First, we over-use the word icon, which is most often used in a religious connotation; however, that being said, it becomes hilarious to hear the news readers one-upping each other in their quest to find a new way to ascribe iconic status to dead entertainers.
One of the younger news readers enthusiastically reported on the iconization of these no-longer-living legends, a word that was probably created on the spot and made his former English teachers cringe. He then continued to discuss the iconography of the deceased entertainers, a word that actually refers to images of religious icons, but which he ascribed to the deceased individual's career accomplishments. His summation is that these iconoclasts have forever changed American culture, applying a word that is defined as a person who attacks and/or destroys sacred images (icons), the diametric opposite of what his mind defined the word to mean in his application of it.
Yes, language is dynamic, not static, and meanings ascribed to words back in the day often morph to fit new applications. It will be amusing to me to see how many other news readers jump on the "let's apply as many forms of the word icon as we can to make ourselves sound well-educated" bandwagon. We do have 3 funerals coming at us for 3 different entertainment icons who had the misfortune to die in rapid succession and step all over each other's PR, which does allow for adequate time to develop a serious iconology before their bankability diminishes, perhaps creating total iconostatis in the media!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Darkness Descends
The entertainment industy lost three prominent personalities in just about as many days: Ed McMahon, in his 80s; Farrah Fawcett, in her 60s; and Michael Jackson, age 50. Each of these entertainment icons leaves behind a lasting impact on society, far beyond the "heeeeere's Johnny," the feathered hair-do and infectious smile, and the unbelievable creativity, music, and dancing ability.
For my generation, it was the loss of The King, Elvis; for my children, it is today's loss of another King, Michael Jackson. For those who believe that death comes in three's, it's a huge sigh of relief that the grim reaper has taken those for whom he came into the darkness of this good night.
Rest in peace.
For my generation, it was the loss of The King, Elvis; for my children, it is today's loss of another King, Michael Jackson. For those who believe that death comes in three's, it's a huge sigh of relief that the grim reaper has taken those for whom he came into the darkness of this good night.
Rest in peace.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
In the Blink of an Eye
There's a huge cap for a nuclear reactor coming through the desert at 5 mph. It's too big to go under over-passes, so it takes the really long way around on its destination to AZ. For days we heard in the media that it was heading our way, stirring up lots of interest in people who maybe just want to see something really big being driven on the highways and byways. I drove by it today -- just because I could -- and there were lots of people looking at it and taking pictures.Last night, it left I-10 to travel Highway 111 through PS, then onto a major road that crosses I-10 and heads toward my neck of the woods. I'm not sure how this route works, but the thing is parked on a side street and slated to head out tonight for the very long, very S-L-O-W crawl up the 2 big grades, through all the little cities between here and points east, and then make its way back down to I-10 and across the Colorado River into AZ. It only moves at night as it completely blocks any roadway it takes.
An elderly couple drove out Highway 111 about midnight last night, perhaps to see this event in person. They pulled way off the road, but were killed when a black Mercedes SUV plowed into their parked vehicle. The driver of the Mercedes was allegedly driving erratically (DUI?) prior to the accident and had to leave the roadway to hit the car and kill the occupants therein. The driver who caused the accident is in the hospital with a broken leg and some other minor injuries.
I was thinking about all of this as I headed back down the hill after sharing a wonderful lunch and gab sessions with some of my Spring Students this afternoon. As I started down the first grade, the speeding truck behind me suddenly veered into the center neutral lane and across the two lanes of on-coming traffic before realizing that he was head-on in the traffic coming up the hill. He jerked the wheel and skidded back into my lane going down the hill -- without hitting anyone in the process. I have no idea how he missed all of us. I had quickly changed lanes to the far right, so he had a bit more room to maneuver than he had when he crawled up my bumper, but not much.
It is amazing how smoothly all the vehicles on a roadway can slow as one to create a path for the driver who is all over the road.
Well, he kept going, speeding down the grade ahead of all the rest of us. I'm sure that the drivers he narrowly missed had to change their tighty whities as it was that close, and my mind projected what's headed the same way tonight: the huge assembly of axels, wheels, and engines moving a 150-ton cap for a nuclear reactor up the same roadway. I hope that the drivers are as alert tonight as we all were at 3:30 this afternoon; if not, we could have more traffic fatalities marking the route.
UPDATE: The rig made it all the way to YV, where it was discovered to have a flat tire that has to be replaced before it can continue the journey. Well, there are about 3 dozen tires all in all, so I'm not sure why 1 tire makes a difference, but whatever. It's heading east after the tire is changed, through JT, 29, and then to the turn back toward I-10. Never realized how much is involved in these kinds of product deliveries, but it seems to me that it would have been easier to strap the darned thing onto the back of the plane that transports the space shuttles from one landing site to another and just git 'er done.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Without Hesitation or Reservation
The Hour I First Believed (Wally Lamb, author) is one of the best books I've ever read -- and I've read a lot of books. This is one of those books to read, reflect, reread, discuss, contemplate, then tell others about ... and find the time to read again down the road, when it becomes both familiar and fresh again.
The author admits that it took him 9 years to construct the novel, which is a masterful blend of fiction and non-fiction, a family history that connects Caelum not just to his family, but to himself. Every family has secrets, but somehow we find out what's always been hiding in the recesses of our DNA, the one key that unlocks not just who we are, but why.
The author, as well as Caelum, his protagonist, share 25 years of teaching experience. I've been there and done that too, so the story became familiar in ways that other readers may not accept as readily or understand in the same way as I. I've taught many classes aboard a military base, as well as many other classes with both military and military-affiliated students, which brings a response to parts of the novel that others may read less subjectively than I read them. I've lived with school violence, with the withdrawal of students who dare anyone to reach them, much less to teach them. I've shared the frustration of trying to conduct a lesson on a reading assignment no one has read -- or intends to read, of responding to essays that lack substance because the student does not want to engage in the educational process, just endure it, and of giving quizzes and tests that few, if any, students will pass.
I've had the experience of overload, when I wonder not just what I am doing, but why I am continuing to do it because no matter how much I care, no one else does.
Nothing ever changes, Janis had said. It did, though. We lived, lulled, on the fault line of chaos. Change could come explosively, and out of nowhere (570).
This is story that changes a reader's life, an epic story, an important story, a worthwhile story that I recommend without hesitation or reservation. It'll take time and it'll take effort, but it's worth both.
The author admits that it took him 9 years to construct the novel, which is a masterful blend of fiction and non-fiction, a family history that connects Caelum not just to his family, but to himself. Every family has secrets, but somehow we find out what's always been hiding in the recesses of our DNA, the one key that unlocks not just who we are, but why.
The author, as well as Caelum, his protagonist, share 25 years of teaching experience. I've been there and done that too, so the story became familiar in ways that other readers may not accept as readily or understand in the same way as I. I've taught many classes aboard a military base, as well as many other classes with both military and military-affiliated students, which brings a response to parts of the novel that others may read less subjectively than I read them. I've lived with school violence, with the withdrawal of students who dare anyone to reach them, much less to teach them. I've shared the frustration of trying to conduct a lesson on a reading assignment no one has read -- or intends to read, of responding to essays that lack substance because the student does not want to engage in the educational process, just endure it, and of giving quizzes and tests that few, if any, students will pass.
I've had the experience of overload, when I wonder not just what I am doing, but why I am continuing to do it because no matter how much I care, no one else does.
Nothing ever changes, Janis had said. It did, though. We lived, lulled, on the fault line of chaos. Change could come explosively, and out of nowhere (570).
This is story that changes a reader's life, an epic story, an important story, a worthwhile story that I recommend without hesitation or reservation. It'll take time and it'll take effort, but it's worth both.
Payback's a Bitch
Perez Hilton is a mean, whiney bitch who, unfortunately, caught on with the "hip" crowd, whatever they call themselves these days, and started not just to believe his own bullshit, but to live it. He began his career in his bedroom, writing an on-line blog that he filled with what he calls gossip, but what used to be known as pure conjecture and complete fabrication. But, he made people laugh because he's such a parody of himself, and once he caught on, he made a lot of money, which these days is all it takes to open doors to people, places, and opportunity, including being asked to judge the Miss America Pageant.
It was inexcusable what he did at the Miss America pageant because he did it to further his own agenda, not to enhance the pageant. Confronting unsuspecting people with his kamikazee gay attacks is great fun for him, as he giggles and prances about in front of the cameras -- and then posts his blathering to his blog, where it becomes THE WORD. He's actually known for doing this sort of thing in his campaign to make the world a much gayer place to live, and I guess he's found a way to extend his own 15 minutes of notoriety in a society that is afraid to stand up for what it believes.
Well, hee-hee-hee: one of his latest victims punched him out, fed up with this pathetic excuse for a Holyworld celebrity wannabe spreading his gay message far and wide at the expense of his unsuspecting, exposed victims. Perez crying on his video blog, sobbing out his side of the story, detailing the punch and the blood from the really tiny superficial raspberry on his face. Oh, poor Perez: how awful it must have been! I know, you have lost all respect for the Black-eyed Peas, haven't you? How could THEY do this to YOU?
Perhaps the question you should have been asking a long time ago is how can YOU do this to THEM?
It was fun to see the other side of the story side-by-side on the TV last night and to hear that the person being accused of throwing the punch didn't do it. Of course, the story would not be nearly as BIG if Perez admitted that it was the bodyguard who did it, would it? Oh, well, if the story the way it is doesn't play to the media, change it!
I'm tired of all these totally young wannabee's taking air time to show us how they party, how they play, how they spend money, how they manipulate the system to become media stars. I'm tired of being gay being a lifestyle that is fun, fun, fun -- and everyone should want to be gay, too. I'm tired of the 'tweens and twentysomethings deciding my lifestyle! I don't approve of what goes on, but no one cares. For those of us who do speak up, we're told that we're on our way out, so no one is going to listen to us. My mother used to say that you cannot put an old head onto young shoulders, but people forget the wisdom of those of us who have already been there/done that and worn out the t-shirt.
It isn't what you have: it's who you are. It isn't what you do when people are looking, but what you do when they aren't that tells me who you are. Perez Hilton: your 15 minutes are just about up, and I doubt there's much there to work with to keep you going when the clock runs out.
It was inexcusable what he did at the Miss America pageant because he did it to further his own agenda, not to enhance the pageant. Confronting unsuspecting people with his kamikazee gay attacks is great fun for him, as he giggles and prances about in front of the cameras -- and then posts his blathering to his blog, where it becomes THE WORD. He's actually known for doing this sort of thing in his campaign to make the world a much gayer place to live, and I guess he's found a way to extend his own 15 minutes of notoriety in a society that is afraid to stand up for what it believes.
Well, hee-hee-hee: one of his latest victims punched him out, fed up with this pathetic excuse for a Holyworld celebrity wannabe spreading his gay message far and wide at the expense of his unsuspecting, exposed victims. Perez crying on his video blog, sobbing out his side of the story, detailing the punch and the blood from the really tiny superficial raspberry on his face. Oh, poor Perez: how awful it must have been! I know, you have lost all respect for the Black-eyed Peas, haven't you? How could THEY do this to YOU?
Perhaps the question you should have been asking a long time ago is how can YOU do this to THEM?
It was fun to see the other side of the story side-by-side on the TV last night and to hear that the person being accused of throwing the punch didn't do it. Of course, the story would not be nearly as BIG if Perez admitted that it was the bodyguard who did it, would it? Oh, well, if the story the way it is doesn't play to the media, change it!
I'm tired of all these totally young wannabee's taking air time to show us how they party, how they play, how they spend money, how they manipulate the system to become media stars. I'm tired of being gay being a lifestyle that is fun, fun, fun -- and everyone should want to be gay, too. I'm tired of the 'tweens and twentysomethings deciding my lifestyle! I don't approve of what goes on, but no one cares. For those of us who do speak up, we're told that we're on our way out, so no one is going to listen to us. My mother used to say that you cannot put an old head onto young shoulders, but people forget the wisdom of those of us who have already been there/done that and worn out the t-shirt.
It isn't what you have: it's who you are. It isn't what you do when people are looking, but what you do when they aren't that tells me who you are. Perez Hilton: your 15 minutes are just about up, and I doubt there's much there to work with to keep you going when the clock runs out.
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