When they speak, we listen.

I believe that when the general authorities speak, we have the choice to listen. When it comes to me and my choice, I choose to do what my Father in Heaven wants for me. Here are some articles given by the brethren about the media and the influence it can make and the choices we can make.

Brad J. Bushman talks about violence in the media in the article "It's Only Violence"

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=590b74536cf0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

This article has no one named author but was published in the 1987 Ensign, "Helping Children Understand the Media's influence"

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=032067700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Joe J. Christensen talks about raising a family in a troubled environment in, "Rearing Children in a Polluted Environment"

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=fec9425e0848b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

The Young Men and Young Women manuals even have lessons about the media and its influence. "Avoiding Degrading Media Influences" in the Young Women's Manual 1

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=7a5ecb7a29c20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=d6371b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

and "Avoiding Degrading Media Influences" in the Aaronic Priesthood Manual 2
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=344c97a7c1d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=ba805f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

One of my favorite is the CES Fireside's by Elder Bednar that he gave here on campus. "Things as they really are."

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html

Books I want to read

If I am going to read about the mass media, I am going to read about something else I am interested in, politics.

Bill O'Reilly - Culture Warrior

Glenn Beck - Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspirited by Thomas Paine

Leslie Savan - Slam Dunks and No-Brainers: Language in Your Life, Media, Business, Politics, and, Like, Whatever

Bernard Goldberg - A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (and Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media

David Brock - The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How it Corrupts Democracy

Glenn Beck - An Unlikely Mormon: The Conversion Story of Glenn Beck

Article 13 - 4th Century old Christian Bible

Fourth-century Christian Bible now available online to the public


The fourth-century manuscript of the Christian Bible, the Codex Sinaiticus, was made available online to the public on Monday. It contains the earliest complete copy of the New Testament. However, due to damage and lost pages, it contains half of the Greek translation of the Old Testament, Septuagint. There are other books within the codex that are not part of the traditional Bible, Epistle of Barbabas and the Shepherd of Hermas, available to the public. Professor of Ancient Scripture at BYU said that the inclusion of the additional books that are not in our current Bible demonstrates that early Christians did not have a closed canon. Some Christians felt they were important to keep, but later Christians did not think they were authentic and did not, therefore, include them in their canons. No other early manuscript has been extensively corrected, by way of alteration of a single letter to the insertion of whole sentences, than has this one.

News from the Scroll page 9. July 14, 2009

Media observation 26 - New way to interact with computers

So I just watched a video about PC's and Microsoft's new way of interacting with it. Their saying is, It happens with the flick of the wrist. There will be a built in "Natal Camera" that will see the actions of you, and your wrist, and do just precisely that! The report said that Microsoft and X-Box manufacturers are working together to make the users of PC and X-Box consumers able to use the exciting and new technology available by Fall 2010. This is going to have a huge impact on laptop users. I think it may also have a bad impact on the social community. Making them even more lazy and apt to sit and just move their wrist to do things. However, it may make things faster and quicker for businesses and everyday life.

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-63/1334841

Media observation 25 - Walter Cronkite

My dad is a huge space fan. He grew up with astronaut pictures on his wall. Every year we go to Florida we always go to the Kennedy Space Center and never get tired of learning and seeing everything that has to do space shuttles, the International Space Station, and of course, astronauts. In fact, there was one opportunity that my dad had that I now regret not being there for. He got to meet and talk with Jim Lovell - the pilot of Apollo 13. (He has got to be one of my distant relatives, but I am not positive.) Which brings me to my connecting point, the one way i remember Walter Cronkite is from his broadcast of the 1969 moon landing. That is very emotional and very real for my dad and has therefore made it even more important and more special to me whenever I get to see reruns. I love Cronkite's voice and the way he puts his broadcasts together. I think he is like Don LaFontaine. Very extraordinary in their work and very important characters in the media business.

Article 12 - Walter Cronkite

Cronkite: Peerless anchor when TV news came of age

Cronkite did more than just live the life of an anchorman, he invented and embodied it. As a communicator, he was authoritative yet companionable. He was a man the public understood and believed. He had printer's ink in his veins and a wire-service background. He joined CBS' Washington bureau in 1950 and hosted the nightly TV newscast on a local station. By 1962, he was told that he would be anchoring the network's prized evening newscast - "CBS News with Walter Cronkite." His 19-year stretch of evening news anchor framed a crucial era in the nation's history. It was also a pivotal era in TV news. Cronkite retired in 1981. It was only three weeks later when President Reagan was the victim of an attempted assassination. It was then that "I realized right away I'd made a mistake...I shouldn't have gotten off that desk!" Nevertheless, Cronkite could never disappear from the airwaves, reaming a trusted source of information for another quarter century.

Cronkite was Uncle Walter. To newscasters and to the world. In this article, author Frazier Moore tells this experience. But then something happened on an even more telling level. As we shared coversation and morning coffee, Cronkite, inn mid-sentence, rose from his chair and stepped across to his desk, where, from a drawer, he fetched a Bic pen. His coffee needed stirring and with no spoon available, he knew a simple ball point pen would get the job doe. Then, satisfied with his coffee, he returned to his chair and gave the sweet roll he was having for breakfast a good dunking. In the no-nonsense company of Cronkite, known as the most trusted ma in America, I felt my trust i him go up another notch.

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/article/tv-news.en.ap.org/tv-news.en.ap.org-20090718-us_cronkite_tribute

Article 11 - Blockbuster

Blockbuster Fires Back at Netflix with Samsung Deal

Blockbuster announced on the 14th of July a deal with Samsung Electronics to bring on-demand content to home theaters. They joined to give consumers access to Blockbuster's library of digital entertainment on new and select Samsung HDtv's, home theater systems, and Blu-ray interfaces. Chairman of Blockbuster said the agreement carries the video-rental one step forward. The Blockbuster OnDemand service offers features that will be attractive to home-theater users. It eliminates viewing information on a PC, users will be able to do an on-screen search with browsing capabilities, full details, ratings, trailers and other information. Once you push play, the movie begins instantly without interruptions. This merger cam about because Samsung is constantly seeking ways to provide greater value to their customers. They plan on having the Blockbuster OnDemand service into Samsung Blu-ray Disc players and HDTv's this fall.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20090714/bs_nf/67769/print

Article 10 - China's new policy on Internet filters: shielding or censorship?

Chinese policy will require PC makers to provide a government mandated Green Dam - Youth Escort Internet pornography filter on all PC computers. It will go into effect July 1. PC makers are either required to preinstall software or provide it on CD withe purchase of new computers. The purpose is for "Shielding and filtering the Internet." The U.S. argues against the Chinese ministry to revoke the new filter policy, claiming that China is putting companies in an untenable position. University of Michigan conducted an analysis of the program and came to the conclusion that when Green Dam is installed, any Web site the user visits can exploit these programming problems to take control of the computer. This could allow malicious sites to steal private data, send spam or enlist the computer in a botnet.

News from the Scroll, June 30, 2009

Article 9 - Latter - day Saint Use of Media

In December of 2007, Elder Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints, challenged graduating students of BYU - Hawaii to let their voices be heard by proclaiming the gospel through the use of media. This challenge was reiterated in the July 2008 Ensign. Since then, members have heeded that call. Far too many people have a poor understanding of the Church because most of the information they hear about the Church is from news media reports that are driven by controversies. With the use of social networks expanding worldwide, thousand of Church member's have joined online groups dedicated to expanding gospel knowledge and "letting their voice be heard." The Church's Public Affairs department maintain the YouTube channel messages that features 40 videos and 16,000 subscribers. Later - day Saints have also made a strong impact on the popular social network Facebook. Starting in 2007, the Provo MTC began the "Task a Question" like on the Church's information Web site, www.mormon.org. Those seeking to learn about the Church can speak directly with missionaries through the chat room.

News form the Scroll, June 30, 2009

Media observation 24 - Different sort of Entertainment

I had the great opportunity to attend a different sort of entertainment last night. I drove the long and windy road to West Yellowstone to attend a Playmill production. It was super fantastic. I had only been up there once before last year to watch Oklahoma! This year we got to see Footloose. It was interesting because, I had never personally seen or read any of the story, so I didn't know what was going on or what was supposed to, however some of my family that had, said there were definitely some differences. They added some songs to it that weren't part of the original movie and the clothing and jokes that they wore were both crazy 70's and then very much of what someone would wear today. I found it very humorous how they incorporated that into this older show. It was very amusing and very touching. The actors were awesome! I bet that it took quite a while to learn and practice everything. A lot different than movie films and product ins.

Media observation 23 - books, books, books

For some reason, I seem to be on a book fringe. I think that it is due to my lack of reading books for my own entertainment and having to read textbooks all the time. Nevertheless, my observation come from what we talk about in class about textbooks and trade books. I now know why when I go to the bookstore and get my stack of books and over $500 for them, it is because less people are buying the fun books. Trade books only make it because textbooks are paying for them. That is why the prices are so high! So when I go back to the bookstore to sell my textbook, I am going to take some of that money and buy a trade book of some sort. I am going to try and do some sort of part in my life entertain my mind, my children, and give the textbook industry a reason to not jack their prices so high. It may not be as successful as I hope, but I know that I can at least try.

Media observation 22 - Gum

It is amazing to think that the sky is the limit when it comes to writing books. Who would have thought that some would write a complete history on the invention of gum? I would have thought about writing a three to five page paper on it for English, but never a book. However, anything is possible and anything works when we live in the world we do. The book talks about the $19 billion industry and how it is not an accepted practice everywhere. In fact, it is a crime in some cities and in the 15th century Meso-America, it was a sign of prostitutes. It describes the whereabouts and the reasons and how they came to be sugared and flavored.

Seriously, who would have ever thought that something o baosic would catch the mind of an author and thus cause the creation of a book. A book that's whole purpose is to describe the life of, gum.

Media observation 21 - Harry Potter

I am actually not as into seeing this movie as I thought I would be. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that I was so excited for the new Transformers and was slightly put down about it. I just don't know. However, I know I will see it but I feel like I can wait to see it because of many things. First, as much as I love the Harry Potter books and the fantasy and imagination that they give to whomever is reading, the books keep getting darker and darker. Even in a review I read on Yahoo, people claim this book to be darker. Secondly, the movie doesn't quite follow the book like it should. The director defended his reasoning in saying that certain parts didn't fit the mood of the movie and will perhaps be apart of the next movie. Nevertheless, it is still sad and slightly depressing to expect something and not get it. Lastly, movie theaters are just so darn expensive these days. Soon, we will be paying to get into a theater the same price it is to buy a movie!

Media observation 20 - Books

I believe it sad to see the book breed dieing. Even as I go to the library to do homework, I hardly ever see someone filing through the bookshelves to get themselves a book. Instead, I see rows and rows of computers and students completing their work via technology and the Internet. As guilty as I am do doing the aforementioned, I believe that we all have a responsibility to pick up a few more books and watch a little less television. Our minds, our imagination will not have the opportunity to grow if we don't give it the chance to. Our children will not learn how to simulate their minds if we are always putting them in front of a movie. Sure, some kids may learn how to sign by watching a repetitive move, but wouldn't it be so much more rewarding to have your child want to come to you to slay dragons or have a tea party or to build a tree house? I believe that a book can do so much more for an individual than a black, empty box can or ever will do.

Media observation 19 - Ethics

I was floored by the comment made in class today about the New York Times and the reporting of kidnappings. They were able to get the cooperation of other news corporations to not report of their kidnapped reporter, because they believe that it was for his safety. However, if someone were to confront the New York Times to not report on the whereabouts of their family member, they would just say that it was their job to do it. I don't understand the hypocrisy. Why, if they ask others to do it for them, when approached to do it themselves, blatantly exclaim - no!

In one of my other classes, I came to realize and question myself. When do I stop saying it's OK? When do I start to make a fuss and do something about what is going on. For instance, why is it that the minority always gets what they want? Why do our children have to go to school and be educated about families with two mommies? Why are they reading stories to our children where a prince falls in love with a prince and lives happily ever after? Why are we so concerned with making everybody happy? I wonder, does the media feel the same way? Or do they not? Do they make everyone feel good so that they will sell more? Or do they stick to their guns and do what they believe to be morally OK?

Media observation 18 - Me and the news

I never really realized the different sort of views I would take as an adult. I always wondered why adults just had to listen to the AM radio when my favorite song was being played on the FM. Why they were so interested in the news and not "The Little Mermaid." But now that I am a little more sophisticated wink, wink, I find myself wanting to know about the world around me. Sure it seems that 75% of what I hear is sad and depressing, nevertheless, I want to know what is happening around me. I actually want to and enjoy listening to NPR on my morning commute to school. I actually want to pick up the Scroll and read the international news. I get rather annoyed when all I can find in the news is a celebrities favorite vacation spot and their next lover. I want to know about the good and the bad, but not about the "popular." It surprises even myself to think that I have come to this state in my life. I hope to enjoy the news a little more. Like learning to enjoy spinach, broccoli, and nuts. Something that you just learn to love.

Media Observation 17 - Women in the media

I know I have been kind of on this women in the media being, but it is kind of a big deal for me, because well, I am a women, and am consumed by the media daily, almost hourly! I just got out of a class where we talked about pregnancy and women. How it affects them, what it does hormonal wise and how it affects the father. One thing that kind of got brought forward was this thing about the weight that women gain. It is absolutely healthy for women to gain weight as they are pregnant. Now you can gain not enough and you can gain too much, but there is a healthy medium and I think that too many women believe that any weight added on will only make them look even more fat and more disgusting. NOT TRUE! My grandpa told me that a women has this aura about her when she is pregnant, sure she might be throwing up every other day and sleeping the other half of the day, but all in all she is genuinely happy to be carrying and feeling this baby grow inside of her. I wish that instead of focusing on the woes of gaining that extra 25-30 pounds, that they would focus on the 25-30% happiness the mother is gaining by having this opportunity. How much better they might feel about themselves or all the characteristics and talents they are learning and gaining.

But I guess I have to be a realist and just accept the fact that if everything were rainbows and roses, then journalists wouldn't have a job.

Media observation 16 - Hannah/Miley

As fun and cute as Miley is, I wonder how challenging her life has become. When we talked about the law and the freedoms journalists have to write about, I also thought about celebrities, and the freedoms they "lose" when they become public figures. Sure, Miley might have had it kind of rough because she is Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter, but after she become popular as Hannah Montana, and then as Miley Cyrus, and then she chose to make some adult decisions that, I believe affected her audience, and she tries to come back as a more mature Hannah. I just wonder if she is like that in real life. When her show first started, she seemed so innocent and so clean. I, even as a young adult loved to tune into the Disney Channel. After her photo op, I just didn't know what to think. And now, after she releases more music, puts out a movie and to me, makes some amends to the world, is she finally going to live a more sophisticated life? Or is she going to keep living the double life that you see every day on the Disney Channel.

Media observation 15, Diet Pepsi

I heard this advertisement on the radio today that kind of flustered me. It was a monologue from Diet Pepsi, comparing women to it. Its punch line was that Diet Pepsi is "refreshingly perfect, like us." Not that I don't like to think of myself as close to perfect, ha ha, I know that I am not, but for people to say that we are is too much. When people say that women, especially women, are perfect, it makes women degrade themselves even more to say that they aren't good enough as they are and make themselves work harder to be skinnier, more appealing, and more depressed and hard on themselves. I do not like the comparison and I hope that most women do not take it that way.

Article 8, Cyber hijacks

Coordinated attacks to U.S. and South Korea websites are only "a harbinger of things to come." On Sunday, The Washington Post and U.S. State Department websites have periodically gone offline because a string of hijackers have uploaded electronic messages, thus making it impossible to get to the sites pages. The White House home page withstood the attacks and most pages have recovered. Department of Homeland Security said that they see attacks on federal websites everyday, downplaying it. Nevertheless, the president sees it as a priority. Experts say it was not a major strike, where thousands, not millions of computers made it impossible for people to access the homepages.

Head of Homeland Security said it is easier to pull of such hijackings. Nevertheless, it is extremely difficult to tell where these attacks come from. Furthermore, the acts aren't considered strong enough to be an act of war.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106396262

Article 7, Google OS

Google is going up against Microsoft in a daring attempt to diminish Microsoft corps. longstanding control over computers. The new operating system will be based off of Google's nine-month-old web browser, Chrome. Google is planning on relying on help from the community of open-source programmers. The OS system is planning on being run on computers in the second half of 2010. The operating system is being primarily made for netbooks, low cost notebooks made primarily surfing the web. Andraid, an OS for smart phones and other mobile devices has already been introduced and is being put into some computers already. Microsoft has been giving its internet searches and advertisements a facelift, in hoping that it will stay strong. It has also had positive and winning reviews with its latest search engine, Bing.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106384137

Media observation - 14 Jon Schmidt/Taylor Swift/Coldplay

I cannot believe how much music can do for the mind, the body and the soul. On Sunday, when you sing a hymn you are more often then not, moved and touched by the Spirit that is brought into the room. When we participate in singing our national anthem, we are moved in a different way, moved in a way that we remember the freedoms that we have and the love that we have for the this country and all that we are blessed with. However, when you see a music video, like the one performed by Jon Schmidt, you are moved in a different way. You come to recognize the passion someone has for their song. You are moved by the beauty and majesty of the music being played by only a handful of instruments and I believe, inspired to want to try and accomplish something as beautiful and as majestic as it. It is pretty amazing that all of this can be observed because it is mad available to the public through YouTube, a major mass media. I recommend watching it.

To listen, visit this site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3d6SFcDys

Media observation 13 - Taylor Swift

I love the way Taylor writes and presents her music. It is just a little different from everybody else and just has such a good, down to earth story to it. As I was listening to the radio, yes I may be an outdated millennial who doesn't spend their day with earphones plugged into her ears, the DJ was happy and almost confused to announce that Taylor is going to take a world tour next year. She is ready for the world! It baffles me, that someone as young as she has come so far so fast. However, with the help and promotion of her music on the radio, iTunes, television, online radio stations and other sorts of media have made her career go from zero to superhero in a matter of a few years!

Media Observation 12 - media and Politics

As I was perusing the news, I discovered that Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska is resigning her governorship at the end of the month. Next in the article was the fact that Palin may be stepping down because she wants to get a head start on the 2012 campaign. What makes this so "blog worthy" is that President Obama just got put into office, six months ago! And yet people are already thinking of who is going to be the next President. In one of the clips that I watched about it, the reporter said that nobody knew who Barack Obama was before the Presidential Campaign, however through the constant coverage of the media, he was made known - and made the President! I believe that those who are beginning to campaign this soon are wanting to get their faces in the media, to get known. To get themselves out into the American public.

Article 6 - Michael Jackson

Jackson spectacle likely a world event

Thousands are expected to turn out for the King of Pop's funeral on Tuesday, in Los Angeles, in addition an enormous media crush. The tribute, earlier this week, drew coverage from all over the world. "This will obviously be a huge media event, and with Web streams of the funeral, it may be impossible to say for sure how many people watched once all is said and done, because there's still no comprehensive way to measure Web viewing," said Toni Fitzgerald, of Media Life, in an e-mail interview.

Only a handful of events have earned this kind of coverage - John F". Kennedy assassination, Apollo 11 moon landing, and Princess Diana funeral. However, it is next to impossible to know exactly how many people will be watching. There will be a private funeral for the family, followed by a massive public memorial service in The Staples center. Although Jackson's death has be known to virtually everyone, only 5 million tuned into any broadcast specials said Fitzgerald, except BET . Over the weekend, it caught 10.7 million people with its Michael Jackson based award show.



http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/03/jackson.spectacle/index.html

Media observation 11 - Neda, the Iranian girl

I have not seen the video, however Neda, the young girl shot dead int the street during Iranian protests has been all over the news. Every time I tune into NPR or any other local news station, you are bound to hear about Neda, and the impact her death has had on the protesting community.

As sad as it is to capture protesting on video, how tragic would it be to capture the death of someone, let alone a young someone, who has so much left in their life. It is crazy to think that someone would even post it on the Internet for the world to see. However, it seems that the effect of this death and the video of it has had an impact on the world. So in a very sad way, the media has opened the eyes of the world to situations worse than theirs, and has prompted some sort of change.

Media observation 10, Transformers 2

My spouse and I were so excited to watch the new Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen. Even returning to Yahoo and watching a trailer still starts to pump my adrenaline, although I have already seen it. What I am so disappointed in though, is myself. There are parts in the movie that were so inappropriate and that should have discouraged me and especially my Spirit, but because I have come to accept some of the ways of the world, that it no longer makes me uncomfortable and want to leave the theater.

As I watched Batman, The Dark Knight I was so uncomfortable. I never had any desire to see it in the first place, but my spouse wanted to so I went for him. However, I had my ears plugged, I was hiding behind him in the theater and just trying to keep myself together when the most brilliant thing happened, I told myself that I could walk out! I didn't have to stay there. And so I did. Why didn't I do this in Transformers 2? I think that because I was so excited about this "great" movie and knew that there had to be some good that came from it I was overlooking and letting myself be OK with the college girl/Decepticon that attempts to do bad things with Sam - and make it look good and OK.

I therefore conclude, that Satan is slowly getting to us, even to those good and uplifting people. Transformers is about good and doing good, but look at what was still portrayed and displayed. Satan is slowly getting into our society and unless we choose to stand against it, we will not be strong enough to resist it when it really comes.

Media observation 9, Movies vs. Television

After completing the 51 themes of fame in class, and recognizing a considerably lot more under the movie section, I started to think about why I would know more movie themes than i would television themes, and what I came up with is rather interesting. How I grew up had a lot to do with it. I do not remember having television until right after 9/11. My parents decided that TV was taking over their family life, so they quite it cold turkey while I was rather young. What I remember from television is what I got as a treat from Grandma's, Gummy Bears, The Smurfs, The Little Rascals at least I think that is what it is called, about the little babies and one of them is named Chuckie and has crazy orange hair and glasses, The Little Mermaid, Shamu, My Little Pony, Ducktales and a few more wholesome, good entertaining cartoons. Nevertheless, what we watched we did as movies.

Once we got TV, it was like digital overload, there was so much that we didn't know what to do. However, we quickly discovered just how dirty the television industry had gotten. We stuck to the Disney channel, History channel, Discovery channel on a every once and a while basis, and the only time we would initially plop ourselves in front of the TV is when Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis came on, that and the Olympics. Therefore, even though we had television we still stuck to our movies. However, it isn't just any kind of movie, they were the good and wholesome ones. My family is still rather young and so we had to make sure that what we were watching was OK if a 3 year old snuck in on us.

I believe that my family standards has very much taken toll in my life now. We do not have any sort of TV network. All we have are movies, and those we find hard to watch. We hit the movie theater every now and again, but to those movies we both agree on seeing. Not to anything that we do not think will demean us. I heard this in one of my classes last week, that people say that the movie was great except for this one little bad part. Well how would we like our brownies if they only had a little bit of cat poop in it?

Something to think about.