A few days after Christmas, I went shopping with the money I was given for Christmas and a coupon in hand.
I walked in the store and scanned the shelves for the purchase that awaited me.
There it was, in the kitchen appliance section. It was sitting there, waiting for me.
I got in line and shuffled the box around, trying hard not to drop it as I waited. At the register I carefully gave the cashier my item and coupon.
Bonus, it was on sale.
Back home, I pulled my prize from its box. I flipped through the owner’s manual for operating instructions. After a quick rinse, there it was, sitting on my countertop next to my coffee pot.
My brand new Belgian waffle maker.
I felt like a kid trying out Christmas toys as I scoured the Internet for ideas about things to make with it.
Pinterest gave me a quick and easy inaugural recipe All it took was a can of refrigerated cinnamon roles. Place four in at a time, flip the mechanism and soon you had four little cinnamon roll waffles. I’ve made those far too many times for my waistline.
Then it was time to make the waffles. I went to the grocery and “gasp.” The shelf with the Belgian waffle mix was empty. Evidently, I wasn’t the only person to get the amazing machine this Christmas.So I waited. And made some more cinnamon roll waffles.
Then I went to the grocery on the other side of town. Eureka, the mix was there.
I waited again for the perfect waffle making time, Saturday morning.
With coffee made, the waffle making began. First the batter was poured into the machine and then the mechanism flipped. The wait continued until the green light flashed. The waffle was ready.
Opening the top revealed a nice, thick, golden, circular waffle. The smell of pastry filled the kitchen.
After plating, pats of butter melted into the crevasses of the waffle and the yummy goodness of maple syrup was added. The syrup made the house smell even more delightful.
At the table with my cup of coffee and two dogs sitting on the floor at the ready in case I dropped a piece, I ate my waffle. The delicious taste of a fresh made Belgian waffle made a great start to a Saturday, bite after delicious bite.
In short, I love my new Belgian waffle maker. I just wish it had an additional magical element that made every delicious thing made from it zero calories. A girl can dream.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/small-appliance-brings-warm-breakfast-bliss
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
This week's column
Dude, where's my hover board?
It’s 2012 and many of you might be asking, “Where’s my flying car?”
A good question indeed.
If you are a fan of the science fiction genre, there are many things you might have expected to have by now. For example, when Marty McFly goes into the future in “Back to the Future II,” he goes to the year 2015. That’s only three years from now and we were expected to have flying cars, hover boards, self-drying clothes and automatic lace-up shoes, among other things. As of now, that doesn’t look much like a reality in three short years.
We’re not powering our flying DeLoreans with garbage either. The closest we get to that kind of “green” technology is the electric car, which in reality has been around a while; it’s just been improved a bit.
“Blade Runner” takes place in 2019, also featuring flying cars. While that’s still seven years into the future, too, it might be a stretch. Will we also have human-looking replicants, clones or androids, and will they dream of electric sleep? If you got that reference, you have my nerdish respect.
What about “2001: A Space Odyssey?” We don’t have major space travel, hyper sleep or Hal. Computers have come a long way but not to the state of Hal. Well, maybe that’s a good thing.
Not really given a 2012 creation date in sci-fi films, we also do not have food particlizers, time travel, laser weapons or any sort of robot that looks like those in the movies. And without holographic messaging, how in the world could anyone let Obi-Wan know he is their only hope?
Sci-fi films also often gave a somewhat bleak picture of what our world would look like in 2012. As in “12 Monkeys,” a virus would have wiped out most of mankind by now. And in “The Matrix,” the machines took over in the early 21st century and humans became batteries.And don’t forget “The Terminator” and Skynet. The computers would have become self-aware, eventually taking over in 1997, 2004 or 2011, depending on which timeline you follow.
Maybe I should be nicer to my computer.
In more modern versions of sci-fi, the threat of a world destroyed by nuclear war has been replaced by a view that the world will be destroyed by some sort of man-created natural disaster.
But we do have a few things seen in sci-fi in the past. We have communicators that can fit in the palm of our hands and flip open to talk to anyone. They’re called cellphones. Anyone else out there remember the early days of mobile phones that were in a bag you had to get out of your car to use?
Think of the technology that’s held in the palm of our hands. The data that used to be stored in computers that took up entire rooms now can be carried around with you. It’s mind-blowing.
We also have hands-free voice commands. While the intelligence and independence of Hal is not a realization, we literally can talk to our computers, cars and other devices with voice-command technology. We can sit in our cars and tell our radio to come on or tell our phone to dial a number.
The technology that reminds me most of a sci-fi film is touch-screen technology. Not that long ago, sci-fi films showed a future where you can move and transfer data on a screen by touch. My iPod Touch makes me see the reality of how the creative minds of past sci-fi films could see the possibility of the future.
It’s kind of cool when you think back.
We might not have flying cars yet, but ten years ago I didn’t imagine a touch-screen tablet as a reality either. Who knows what 2012 or the near future can bring?
Maybe one day we will teleport, travel to the far reaches of space — if NASA gets funding again — or ride on hovering skateboards? According to “Star Trek: First Contact,” we’ll have warp drive by 2063. Well have to check back on that one in 51 years.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/dude-wheres-my-hover-board
It’s 2012 and many of you might be asking, “Where’s my flying car?”
A good question indeed.
If you are a fan of the science fiction genre, there are many things you might have expected to have by now. For example, when Marty McFly goes into the future in “Back to the Future II,” he goes to the year 2015. That’s only three years from now and we were expected to have flying cars, hover boards, self-drying clothes and automatic lace-up shoes, among other things. As of now, that doesn’t look much like a reality in three short years.
We’re not powering our flying DeLoreans with garbage either. The closest we get to that kind of “green” technology is the electric car, which in reality has been around a while; it’s just been improved a bit.
“Blade Runner” takes place in 2019, also featuring flying cars. While that’s still seven years into the future, too, it might be a stretch. Will we also have human-looking replicants, clones or androids, and will they dream of electric sleep? If you got that reference, you have my nerdish respect.
What about “2001: A Space Odyssey?” We don’t have major space travel, hyper sleep or Hal. Computers have come a long way but not to the state of Hal. Well, maybe that’s a good thing.
Not really given a 2012 creation date in sci-fi films, we also do not have food particlizers, time travel, laser weapons or any sort of robot that looks like those in the movies. And without holographic messaging, how in the world could anyone let Obi-Wan know he is their only hope?
Sci-fi films also often gave a somewhat bleak picture of what our world would look like in 2012. As in “12 Monkeys,” a virus would have wiped out most of mankind by now. And in “The Matrix,” the machines took over in the early 21st century and humans became batteries.And don’t forget “The Terminator” and Skynet. The computers would have become self-aware, eventually taking over in 1997, 2004 or 2011, depending on which timeline you follow.
Maybe I should be nicer to my computer.
In more modern versions of sci-fi, the threat of a world destroyed by nuclear war has been replaced by a view that the world will be destroyed by some sort of man-created natural disaster.
But we do have a few things seen in sci-fi in the past. We have communicators that can fit in the palm of our hands and flip open to talk to anyone. They’re called cellphones. Anyone else out there remember the early days of mobile phones that were in a bag you had to get out of your car to use?
Think of the technology that’s held in the palm of our hands. The data that used to be stored in computers that took up entire rooms now can be carried around with you. It’s mind-blowing.
We also have hands-free voice commands. While the intelligence and independence of Hal is not a realization, we literally can talk to our computers, cars and other devices with voice-command technology. We can sit in our cars and tell our radio to come on or tell our phone to dial a number.
The technology that reminds me most of a sci-fi film is touch-screen technology. Not that long ago, sci-fi films showed a future where you can move and transfer data on a screen by touch. My iPod Touch makes me see the reality of how the creative minds of past sci-fi films could see the possibility of the future.
It’s kind of cool when you think back.
We might not have flying cars yet, but ten years ago I didn’t imagine a touch-screen tablet as a reality either. Who knows what 2012 or the near future can bring?
Maybe one day we will teleport, travel to the far reaches of space — if NASA gets funding again — or ride on hovering skateboards? According to “Star Trek: First Contact,” we’ll have warp drive by 2063. Well have to check back on that one in 51 years.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/dude-wheres-my-hover-board
Thursday, December 22, 2011
This week's column
A wish for hope and joy this Christmas
Long ago there was a time when a population was ruled by strangers in their own country.
The ruling country was harsh and had an appetite for ruling the world. No talk of any other ruler would be tolerated.
People were heavily taxed, desperate for rest and stressed.
They were frustrated and the gap between rich and poor was vast.
They were waiting on a promise.
Waiting until there were shepherds on a hillside, a star in the sky, wise men on their way and a baby in a manger.
Hope had arrived.
This Christmas, many find themselves in what they see as desperate situations. The economy is bad. Some are living paycheck to paycheck.
People are hurting and lonely. A holiday focusing on family gatherings makes them feel empty instead of warm.
Christmas has become a mad dash for holiday bargains and a long list of unnecessary wants. While others suffer, some fight over a $5 waffle iron in the mad Christmas rush.
We ask, “What are you getting for Christmas?” rather than, “What are you giving for Christmas?”
It’s become a busy array of gatherings that are “fit in” rather than enjoyed. Sometimes the concept of family is lost in the schedule.
We forget about the star that shone over a dirty stable one night. It led to a child, a very important child, not born in a palace but a storage place for hay and animals.
The first to see him were not dignitaries and priests. They were shepherds who may have been out with their sheep for days, smelly and dirty. He came for the poor, the hurting and the lonely, a description that fits most of us at some time in our lives.
We’re an overstressed and over-stimulated society. As a result, we’ve turned Christmas into something dreaded instead of enjoyed. We’ve created the chaos we dread.
We forget about that baby in the manger and who he grew to be. His sacrifice so that others may have joy complete.
Joy is what seems to be missing from the modern celebration of Christmas. We need to stop, breath and smile at the joy of Christmas. The cookies can wait, the presents will get wrapped and the family will get to their gatherings when they can.
Often we feel like Charlie Brown who couldn’t quite figure out Christmas anymore. He even felt depressed. He asked, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”
Then Linus proceeds to tell him the story of that baby in the manger so long ago. Charlie Brown smiled and left the chaos of the play he was struggling to direct. Soon everyone else followed and left the chaos behind.
Like Linus, maybe remembering the story of Christmas may calm the craziness of the season, and like Charlie Brown, we can figure out the joy we’ve missed.
We can think about those shepherds on the hillside, the star in the sky, the wise men who paid tribute and the baby in the manger.
I wish all of you a blessed and joy-filled Christmas.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/wish-hope-and-joy-christmas
Long ago there was a time when a population was ruled by strangers in their own country.
The ruling country was harsh and had an appetite for ruling the world. No talk of any other ruler would be tolerated.
People were heavily taxed, desperate for rest and stressed.
They were frustrated and the gap between rich and poor was vast.
They were waiting on a promise.
Waiting until there were shepherds on a hillside, a star in the sky, wise men on their way and a baby in a manger.
Hope had arrived.
This Christmas, many find themselves in what they see as desperate situations. The economy is bad. Some are living paycheck to paycheck.
People are hurting and lonely. A holiday focusing on family gatherings makes them feel empty instead of warm.
Christmas has become a mad dash for holiday bargains and a long list of unnecessary wants. While others suffer, some fight over a $5 waffle iron in the mad Christmas rush.
We ask, “What are you getting for Christmas?” rather than, “What are you giving for Christmas?”
It’s become a busy array of gatherings that are “fit in” rather than enjoyed. Sometimes the concept of family is lost in the schedule.
We forget about the star that shone over a dirty stable one night. It led to a child, a very important child, not born in a palace but a storage place for hay and animals.
The first to see him were not dignitaries and priests. They were shepherds who may have been out with their sheep for days, smelly and dirty. He came for the poor, the hurting and the lonely, a description that fits most of us at some time in our lives.
We’re an overstressed and over-stimulated society. As a result, we’ve turned Christmas into something dreaded instead of enjoyed. We’ve created the chaos we dread.
We forget about that baby in the manger and who he grew to be. His sacrifice so that others may have joy complete.
Joy is what seems to be missing from the modern celebration of Christmas. We need to stop, breath and smile at the joy of Christmas. The cookies can wait, the presents will get wrapped and the family will get to their gatherings when they can.
Often we feel like Charlie Brown who couldn’t quite figure out Christmas anymore. He even felt depressed. He asked, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”
Then Linus proceeds to tell him the story of that baby in the manger so long ago. Charlie Brown smiled and left the chaos of the play he was struggling to direct. Soon everyone else followed and left the chaos behind.
Like Linus, maybe remembering the story of Christmas may calm the craziness of the season, and like Charlie Brown, we can figure out the joy we’ve missed.
We can think about those shepherds on the hillside, the star in the sky, the wise men who paid tribute and the baby in the manger.
I wish all of you a blessed and joy-filled Christmas.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/wish-hope-and-joy-christmas
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear ... and watching 'Elf'
One of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season is to watch Christmas movies.
A basket full of them sits by my television all season long. Snoopy, the Griswolds, Santa, various reindeer, George Bailey, some wise men and a Grinch all are included.
But one Christmas movie has trumped all others lately — mainly because it’s full of Christmas cheer, which I hear comes from singing loudly for all to hear.
That’s right, “Elf” is my Christmas favorite. I probably watch it at least 10 times throughout the Christmas season. It’s the movie I pop in while decking the halls with Christmas décor, when I’m wrapping presents, filling out Christmas cards and making Christmas cookies. The movie helps remind me those things are supposed to be joyful and not stressful.
If a 6-foot-tall elf walking around New York isn’t enough to draw you to the film, there’s also a bit of nostalgia in the beginning that reminds viewers of Christmas shows they grew up with. It looks like Rudolph’s world.
I think I like it most because of the childlike innocence Buddy the Elf brings to everyone he comes in contact with.
Remember when Christmas was like that? The excitement building to Christmas morning, the joy of snow and how doing anything Christmas-related made you giddy.
Now Christmas is all about fighting over the best deals in department stores, rushing to get everywhere on time and the stress over finding the right gifts for people you only see once a year. And then there’s the decorating and, even worse, cleaning up afterward.
Buddy sees Christmas through the eyes of a child. His excitement is contagious to all in the film. He’s a reminder that we’ve turned Christmas into chaos when it should be something very sweet.
I wish I could regain that childlike excitement. I tend to put up the décor out of habit and gripe as I walk around the house to plug in everything. A little taste of Buddy the Elf reminds me that singing Christmas songs is cheerful and there’s room for everyone on the nice list, even if they get on my last nerve.
He even has his own holiday now. Dec. 18 is deemed “International Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day.” I might not ask someone their favorite color when answering the phone myself — odds are I’ll forget anyway — but I’ll laugh if someone else does. Maybe that day I’ll partake in some of the elves’ four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.
Although my mother absolutely hates this movie — mainly because she’s not a Will Ferrell fan — I love it.
Buddy likes everyone, thinks everything is exciting and just wants to give everyone a hug.
So grab the world’s best cup of coffee, sing your favorite Christmas tunes and enjoy this Christmas season. And don’t forget to smile — smiling’s Buddy’s favorite thing to do.
The film focuses on the traditions and not truth of Christmas, but it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. And, yes, Buddy, it makes me smile.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/best-way-spread-christmas-cheer-singing-loud-all-hear-and-watching-elf
One of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season is to watch Christmas movies.
A basket full of them sits by my television all season long. Snoopy, the Griswolds, Santa, various reindeer, George Bailey, some wise men and a Grinch all are included.
But one Christmas movie has trumped all others lately — mainly because it’s full of Christmas cheer, which I hear comes from singing loudly for all to hear.
That’s right, “Elf” is my Christmas favorite. I probably watch it at least 10 times throughout the Christmas season. It’s the movie I pop in while decking the halls with Christmas décor, when I’m wrapping presents, filling out Christmas cards and making Christmas cookies. The movie helps remind me those things are supposed to be joyful and not stressful.
If a 6-foot-tall elf walking around New York isn’t enough to draw you to the film, there’s also a bit of nostalgia in the beginning that reminds viewers of Christmas shows they grew up with. It looks like Rudolph’s world.
I think I like it most because of the childlike innocence Buddy the Elf brings to everyone he comes in contact with.
Remember when Christmas was like that? The excitement building to Christmas morning, the joy of snow and how doing anything Christmas-related made you giddy.
Now Christmas is all about fighting over the best deals in department stores, rushing to get everywhere on time and the stress over finding the right gifts for people you only see once a year. And then there’s the decorating and, even worse, cleaning up afterward.
Buddy sees Christmas through the eyes of a child. His excitement is contagious to all in the film. He’s a reminder that we’ve turned Christmas into chaos when it should be something very sweet.
I wish I could regain that childlike excitement. I tend to put up the décor out of habit and gripe as I walk around the house to plug in everything. A little taste of Buddy the Elf reminds me that singing Christmas songs is cheerful and there’s room for everyone on the nice list, even if they get on my last nerve.
He even has his own holiday now. Dec. 18 is deemed “International Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day.” I might not ask someone their favorite color when answering the phone myself — odds are I’ll forget anyway — but I’ll laugh if someone else does. Maybe that day I’ll partake in some of the elves’ four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.
Although my mother absolutely hates this movie — mainly because she’s not a Will Ferrell fan — I love it.
Buddy likes everyone, thinks everything is exciting and just wants to give everyone a hug.
So grab the world’s best cup of coffee, sing your favorite Christmas tunes and enjoy this Christmas season. And don’t forget to smile — smiling’s Buddy’s favorite thing to do.
The film focuses on the traditions and not truth of Christmas, but it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. And, yes, Buddy, it makes me smile.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/best-way-spread-christmas-cheer-singing-loud-all-hear-and-watching-elf
Thursday, November 24, 2011
This Week's Column
More than thankful
As I look back on 2011, there are many things to be thankful for.
Some of them are the usual suspects: health, food, clothing and all the other basics. Some things I am thankful for are silly, like Diet Coke and Italian food. Some are sweet, like another year with my aging Lab, Boo.
One event in 2011 made saying “I’m thankful” seem almost a trite expression. It was something that made being grateful more than just words expressed. It was a state of being that overwhelmed me to my very core.
In March my dad was in a farming accident. He became trapped in a grain bin filled with corn. Seconds before being pulled completely under the corn stored inside, the mechanism pulling the corn out of the bin into a truck was shut off and rescue crews were sent to free him.
Thankful is an understatement.
My dad is the strongest man I know. He is known as one of the manliest of men to most of my friends. To think of him trapped in that situation was terrifying.
But, the ending was not tragic. It was miraculous. He was freed with barely a scratch. His guardian angels must have been working double time that day.
Our family always will be thankful for those on the farm helping that day — farmers, firefighters and EMS.
We are also thankful to God.
I remember being in the Sunday service that followed his escape and bursting into tears while singing one of the songs in the service. The words “oh, no you never let go, every high and every low,” have brought new meaning. God blessed us with more years with my dad. For that, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Life has gone on since then. The norm has returned. Summer has gone and fall is here, planting has turned to harvest and the Wildcats are back on the hardwood.
I know, now more than ever, to never take my family for granted. Sure, they’re not perfect, but both of my parents are the kind of people I’m blessed to know.
So today, while eating turkey and all the fixings, dad and I will watch the Packers take on Detroit and I’ll value our time spent together.Events like that put your thoughts into perspective. New joy, new peace and a new mindset invades.
I love you, Daddy. You are my Superman.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/more-thankful
As I look back on 2011, there are many things to be thankful for.
Some of them are the usual suspects: health, food, clothing and all the other basics. Some things I am thankful for are silly, like Diet Coke and Italian food. Some are sweet, like another year with my aging Lab, Boo.
One event in 2011 made saying “I’m thankful” seem almost a trite expression. It was something that made being grateful more than just words expressed. It was a state of being that overwhelmed me to my very core.
In March my dad was in a farming accident. He became trapped in a grain bin filled with corn. Seconds before being pulled completely under the corn stored inside, the mechanism pulling the corn out of the bin into a truck was shut off and rescue crews were sent to free him.
Thankful is an understatement.
My dad is the strongest man I know. He is known as one of the manliest of men to most of my friends. To think of him trapped in that situation was terrifying.
But, the ending was not tragic. It was miraculous. He was freed with barely a scratch. His guardian angels must have been working double time that day.
Our family always will be thankful for those on the farm helping that day — farmers, firefighters and EMS.
We are also thankful to God.
I remember being in the Sunday service that followed his escape and bursting into tears while singing one of the songs in the service. The words “oh, no you never let go, every high and every low,” have brought new meaning. God blessed us with more years with my dad. For that, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Life has gone on since then. The norm has returned. Summer has gone and fall is here, planting has turned to harvest and the Wildcats are back on the hardwood.
I know, now more than ever, to never take my family for granted. Sure, they’re not perfect, but both of my parents are the kind of people I’m blessed to know.
So today, while eating turkey and all the fixings, dad and I will watch the Packers take on Detroit and I’ll value our time spent together.Events like that put your thoughts into perspective. New joy, new peace and a new mindset invades.
I love you, Daddy. You are my Superman.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/more-thankful
Thursday, November 10, 2011
This week's column
Zombies everywhere
I’m not sure at what point in our nation’s history zombies became cool. They’ve appeared in B horror films for years.
Maybe we can blame Michael Jackson for it. Jackson and his zombie friends danced their way to music history in “Thriller.”
It’s more likely the fault of popular films today with zombie themes or television shows such as “The Walking Dead.”
No matter the reason for their popularity, one question remains. Are you ready for the Zombie Apocalypse? The Centers for Disease Control is. Well sort of.
I ran across a post on Facebook about the CDC’s recommendations on how to prepare for a zombie apocalypse. I thought it was fake but was curious so I clicked on it. Sure enough, it was from the CDC. Somebody in that office is very clever.
The campaign was launched before hurricane season to give advice on how to be prepared for emergencies. To get people’s attention the usually dry government organization got a bit creative.
Laced between the usual yearly advice on first aid kits, emergency supplies and evacuation plans is “research” on zombie lore and what to expect during a zombie apocalypse. “Night of the Living Dead” was used as a source in their research.
They even go as far to say if zombies begin roaming the streets the CDC would investigate like any other disease outbreak and joked about the “disease detectives” who would be first responders to the zombies.
At the launch of the zombie “advice” the CDC’s website went from 3,000 to 30,000 page views and the organization’s Twitter followers went from 12,000 to 1.2 million.
For those of you who at this point are getting your weapons ready for the onslaught, zombies are not real. You know that, right?
Their appearance in folklore probably came from the same source of many of our other monster legends today. Sadly, a skin disease most likely infected a town, everyone got scared and zombies were born.
While I don’t believe in zombies, even though a few teenagers I work with might look the type when expected to be somewhere before 8 a.m. on a Saturday, I do applaud the CDC’s creativity.
They took a normally dry yearly public relations campaign and turned it into an attention getting promotion that even included a bit of useful information.
Their hope seemed to be if people were willing to prepare for a zombie emergency then they’d be prepared for real ones too. They were banking on the assumption that if you say the word “zombie” enough, you’ll get someone’s attention. It seems it worked.
Zombie, zombie, zombie. Let’s see if it works here, too.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/zombies-everywhere
I’m not sure at what point in our nation’s history zombies became cool. They’ve appeared in B horror films for years.
Maybe we can blame Michael Jackson for it. Jackson and his zombie friends danced their way to music history in “Thriller.”
It’s more likely the fault of popular films today with zombie themes or television shows such as “The Walking Dead.”
No matter the reason for their popularity, one question remains. Are you ready for the Zombie Apocalypse? The Centers for Disease Control is. Well sort of.
I ran across a post on Facebook about the CDC’s recommendations on how to prepare for a zombie apocalypse. I thought it was fake but was curious so I clicked on it. Sure enough, it was from the CDC. Somebody in that office is very clever.
The campaign was launched before hurricane season to give advice on how to be prepared for emergencies. To get people’s attention the usually dry government organization got a bit creative.
Laced between the usual yearly advice on first aid kits, emergency supplies and evacuation plans is “research” on zombie lore and what to expect during a zombie apocalypse. “Night of the Living Dead” was used as a source in their research.
They even go as far to say if zombies begin roaming the streets the CDC would investigate like any other disease outbreak and joked about the “disease detectives” who would be first responders to the zombies.
At the launch of the zombie “advice” the CDC’s website went from 3,000 to 30,000 page views and the organization’s Twitter followers went from 12,000 to 1.2 million.
For those of you who at this point are getting your weapons ready for the onslaught, zombies are not real. You know that, right?
Their appearance in folklore probably came from the same source of many of our other monster legends today. Sadly, a skin disease most likely infected a town, everyone got scared and zombies were born.
While I don’t believe in zombies, even though a few teenagers I work with might look the type when expected to be somewhere before 8 a.m. on a Saturday, I do applaud the CDC’s creativity.
They took a normally dry yearly public relations campaign and turned it into an attention getting promotion that even included a bit of useful information.
Their hope seemed to be if people were willing to prepare for a zombie emergency then they’d be prepared for real ones too. They were banking on the assumption that if you say the word “zombie” enough, you’ll get someone’s attention. It seems it worked.
Zombie, zombie, zombie. Let’s see if it works here, too.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/zombies-everywhere
Thursday, October 27, 2011
This Week's Column
Lessons from George McFly
A teen forces himself out of bed on Monday morning. A new week at school has begun. He gets dressed and puts on the new jacket his mom bought him over the weekend. She knew something was wrong but he wouldn’t talk about it.
He looks in the mirror, a slight smile on his face hoping today would be better. He grabs his bag and talks himself into stepping out the door.
He walks into school, a small bit of confidence from his new clothes, hoping they won’t noticed it’s the cheaper knock-off version of a popular style. But soon, his spirit is crushes. There they are. Why does their locker have to be near his?
His heart pounds as he walks to his locker and it begins. Before they even open their mouths, he sees a note on his locker. The bullying has begun again and he wonders, “When will this end?”
According to a website devoted to statistics on bullying, 71 percent of students reported in 2010 that bullying was an ongoing problem. The top grades for bullying are fourth and eighth grades and 282,000 students reportedly are attacked in high schools in the United States each month.
Bottom line, this is a problem.
Most of us who are children of the 1980s remember “Back to the Future.” Marty’s dad was bullied by Biff and it created a life of low self-esteem and lack of motivation to be more because he was convinced he couldn’t. When Marty changed the past and his dad stood up to the person he feared, his entire future changed.
When bullying wasn’t a part of his life, he had a new confidence and felt like he could accomplish anything.
While a fictional account, it paints a picture of what many kids who are bullied go through. Bullying creates a pattern of self-doubt, depression and worthlessness that continues throughout their lives, often making them targets of bullying in the workplace or in personal relationships when they get older.
Some might say teens are overreacting, but in case you haven’t noticed, a teenage brain hasn’t always developed coping skills and their first reaction is usually an emotional one. Because of this complex make up of their brains, even the smallest amount of bullying can send them over the edge.
Bullying through words hurts enough, but sometimes bullying goes further, to physical attacks or abuse. It is often an ignored subject or something a child will hide because it hurts their pride or they are afraid the bullying will intensify.
One of the biggest problems is that often bullies thinks they are “cool” for hurting others. They get a rush or puffed up ego from being able to cause someone to fear them. And even worse, they gain followers.
I might not know many things, but one thing I know for sure is bullying is not cool. It’s not even close. Getting joy from the pain of others is nothing to brag about. It’s selfish, cruel and just plain dumb.
What’s cool is the kid who stands up for those being bullied. The person who says enough is enough. If there were more people like that in schools and in the world in general, maybe the statistics would change.
My biggest question is, who will you be?
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/lessons-george-mcfly
A teen forces himself out of bed on Monday morning. A new week at school has begun. He gets dressed and puts on the new jacket his mom bought him over the weekend. She knew something was wrong but he wouldn’t talk about it.
He looks in the mirror, a slight smile on his face hoping today would be better. He grabs his bag and talks himself into stepping out the door.
He walks into school, a small bit of confidence from his new clothes, hoping they won’t noticed it’s the cheaper knock-off version of a popular style. But soon, his spirit is crushes. There they are. Why does their locker have to be near his?
His heart pounds as he walks to his locker and it begins. Before they even open their mouths, he sees a note on his locker. The bullying has begun again and he wonders, “When will this end?”
According to a website devoted to statistics on bullying, 71 percent of students reported in 2010 that bullying was an ongoing problem. The top grades for bullying are fourth and eighth grades and 282,000 students reportedly are attacked in high schools in the United States each month.
Bottom line, this is a problem.
Most of us who are children of the 1980s remember “Back to the Future.” Marty’s dad was bullied by Biff and it created a life of low self-esteem and lack of motivation to be more because he was convinced he couldn’t. When Marty changed the past and his dad stood up to the person he feared, his entire future changed.
When bullying wasn’t a part of his life, he had a new confidence and felt like he could accomplish anything.
While a fictional account, it paints a picture of what many kids who are bullied go through. Bullying creates a pattern of self-doubt, depression and worthlessness that continues throughout their lives, often making them targets of bullying in the workplace or in personal relationships when they get older.
Some might say teens are overreacting, but in case you haven’t noticed, a teenage brain hasn’t always developed coping skills and their first reaction is usually an emotional one. Because of this complex make up of their brains, even the smallest amount of bullying can send them over the edge.
Bullying through words hurts enough, but sometimes bullying goes further, to physical attacks or abuse. It is often an ignored subject or something a child will hide because it hurts their pride or they are afraid the bullying will intensify.
One of the biggest problems is that often bullies thinks they are “cool” for hurting others. They get a rush or puffed up ego from being able to cause someone to fear them. And even worse, they gain followers.
I might not know many things, but one thing I know for sure is bullying is not cool. It’s not even close. Getting joy from the pain of others is nothing to brag about. It’s selfish, cruel and just plain dumb.
What’s cool is the kid who stands up for those being bullied. The person who says enough is enough. If there were more people like that in schools and in the world in general, maybe the statistics would change.
My biggest question is, who will you be?
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/lessons-george-mcfly
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