Keep Your Kids from Stealing

My mother forwarded me a series of photographs which shows what one woman had her son do as a punishment for stealing. The mother wrote on a sign “Hi I'm 13 years old. I steal I want to go to prison to be with my Daddy!" The woman took a lawn chair and sat while her son stood on the street sharing his sin with the world. I know if my mom had me do something like that I wouldn't steal again! I shared the e-mail with several friends and everyone had very different opinions about the situation. Some people were horrified that a mother would make her son publically humiliate himself, others though his mom did something positive for him by embarrassing him openly. It's truly a case of tough love I think, I don't know if I would be able to make my child do that. I'm sure he didn't enjoy the experience; if it kept him from stealing in the future I think his mom did something good for him.

Why Should We All Have an Idea Blog?

In class we have gone over the reasons why each and every one of us should have an idea blog, but I found a real story which shows a practical reason for keeping a blog.
Student James Karl Buck helped free himself from an Egyptian jail with a one-word blog post from his cell phone. Buck was covering an anti-government protest in Egypt when he and his translator were arrested. Using his cell phone Bunk updated his status on his blog simply typing "arrested." Because of his blog Bunk was able to get out of jail with the help from his friends on the outside. Buck's translator unfortunately had no cell phone or blog to contact his family with. Buck tried to get help for his translator but the two were separated. The government is saying his translator was released from jail on the 13th of April; sadly his family has heard no word from him and believes he is still in jail somewhere.
It's a bitter sweet tale for Buck his blog saved him, but could not save his friend and translator. If this story does not show the creative reasons for keeping a blog I think it shows the practical.

Interesting Opinion

I just finished reading Mark Barden's new AdAge article "Be a 'David' and do More with Less" and it is interesting . The article says that economic uncertainty should make marketers challenge other products and brands. Here where some suggestions. Instead of cutting advertising costs try cheap new media forms, like method soap creating an ad on its product instead of elsewhere. Start a fight, like Miller did when it called Bud tasteless. Take advertising personally, by grabbing hold of peoples personal beliefs you can do a lot you can challenge people.
I thought this was interesting because with all the ad clutter and the recession it is harder to sell products. If you challenge someone (at least in America) they often pick up the challenge. If you tell an American they aren't doing something like Nike "just do it" they take the challenge and DO something. I had never thought of advertising as being challenging outside of comparative ads really, but it makes a lot of sense. These tactics may not work in other places in the world but Barden has a good point, at least in many categories. I mean even Kleenex kind of picked up this mentality by having people crying on couches being interviewed (you don't cry enough). Just and Interesting article that made me think a little.

Know How People Tell You To Get A Plant First....

Ever heard someone say you should be able to have a plant and keep it alive before you get a pet, relationship, do something drastic? I can't!
I have tried to keep multiple plants alive and it is impossible! It isn't that I forget to water them, or even that I water them too much. I have sun in my place, TONS of it. It's a stable temperature inside, and when it's warm enough I take the plants outside. My plants will live for about 6 weeks; they will seem in perfect shape. Then I will wake up one day and they will be dead. I have NO clue why this happens or how!
I am glad I have not taken the advice to heart I have two cats ages 1 and 2 and they have been alive and healthy the whole time I have owned them. Last summer I worked as a full time nanny for an infant and she is alive and well too. I think this saying makes sense for someone who forgets to brush their own teeth or can't get up on time maybe. But I am a put together person, and I can't keep plants alive!
I would be more likely to agree to watch someone’s baby for a month than water their plants for 2 weeks because I know I would kill the poor plant. It's funny how that works. Maybe I need more to do with something than just watering it and making sure it has proper light? Who knows I am just saying that phrase should probably be tossed out!

Dining in the Sky!

Above are two pictures of a new Austrian restaurant in the sky. You are strapped into your seat and a crane lifts you up to the sky where your meal is prepared by two world class chefs who then serve you as you look down on the city. This is no cheap meal the cost for a group to go up for 3 hours about $15,000.
I don’t know how I would feel up there eating it would be pretty cool, but then again kinda terrifying! I once you're up I don't think you have a chance to get down until dinner is over, make sure you potty before going up...

Keeping You Safe?

The Japanese have come out with yet another little device to keep you safe and healthy, nostril filters! The supposedly keep you from inhaling smog, allergens, dust, and other nasty stuff. The package costs about $15 for a pack of 8. They are the discreet alternative to wearing a facial mask. Although if you were sick in Japan it would be rude for you not to wear your mask. I have no idea how well they work, and would love a little more info about the, but I sadly cannot read Japanese. I would worry about one breaking off its little plastic stem and getting logged in my nose personally. I would imagine it would be quite embarrassing to have to explain that you got something stuck up your nose to a doctor once over the age of 6. If anyone out there is really paranoid about breathing in germs these may be the perfect solution for you!

Fibonacci Exercise

Here is a creative writing exercise I did using a Fibonacci Sequence. You arrive at the Fibonacci Sequence through a method of adding the previous two terms. Starting with 1, and adding the two previous terms to get each successive term, we end up with a sequence that looks like this: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55,... Each new part in the writing exercise has the number of sentences dictated by the sequence. Another twist is I had to use 6 random words throughout the words were ' trollop' 'dancing' 'lights fantastic' 'card' 'fatigue' and 'gaunt'

Why not sad trolop, your days are not through.
Keep dancing the way you always have. Though haggard from the years there is still more in store for you.
Your feet have not yet tired. Only a harlot could trip the lights fantastic the way you do. Your soles still shuffle as quickly as a deck of cards. Prance about from one man to the next, who can tell you it's not right?
Body worn and joints aching, you can still fool most. Though scraggly and gaunt the blush has not yet faded from your cheeks. Your step is that of a young bar-girl. A doctorate in the oldest profession is what you have my dear. You are still making money, and you know what that means.
You've still got it! You can still find a man who pays for the night. So why not smile and move your feet a little lighter as you wander the bar. Though fatigued by the years, no one has to know. Just keep dancing. A hustler to the end is what you are. Worry not the end is not near. So find a handsome Lance, one you're sure to please.
Wink at the man as he takes your hand. Remember to smile and flatter. Skip around a little bit before you give him what he's after. Take him upstairs and give him a dance only a professional could. Let him shuffle you for as long as he pays, then let him go. Be proud of yourself for your wonton work, and prepare for the next. Cruise the room, chat some more, have another drink. You still have years to go. Many more years of haggard dancing. Though your profession deemed the lowest, sigh not. For you sweet trollop do it well. So rejoice in work well done. And remember to keep dancing!