News Anchorwoman’s Passing-Anne Pressly

       Sad news tonight, Anne Pressly, the Little Rock Arkansas news anchorwoman who was found, by her mother, severely beaten this past week in her own home, has died.  Just earlier this week, the reports that we heard on the news, was a little bit more encouraging because some of the swelling, in her brain, was shrinking…and, it was looking as if she would survive; albeit with a long recovery.  She was beaten in the head, face and neck.  I heard someone say that almost every bone in her face was broken. 

       It is hard to imagine that one human being could do such a thing to another.  It is terrible that she will not be able to survive and help find her attacker.  At this point, it is being considered a random attack; others disagree because of the savagery with which she was beaten.  Some say there was too much violence for it to have been a random attack; and because of that…someone who knew her; or felt they knew her, caused this terrible attack. 

       Anne was only 26 years old..but, she had already been making a name for herself on television and more recently in the movies.  She had achieved much success.  She had a small cameo in the new movie, “W”.  Anne was on the morning news show, Daybreak, at the Little Rock affiliate news station KATV.

        Last week on Good Morning America, Anne’s father gave an update on her condition.  He seemed guarded, yet hopeful…all the while, thanking viewers for their thoughts and prayers.  They are a family of faith.  Robin Roberts seemed visibly moved as she expressed the fact that she had only just met Anne recently.  I am sad for the Little Rock community of viewers; for Anne’s family and friends.  I pray that the person is caught who caused her death.

        After the attack, Anne’s purse was discovered missing and someone used one of her credit cards.  I can only hope and pray that there is video of the person who was using the credit card and that it can be traced to the person responsible for this beautiful young woman’s injuries and death.  Please keep her family in prayer at this time of loss.  They will need privacy and healing time and lots of support.

For update see:  https://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/finally-a-named-suspect-in-the-murder-of-anne-pressly/

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Religion Is Dangerous

      Comedian Bill Maher appears to have made it a footnote of his career to openly show his contempt for religion; his comedy routines have had a biting edge to many topics pertaining to faith.  He has now made a movie about that very subject… it is a movie that expresses his thoughts that religious beliefs are dangerous and ridiculous.  The movie which is opening in theaters on Friday is called, Religulous.  Bill Maher hopes to open up conversations where others feel comfortable expressing their disbelief, as well as making the viewers laugh.  I am sure he wouldn’t mind making a buck or two off of the whole enterprise either!

       In my mind, religion is not a laughing matter.  Whenever i have watched Bill Maher perform on television, in years past…i was stunned to hear the barely controlled contempt, whenever he would subject the viewers to his views on religion.  I don’t think anything is so terrible about people having differing viewpoints on the subject of religion…but, i do think it is wrong for someone to mock another for their personal religious beliefs.  I think it comes down to a matter of respect.  At the very least, you can agree to disagree without turning to put downs or insults.

       Out of fairness, Bill Maher did allegedly make an attempt to be an equal opportunity offender to all religions in the movie.  He mocks Christianity, Judaism, and Islam allegedly in the movie.  Other religions would have presumably gotten the same treatment if it had not cost so much to do the additional traveling.  After all, there are many different religions around the world and the world is a very big place.

         I will agree with Bill Maher on one thing…religion can be dangerous for those who mock; or are in some way, regarded as a threat to those who hold radical religious viewpoints.  Religions are made up of many different people.   Those people are a microcosm of all areas of society; and, in each of those areas of humanity, there are people who will brook no difference of viewpoint from their personal value system. 

          Respectful individuals will try to discuss their beliefs with one another when there is a difference of opinion trying to persuade the other person with theological discourse on the subject.    Serious repercussions begin to take shape when you think about someone with a mental illness who feels the need to defend their religion.  In that situation, you could potentially have a recipe for disaster.  There are other individuals who will go to any extreme, including terrorism, to make their religious views known to others.  There are elements in any society, of religious extremism.  One must take care to respect each other’s right to believe differently if that person has hope of being treated with respect themselves…even, their right to not believe at all.

        Quite a few years ago, there was a huge threat directed towards a man named Salman Rushdie.   He is an author that wrote a book that offended some Muslims, called The Satanic Verses in 1988.  Some  protested his book, and there were many threats upon his life because of the content in the book.  He was forced to live in hiding for quite a period of time. 

         In making a film on the subject of mocking multiple religions, i think that Bill Maher has provided an irresponsible and inflammatory situation which could draw radical attention towards his movie.  If and when it causes conflict, then he can stand back as a witness to the “crazy and dangerous” effect of religion upon society.  I wish that Mr. Maher had found a different way to express himself and his viewpoint on religion; instead of, filming a movie which could negatively impact so many people.  It is quite an easy thing to incite people when they feel that their core values are under attack.  It will surprise me greatly if you dont see protests regarding this movie, all over the news.

         I’ve noticed that there are other comedians who often take hostile swipes at things pertaining to religious subjects.  I remember hearing about Kathy Griffen at some awards ceremony or another, saying something to the effect that, Jesus had nothing to do with her success.  Another comedian who comes across as offensive, to me at least, on the subject is Jimmy Kimmel.  I think there is a fine line between love and hate…and religion brings that line into focus.  Part of the dual edged sword of celebrity is that you have a platform to sway public opinion…but you also bear a personal responsibility in what you put out there when you do espouse a certain opinion.

         One has to wonder, where all of the anger and hostility comes from.  I have heard that anger issues are the opposite side of the coin when it comes to comedians…they take their anger and use humor as a tool to get their message across to the audience.  Humor can often take a sour slant on a subject and make it more palatable to the masses because it is put in a way that people find a little easier to listen to.  But, just because something can be made into a punch line, doesn’t mean that it should be.   Anger seems like such a waste of energy.   When you have a talent for making people laugh, it seems that it could be better used for something more positive than spreading hostile rhetoric used to offend others. 

Read Full Post »

Special Needs Groups Boycott Ben Stiller Movie-Tropic Thunder

        Ben Stiller, the talented and funny actor has a new movie coming out; it is called Tropic Thunder.  It is a movie he was instrumental in producing, by doing the writing and directing, among other things.  There is a boycott brewing by special needs advocacy groups because of a movie within the movie.  The movie is supposed to be a mocking satire of actors who will take any movie no matter how over the top or bizarre to make a name for themselves as an actor, without regard for the subject matter. 

         Is this something that is supposed to be funny?  The lower our standards of conduct go…the funnier it is supposed to be…is that the concept?  Instead of getting kudos by the industry for a financial success…there should be a call to accountability; demanded by the American public for standards of decency.  Controvery about the subject matter should not just be just a tool used by public relations departments to garner curiosity that translates to box office rewards; that is my opinion. 

         One of the movies within the movie called, Simple Jack, allegedly mocks and makes fun of people with disabilities.   Meetings with advocacy group leaders were held with Stacey Snider who is a chief executive at Dreamworks…the company that released the film to try to address the concerns about the movie.  The studio has refused to make changes to the movie.  Shame on them!  Their attempts at humor just aren’t funny when the laughs are at the expense of a population of people born with disabilities.  Where is the respect? 

Read Full Post »

Real Life Situation-3 year old Home Alone

        A family from Israel made news over night by leaving their three year old at the airport.  Remember the old movie, Home Alone, where the parents are bustling around trying to catch an airplane with all of their children and belongings?  Well, this case seems to mimic the movie to a degree.

         The family was running behind trying to catch a plane to Paris for a vacation.  The parents and their five children were hustling, they made it…well, most of them anyway.   Eighteen pieces of luggage and four of the five children boarded with the parents; the fifth child was left behind without the parents realizing it.  She had to be full of fear.  A little over half of an hour into their flight they were informed by an airline employee that they left their three year old daughter at the Ben Gurion airport in Israel. 

         I can’t begin to imagine the terror of that.  Anytime i leave home for an extended period of time…i torture myself going over the thousands of things that i imagine that  have been forgotten!  Their daughter was found by a policeman; but, it was too late…the parents and siblings had left on the plane.

       The family reunited when an airline employee and the child took another plane to Paris.  No doubt that when they return the family members will be questioned about the incident…they could even face charges of neglect or abandonment. As long as it was an accident and not a purposeful child endangerment; hopefully, further trauma will be avoided by not pressing charges. Thank God the child is safe.  I would imagine that when they fly home they will have some sort of safety, buddy system procedure in place to prevent another terribly scary incident.

Read Full Post »

The Joker Isn’t Funny

          I don’t know about any of you…but, the pictures of Heath Ledger as The Dark Knight creep me out.  I remember the days of the old Batman series and the joker was funny and mischievous.  With the release date of July 18th, The Dark Knight, which is the latest release in the trail of Batman movies…I feel a bit disturbed.

Read Full Post »

Bathing Beauties

        Our two new pups became bathing beauties today.  They did not appreciate the experience!  LOL  Evidently (they are only 6 weeks old), they have had the pleasure of a bath before because, they started whinning as soon as they saw the tub of water.

         They are adorable black lab mixed dogs.  By nature they should love water.   The pups then thought it was a house of torture to be toweled; and then fluffed with the hair dryer on the lowest setting.  Their hair just shines now.  Such pretty babies they are.

          It was absolutely entertaining watching them then, put their heads down and push their shoulders and whatever other body parts they could along on the carpet and the edge of the couch in an attempt to dry off more and get comfortable again.

           The kids loved being their heros after the experience by cuddling and laughing at them as they snuggled in for comfort.

           I can’t say much for the smell of wet dog except to say that on the kids movie, Monster’s Inc, when they talk about putting on stinky under arm “orderant” called wet dog everyone knows exactly the smell they are talking about.  Not very pleasant…good thing they are absolutely cute puppies!

          It is too bad puppies can’t stay so adorable as they age.  They will have their own adorability as they age but there is nothing like a baby puppy to entertain and warm your heart with their antics!

Read Full Post »