what he saw as a stain on his honor, he beheaded her.

Honor killing is predominant in the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh cultures. Thousands of women fall victim to this practice every year overseas, but it even happens in the U.S.

Last year, Amina Said, 18, and her 17-year-old sister Sarah were shot to death by their father because they were becoming too “Westernized.”

They lived in Irving.

Honor killing is classified as domestic violence, but this classification is incorrect. They stem from perceived slights on family honor, and victims fall into a fairly specific category.

Some reasons for a woman to fall victim to honor killing include refusing to cover her hair, face or body; dating; being too independent; wearing makeup or Western clothing or trying to get a college education.

“Analysis of more than 50 reported honor killings shows they differ significantly from more common domestic violence,” said Phyllis Chesler in a recent article in Middle East Quarterly.

The victims are usually teenage daughters or young women. In domestic violence, the victim is usually an adult female spouse or intimate partner.

In honor killing, the victim may be warned over and over again that she will be killed for dishonoring her family, and the killings themselves are carefully planned. In domestic violence, the murder is often spontaneous.

Another significant difference: Only honor killings involve multiple family members as the perpetrators. Fathers, brothers, uncles and cousins may all actively participate in the murder, and mothers and sisters may encourage the act.

In the West, if it is discovered that a man beats his wife or child, he then bears a social stigma that others look down on. However, in the cultures where honor killing is prolific, the perpetrators have no such stigma.

It should not be assumed that all Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs condone this practice — they don’t. However, a portion of people who originate from the Middle East do.

Honor killings show other characteristics that distinguish them from domestic violence. It is wrong to classify this phenomenon as domestic violence.

It is nothing more than cold-blooded murder.

*Published in The Collegian March 4, 2009

Intoxication, Six Flags Don't Mix

Six Flags Over Texas proposed last year to bring alcohol to its Arlington location — a bad idea.

If Six Flags geared toward adults only, selling alcohol would be great, but it’s a family-oriented park. Most of its rides have a height requirement, for Pete ’s sake.

Six Flags proposes to serve alcohol in six monitored areas: All American Café, Casa de la Banderas, Dry Hole Charlie’s, Gator McGee’s Mountain Grill, Johnny Rockets and Papa John ’s.

It will evict patrons who take their alcoholic beverages out of those areas.

Children can still eat at these locations. Six Flags will rely on video cameras and its employees to monitor the areas.

It’s good that the company has a plan to monitor, but what happens when people sneak their alcohol out?
Six Flags cannot keep alcohol from affecting its child patrons.

Adults could buy alcohol for their underage friends. A curious child could experiment with imbibing a mostly empty beer cup he or she fished out of the trash.

Parents, trying to get cool points, could let their kids try a beer.

What happens when a child’s parents drink a few beers before the park closes and drive home?

Maybe parents are fine after two beers and make it home without incident, but that chance should not be taken.

Forget about underage drinking for a minute.

Let’s say, on a slim-to-none chance, Six Flags has a flawless monitoring system and no minor ever gets his or her hands on alcohol. What about the adults who are drinking?

People drink and fight at bars all the time. Now they can drink and fight at an amusement park densely crowded with children.

Now let’s say only pacifists will consume the illicit beverage and never start a fight. Who will stop patrons from getting rip-roaring drunk?

Not only does drinking alcohol set an awful example to the kids populating the park, but it places everyone on the road in danger when these people attempt to get their sloshed selves home.

Will the park assign employees to drive these people home?

Texas had one of the highest percentages in the country of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2007 with 1,292 deaths.

Now consider the ick factor. Bar patrons frequently drink more than their limit and end up puking in the bathroom. An increase in vomiting at the park is not appealing.

Six Flags may create a potentially dangerous situation, and the proposal nears approval.

As of Feb. 25, TABC administrator Alan Steen and administrative law judge Tanya Cooper have both signed off on the idea.

Citizens have 20 days from that date to file a motion for another hearing with the TABC commissioner.

*Published in The Collegian March 4, 2009

Whispers of the Coming Revolution

I finally got to see the rant that incited the Tea Party Movement and wanted to share. I wonder if one day Rick Santelli's name will be synonymous with Jefferson and Franklin for starting the 2nd Revolution? =)

Tea Party Movement

I could not be more proud of my neighbors than I am today. Hundreds of people gathered in Fort Worth and Dallas to protest the stimulus today joining thousands of people across the country in a unified grass roots movement.

We will not quietly pay for the mistakes of others.

The Tea Party Movement lives!!

Sign slogans for YOUR local tea party!

Thanks to Liberty Bell for posting these sign slogans! Break out the poster board and markers, people!

Chattering classes protest pork

Recently, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) let Americans know what he really thought about the stimulus plan and how he believes his constituents want him to vote.

“Let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments — the American people really don ’t care,” he said.

Be careful of the arrogant words you throw around, Schumer, because you might not like the results.

In response to his supercilious comment, radio talk show host Leland Conway encouraged his listeners to send in bags of pork rinds to News Radio 630 WLAP to be forwarded to Schumer as a message. A message that, yes, the American people do actually care about those porky amendments.

How dare he assume that we, the “chattering class,” wouldn’t care about amendments that are obviously agenda-driven pork of politicians getting too big for their britches.

WLAP received 1,500 bags of pork rinds from their listeners, which the station shipped to Schumer with a letter from radio personalities Conway, Dusty Dan and Jason Phillips.

“The fact is Americans do care about wasteful spending and corruption in government. Remember that government has nothing that it doesn’t first take from its citizens,” the letter said.

Citizens in Seattle, Denver and Mesa, Ariz., protested the stimulus days before and after the legislation was signed.

“Atlas will shrug.” “Henrietta got a house. All I want’s a swimming pool.” “I will be paying your bills the rest of my life!” “Say no to generational theft. ”

These slogans are just a few of the ones plastered on signs that protesters displayed to make their feelings about the stimulus known.

Demonstrators also made a point to feast on pulled pork and a whole roasted pig for lunch.

What is the point of protesting legislation even after it has been signed into terrifying life? The
point is we care. Citizens are angry and afraid this behemoth is going to hurt their future rather than help the present economy.

Despite this, the men and women who are supposed to represent our best interests brought the monster to life.

If they are not going to pay heed to their constituents, then it is time for the “chattering classes ” to make their collective voice heard.

We will not be underestimated, talked down to and scraped off the boot of government.

Protect your future. Make your voice heard.

*Published in The Collegian Feb. 18, 2009

Texas Tea Party!!

Locals in the Metroplex can release their pent up frustrations about the pork-filled stimulus this Friday 3 p.m.-7 p.m. at The Cowtown Bar & Grill.

I'm working during that time, so, unless some miracle of God get's me out of the office early, I won't be able to make it.

Here's the details:

3 p.m.-7 p.m.
7108 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX

There will be food, music and hopefully coverage by the local media.

The guy arranging the whole thing put an announcement here.

Please go out and make your voice heard!

Props to Michelle Malkin for promoting!

ABC needs to broaden its polling pool

It has been bandied about by ABC that Obama has done more in 30 days than any other president.

"So far, 60 percent of Americans approve of the president's handling of the economy, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll."

Really? Sixty percent of which Americans? Sixty percent of Americans living in Chicago? How about 60 percent of Americans on happy pills? Sixty percent of Democrats would be closer to the truth.

"Half of all voters (51%) continue to believe it is at least somewhat likely that the stimulus plan passed by Congress will make things worse instead of better. That figure includes 32% who say it’s Very Likely to hurt," a Rasmussen report reveals.

Fifty-four percent of Americans are anti-bailout. These people do not want to pay for the auto companies, finance industry or homeowners.

Has Obama done more than any other president in his first 30 days? Probably.

Is that something he should be proud of? Not with those percentages.

Blog Virgin's Guide

The Other McCain: How to Get a Million Hits on Your Blog in Less Than a Year

CD Review: The Fray

The Fray’s self-titled sophomore album does not disappoint fans of its double-platinum debut album How to Save a Life.

The same emotion-filled lyrics and piano-driven music draws listeners in with the first song.

In “You Found Me,” vocalist Isaac Slade questions faith. In several interviews, he alluded to the song ’s inspiration.

“I kept getting these phone calls from home — tragedy after tragedy. If there is some kind of person in charge of this planet — are they sleeping? Smoking? Where are they? I just imagined running into God standing on a street corner like Bruce Springsteen, smoking a cigarette, and I’d have it out with him,” he said in one interview.

Listeners can relate to the difficulty of retaining faith during hard times and the doubt of anything to have faith in.

The pulsing beats will have fans nodding their heads in time through the whole album.

The Fray’s mellow melodies are perfect for unwinding after a long, stressful day. It definitely makes the bubble bath-music list.

Hard-core Fray addicts can purchase the deluxe version. With this edition, fans get piano and acoustic versions of several of the songs. The disk also includes the music video for “You Found Me,” “The Making of You Found Me” video and a “Making the Album” video.

*Published in The Collegian Feb. 18, 2009
www.tccd.edu/collegian

Facebook Hazardous to Careers

Students don’t realize that everyone can view the content of their social networking Web sites like MySpace and Facebook.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center concluded that two-thirds of Americans age 18-29 use these sites

Digital dirt, unfavorable information about people on the Internet, can hamper employment prospects and even harm their standing at the jobs they already have.

Employment recruiters frequently use search engines to uncover digital dirt on prospective employees. They utilize Web sites like Google.com, WhoZat.com and Wink.com to see who they are really interviewing.

Recruiters want to know how potential employees will represent the company, and employers have access to the same resources. So be careful even if you’re already gainfully employed.

Don’t fall prey to the practice of posting pictures that are not “grandma-friendly.”

Those half-naked photos of you double-fisting a couple of drinks over your last spring break will not impress the recruiters or your current boss.

Also, that blog you posted when you were 13 years old confessing your undying love for the Backstreet Boys may not be something you want floating around anymore.

A good general rule of thumb is if it’s not something that goes on your resume, don’t post it on the Internet.Go to Google and type in your name in quotation marks. Look at the results. Next, click on Google images, rinse and repeat.

Don’t like what you see? Tough.

You can e-mail a Web site and request that it take down your digital dirt, but it is not required to take down anything.

If you have flaunted your indiscretions and worry about getting that dream job (or even the interview), start doing some damage control now.

Take down those imprudent photos, and ask friends to do the same. Start a PR blitz and sell yourself.

Blog about your professional interests and research you’ve done on topics that interest you. Give examples of your great qualities. Don’t just say you’re a multitasker. Give examples. Show those recruiters that you worked on Project A while researching Project B. They want to interview people who will be assets to the company.

Maybe you volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or the local shelter in your spare time. Post those photos. These days, more companies encourage their employees to get out in the community and contribute. When employees give back, it ’s good for their reputation.

None of this will get rid of the Backstreet Boys love letters, but the more you post, the further back in the search results all of those old blog entries will be.

Once you’ve cleaned up your online image, keep it that way by setting up a Google alert for your name. Google will send an e-mail anytime it indexes a new page that features your name.

Don’t let your past come back to haunt you. Clean up your online persona, and keep it that way.

*Published Feb. 18, 2009 in The Collegian
http://www.tccd.edu/collegian

U.S. Interests Should be Priority

Everyone is entitled to live without fear of terrorist attacks.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a world where that is possible.

Despite this, some things make me feel safer. Our troops overseas, countries striving to achieve democracy and my dad are just a few that help me sleep at night.

President Barack Obama’s intent to close Guantanamo Bay in his first 100 days in office is not something that makes me feel safe.

I don’t see how we can possibly shut the prison down without endangering American lives. What happens when one of these men decides to hijack a plane full of innocent civilians? I don’t want a repeat of Sept. 11.

Also, consider the people who live in the countries these detainees would be shipped back to. If one prisoner straps on a bomb and blows himself up in the middle of a market in Iraq, the administration would be responsible for the inflicted injuries and deaths.

Opponents of Gitmo cite tactics used by guards and interrogators to gather intelligence information from detainees as inhumane.

I don’t like the idea of torture anymore than I like the idea of suicide bombers killing innocents. However, I don’t consider a prisoner being chained to the ground with rock music blaring and a strobe light going torture — a common practice used by interrogators at Gitmo.

Critics have questioned the conditions of the detainees. While I agree that every human deserves fair treatment, these people receive access to a dentist and medical treatment — treatment paid for by tax dollars. Those conditions sound pretty fair.

And while I’m sure they appreciate the fillings, I doubt they’re all ready to call a truce.

Evidence of this was recently presented when a Saudi government spokesman released its most wanted list. Eleven former Guantanamo Bay detainees made it on the list.

Consider the message the closing would send to our troops overseas. They’re over there fighting and dying, and we’re going to beef up Team Terrorism.

American citizens have the right to live without fear of being attacked by terrorists.

All of Obama’s decisions should be made in the best interests of the American people, not the terrorists that attack us.

The administration’s actions show me that the government is more concerned with terrorists’ rights than our right to safety.

*Published Feb. 18, 2009 in The Collegian
http://www.tccd.edu/collegian

Earmarks Don't Generate Jobs

President Obama has promised to create or preserve 3 million jobs through the stimulus plan, a.k.a. “the tab my children and grandchildren will pick up.”

The economy is in bad shape, but how does a provision granting $246 million in special tax breaks for the film industry help?

Thankfully, the Senate passed an amendment to strike the provision. However, the vote was only 52-45. If it had gone a few votes in the other direction, we would have been bailing out Hollywood.

The stimulus includes some worthy causes and institutions, such as the digital television converter box program, but $650 million toward that doesn’t stimulate the economy.

With so many earmarks and ridiculous proposals in this behemoth, I’m surprised it passed in Congress.

For example, take the “Making Work Pay” credit. This proposes to give $500 to every individual making less than $75,000 a year or $1,000 to couples making less than $150,000 a year. Sounds pretty great, right? Wait, there’s a catch — people who did not make enough money to contribute to income tax will also receive this refund. This begs the question, if they didn’t contribute anything to income tax, then where does their refund come from? That’s right. It’s coming from you and me.

The same goes for the proposed $75 million earmarked for “smoking cessation activities.”

Smoking causes lung cancer, and no one argues that smokers slowly kill themselves with their cancer sticks.

However, if grown people choose to smoke, should taxpayers financially contribute to teaching them smoking is bad? They know it’s bad — every pack of cigarettes sold in the U.S. has the surgeon general’s warning.

Trying to convince smokers to quit smoking does not belong in the stimulus plan. It doesn’t create jobs.

The officials writing the stimulus need to take a step back and look at what they’ve created. Billions of dollars of extras won’t do anything to help the economy.

Instead of throwing away money they don’t actually have to fix the economy, the government officials should stop pursuing their personal agendas and consider other alternatives such as tax breaks.

What a novel idea. Instead of taxing people and then refunding it to people who didn’t contribute, they can leave a little more in the pockets of the average person. I bet when the 300 million Americans who have that extra money spend it, it ’ll help the economy.

*Published Feb. 11, 2009 in The Collegian
http://www.tccd.edu/collegian

American Dream Disappears

Robert Reich, economic adviser to President Obama, has made some disturbing comments regarding his vision of how jobs created by the stimulus package should be distributed.

In January, he appeared before the House Democratic Caucus Steering and Policy Committee, where he said jobs created by the stimulus should not “simply go to high-skilled people who are already professionals or to white, male construction workers. ”

Reich said he doesn’t have anything against white, male construction workers, but that other people have needs as well.

Basically, he wants to award jobs to people based on skin color, gender and their socioeconomic status — everything but their qualifications.

Rather than focusing on who he thinks these jobs should go to, Reich should consider ways to keep them from going to illegal immigrants. That would certainly help our current unemployment woes.

In the meantime, Reich cannot justify reserving jobs created by the stimulus for people not qualified to do them.

Since we, our children and our grandchildren are paying for this stimulus package, we deserve to have our roads, bridges, levees and schools built by the person most able to do the job not someone who got it because of skin color or sex.

I don’t care what color or sex you are. If you have put in the work to become qualified for a job, then you deserve it.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Famous words by a noble man. Mr. Reich needs to take a page from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s book.

What happened to the American Dream? The dream where people could work hard and make better lives for themselves.

If we are going to start taking jobs that deserve to go to qualified people and giving them to people who haven’t earned them, then there is nothing for people to work for --— no promise of a better life to motivate them to put in the hard work.

No one is entitled to a job. It is something everyone has to work for, whether it is through school or on-the-job training. The work put in to overcome obstacles is what defines character.

Hopefully, Obama will keep Dr. King’s message in mind when he considers Reich’s image of our future.

*Published Feb. 4, 2009 in The Collegian
www.tccd.edu/collegian