Mar 2008
In Which I Read Cedars and Laugh
03/28/08 10:14 PM Filed in: Academia
Tonight, Caitlin and I
sat down to read the highly anticipated and poorly
punctuated Cedars, our on-campus magazine. We flipped
to page twelve to read an article on the upcoming
event, Elliv, which is "one of Cedarville's most
popular events," claims Cedars. And, according to the
turnout and hype inspired by the event, I would have
to agree, even though I have yet to experience it.
Wouldn't you know it, they're changing it this year, much to the dismay of many, myself included. According to Cedars, "[Stephanie] Small [and] the 2008 Elliv committee want to eliminate the idea that the event is simply a popularity contest." Says Small, "We worked really hard to get a show that was for everyman, not just pointing out the popular kids but celebrating the year." In agreement with this, "Some awards have been changed, so instead of voting for the best campus artist or student athlete, students will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece of student artwork or the best athletic achievement."
"Oh, right," I said, turning to Caitlin. "Because God wants us to worship the trees instead of crediting the creator for his accomplishments."
Question. Is there something wrong with saying, "Wow, that was an amazing performance of Another Brick in the Wall. I say we give them Best Live Performance!"? Not to my knowledge. If someone does something truly spectacular, I don't think crediting them for it is a "popularity contest." And, honestly, wouldn't an award for Most Popular Student be a joke on a college campus. We're on a campus of nearly 3,500 students; anyone who sits in the balcony depressed over the fact that John Doe one Most Popular Student instead of themselves needs to be handed a band aid and shoved out of the Chapel.
God gave us all talents, some more than others in different areas. Why stifle them by not acknowledging them? So, instead, let's still have a $45,000 talent show and treat it like a Jr. High softball game; everyone's equal when Jesus is watching! After all, we wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings ...
Wouldn't you know it, they're changing it this year, much to the dismay of many, myself included. According to Cedars, "[Stephanie] Small [and] the 2008 Elliv committee want to eliminate the idea that the event is simply a popularity contest." Says Small, "We worked really hard to get a show that was for everyman, not just pointing out the popular kids but celebrating the year." In agreement with this, "Some awards have been changed, so instead of voting for the best campus artist or student athlete, students will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece of student artwork or the best athletic achievement."
"Oh, right," I said, turning to Caitlin. "Because God wants us to worship the trees instead of crediting the creator for his accomplishments."
Question. Is there something wrong with saying, "Wow, that was an amazing performance of Another Brick in the Wall. I say we give them Best Live Performance!"? Not to my knowledge. If someone does something truly spectacular, I don't think crediting them for it is a "popularity contest." And, honestly, wouldn't an award for Most Popular Student be a joke on a college campus. We're on a campus of nearly 3,500 students; anyone who sits in the balcony depressed over the fact that John Doe one Most Popular Student instead of themselves needs to be handed a band aid and shoved out of the Chapel.
God gave us all talents, some more than others in different areas. Why stifle them by not acknowledging them? So, instead, let's still have a $45,000 talent show and treat it like a Jr. High softball game; everyone's equal when Jesus is watching! After all, we wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings ...
Comments
Does My Implied Right to Privacy Cover Mental Privacy?
03/26/08 04:07 PM Filed in: Technology
| Indiscriminate
The Constitution
doesn't explicitly give Americans a "Right to
Privacy." However, The Courts have upheld the fact
that the right is implied by the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th,
and 9th amendments in the Bill of Rights.
The beautiful thing about privacy being an implicit right, not an explicit right, is that it essentially means you have the right so long as the Judge ruling your case likes you. Let's face it, if he doesn't like you, or disagrees with your case, he's going to say your situation isn't covered by your Right to Privacy Insurance. So the question at hand is, "How much does our Right to Privacy cover?"
Ever seen Minority Report? That movie isn't too far off in some aspects. Let's look at targeted advertising, for example. Engineers have found a way to broadcast hypersonic sound, meaning the audio is broadcast in a focused beam; it can only be heard by the individual standing directly in its path.
A&E has started using hypersonic sound in some places to advertise one of their shows about the paranormal. Interesting, eh? The A&E audio is on a repeat with a female voice whispering, "Who's there?"
While this is a fascinating concept, you have to wonder if the fifth amendment protect you from self-incrimination by your own mind?
We'll be having some interesting Civil Liberties cases in the near future; Paul Root Wolpe of the nonprofit Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics proposes an interesting question with his statement, "If the skull is not an absolute domain of privacy, there are not privacy domains left."
The beautiful thing about privacy being an implicit right, not an explicit right, is that it essentially means you have the right so long as the Judge ruling your case likes you. Let's face it, if he doesn't like you, or disagrees with your case, he's going to say your situation isn't covered by your Right to Privacy Insurance. So the question at hand is, "How much does our Right to Privacy cover?"
Ever seen Minority Report? That movie isn't too far off in some aspects. Let's look at targeted advertising, for example. Engineers have found a way to broadcast hypersonic sound, meaning the audio is broadcast in a focused beam; it can only be heard by the individual standing directly in its path.
A&E has started using hypersonic sound in some places to advertise one of their shows about the paranormal. Interesting, eh? The A&E audio is on a repeat with a female voice whispering, "Who's there?"
While this is a fascinating concept, you have to wonder if the fifth amendment protect you from self-incrimination by your own mind?
We'll be having some interesting Civil Liberties cases in the near future; Paul Root Wolpe of the nonprofit Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics proposes an interesting question with his statement, "If the skull is not an absolute domain of privacy, there are not privacy domains left."