The Top Ten Things I Learned from Mister RogersWritten by Susan Dunn, M.A.
Please feel free to distribute and reprint as long as bio line is included intact.Mister Rogers makes everyone feel special and valued, and he's one of my heroes. 1. You can never go down, never go down, never go down drain. When life can involve divorce, layoffs, losing a child, moving 2 weeks before your baby's due and you have a toddler and a dog with a new litter of puppies, working full-time and being a single-parent, or starting a new career at 55, it's good to know you can never go down drain! 2. You can stop when you want to, stop when you wishEver say to yourself -- stop madness? Mister Rogers reminds us that we can stop when we want to. Make carousel slow down so you can enjoy ride. You're in control. Stop roller coaster and get off. End a relationship that isn't working. Change a career when passion's gone. Eliminate tolerations in your life! You can stop when you want to, stop when you wish. 3. It's great to be able to stop when you've planned a thing that's wrong and to be able to do something else instead. Problem-solving! When you're working at a problem and answer isn't forthcoming, try something new. The solution isn't doubling your efforts at a failing proposition. If you're having same things happen over and over again in your relationships, stop what you're doing and do something else. Try something new! If you keep doing' what you've been doin', you're gonna keep gettin' what you been gettin'. 4. There's something deep inside that helps us become what we can. Develop your intuition and pay attention to what it tells you. It's best guide to what's best for you and what will work for you. Listen to that still, small voice inside and let it be your guide ... it's an EQ competency. 5. When whole wide world seems oh so wrong and nothing you do seems very right, you can punch a bag, pound some clay or some dough, or round up friends for a game of tag or see how fast you can go. Change what you can, and those things you can't ... go chop some wood, or take a bike ride, or call your coach and talk feelings out. You might as well learn to manage those feelings constructively now, because stakes are just going to get higher in life, so feelings will too. It's a lifelong mission changing what you can, and finding some play-doh when you can't!
| | Why is Media Bias an Issue?Written by Bernie Day
Most of us have grown up in a society where we felt fortunate to live in a democracy where free speech was one of our basic rights. We also believed that "news" was delivered to us in a factual manner - with both sides of any story equally represented. In theory, it is supposed to work this way. But, when news articles are measured for bias utilizing an objective process, one discovers that there is an agenda underlying much of news Americans are subjected to and programmed by, each day. In defense of news media there is a rational behind changing face of news content. Given that average American wants to be entertained and time and attention available to commit to news stories, press has shaped its focus to deliver content in an entertaining and "byte-driven" format. As a result, news stories are designed to ignite an emotive response to GRAB attention. Often, this attempt is misleading. The use of words to imply suspicion, controversy and/or fear, elevate public interest. This is seen as good media presentation because it gets viewers to pay attention. The benefit of increasing mass media distribution is, of course, an increase in advertising revenue. Therefore, rational behind a changed format of news content has been shaped by public-at-large, through a demonstrated increase in its interest to consume sensational news. It is probably understood by most that news media is doing just this and may dismiss media bias claims as a result. But with a closer look, one can see that media bias reaches far deeper, effecting psyche of reading/viewing public - because it's so subtle. The sensational depiction of events is overt and thereby acceptable by most of society. But covert misrepresentation of facts, either by omission or slanted, are not perceived. It is as if facts are cloaked. Therefore Media Research Center of Alaska has committed itself to uncovering these subtle, covert, misrepresentations so that a reader is well-informed about REAL story. To begin discussion then, of less obvious media bias, we need to understand that there are always two sides to every story. As a result, both sides need to be given equal representation and equal weight so that reader can decide for himself/herself what meaning of news is. Even though Media Code of Ethics clearly outlines this as a core value, it is not always adhered to. Additionally, reporters have a difficult time NOT selecting their stories, words and sources independent of their personal views and/or views of their newsroom where their paycheck is earned. Some examples of covert media bias that average news consumer would digest without a thought are: ** Words - selection of words to describe one side, compared to other can slant a reader’s/viewer’s perception. (An example would be, describing one side of abortion issue as Pro-Choice versus Anti-Abortion. To give both words same weight, and not imply some "ethical assessment" by journalist, one would need to describe each as Pro-Abortion and Anti-Abortion, or Pro-Choice and Pro-Life. As you can evaluate for yourself, if a reporter uses "Pro-Choice versus Anti-Abortion terms, he/she has automatically assigned a positive label to those who favor right to choose abortion, while he/she has assigned a negative label to those who want to preserve right to life). Therefore, words to describe any person, event, or entity can quickly shape mind of reader/viewer in a very subtle way.
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