Swine Flu

Until yesterday, I had never heard of 'Swine Flu'..
I came across a national press conference on CNN, about the pandemic, and started getting nervous about what was going on.
According to CNN
"Early Tuesday, the swine flu outbreak in Mexico was suspected in 152 deaths and more than 1,600 illnesses. While authorities wait to verify whether the virus is responsible for all the deaths, the number of confirmed cases is sobering: 19 infected; seven others dead; and thousands flooding hospitals. So far, at least 113 cases have been confirmed worldwide, including 64 in the United States".
This is extreamly frightening to hear, ecspecially since I learned in class today that the media is doing a poor job keeping people informed on what is happening, resulting in spread panic across the GLOBE!
Mexico has closed all schools until at least May 6 to help curb the spread of swine flu and ordered restaurants only to serve takeaway meals, so customers do not congregate. They also have
armed police officers guarding hospitals in Mexico City while roads and schools in the city of 20 million people are deserted. Officials also have talked about shutting down the bus and subway systems.
Check out CNN's link to see how countries are trying to stay safe! http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/swine.flu.preparations/index.html

Fair Trade

This week at Bridgewater State College is Sustainability Week, many of you might know because of classes doing certain projects for a particular event. On tuesday, my Corporate Comm. class participated in a poster session during the Free Trade Fair Trade Coffee event. Today we participated in another poster session discussing Sustainability and Sodexo ( BSC's food provider).Prior to this semester I was unaware of exactly what free/fair trade was and its importance. Why should you care? Well, this is an important issue to become aware of, because us as both students and consumers can make a change and voice our opinions.

Products that are considered 'fair trade' are the ones you want to go with! Fair Trade is an organized social movement, that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a "fair price" as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably we have been focusing on coffee.

I encourage everyone to get involved in promoting fair trade, because you are encouraging helping countries less fortunate than ours, you are also encouraging equal and fair rights to laborers within those countries. If you are interested Dr. Lizie from the Communication Studies department told us today, he will be doing a second semester seminar primarily focusing on this subject next semester. If you're still around BSC, maybe you can check it out!

The Biggest Loser

I am a faithful fan to the reality television show 'The Biggest Loser'. The show, now in its 7th season, is a reality show documenting several contestants who live on the ranch, face weekly challenges, and struggle to lose weight in order to be safe from elimination each week.
One of my favorite parts of the show, is when a contestant is voted off. After they are voted off we are able to see how successful they have been with losing weight on their own at their homes.

The Biggest Loser has come a long way from when it first premiered, and not only is a reality television show, but it touches many lives. The show encourages for people to get fit and live a healthy lifestyle, by joining the Biggest Loser Club online; you can now virtually be apart of the show. The Biggest Loser also established the 'Pound for Pound' challenge. You can go online and pledge how many pounds of weight you will lose, and for every pound of weight you lose, a pound of food will be donated to feed the hungry.

I honestly believe, out of all my reality television show obsessions, this one is truly dedicated to helping those in need.

Microsoft 2019

Has anyone heard of Microsoft's new plan for the future? It is so intense! In their advertisement they are running, they are showing us how much technology will change and we we can certainly look forward to this new world of innovention! The scary thing my friends is, that they are projecting all of this change by the year 2019! 2019, are you serious? That is only ten years from now! I am overcome with excitement! But, I am also nervous..
Microsoft's plans include going wireless, paperless, and such new technology. Their advertisement shows a person reading a newspaper and pressing a button to turn a page! Although this new technology seems so amazing, what is going to happen to the technology we grew up loving? Are they going to put millions of people out of business? Are our own children even going to know what a 'text message' is, or when we mention that will they say 'Geez Mom/Dad that was so in the 2000's?

I've included Microsoft's new 2019 projection video! Please take a look and let me know what you think about it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxVS5nYFnkA

B R I D E Z I L L A OR.....?

'Are you going to be a Bridezilla'? is a question I have been jokingly getting for the past several days when people learn of my engagement. But, the term 'Bridezilla' is a fairly new term which I don't even remember when my sister got married five years ago. Ultimately, the term is referring to a difficult bride. I believe that the term has gained popularity due to the reality television show 'Bridezillas' which debuted on WE channel television in 2004. The reality show follows the lives of engaged women, casting their busy schedules in an insane and humorous way. It portrays how these women who are about to be married face several different tasks, and strive for perfection for their special days.

Whatever happened to the old traditional weddings? Not that I am not excited about the abundance of wedding information, but it seems to have really changed over the years! Instead of going to that one Bridal store in town, I am faced with stacks of Bridal magazines five inches thick full of beautiful wedding gowns by famous designers (that cost thousands of dollars!).
There are also tons television shows and documentaries on demand dedicated to planning your wedding, the most recent one I watched was 'Platinum Weddings'.
Ooh and forget my e-mail! Just by asking for more bridal information on any website, I am now swormed with tons of e-mails from different companies competiting for my business!

There is also so much to worry about now unlike the old days, ceremony, flowers, pictures, limos, etc. maybe sometimes old fashioned would have been easier? With all these things to worry about and obviously you want them to be perfect.. then YES! I probably will be a BRIDEZILLA!

Has The Globe Come To Its End?

Today on Bostons WCVB News Channel 5, I saw that the Boston Globe could be forced to close their doors. For the past several months, I have seen nothing but more and more businesses closing everyday. Right near my home there is a large shopping plaza
(very convenient! ) but, it seems as though every time I drive by it there are people hired to hold signs to pedestrians that read 'Going Out Of Business 20 - 50% off''.

It makes you feel so uneasy to see all these familiar establishments have no other choice but to close. According to WCVB, The New York Times Co. has threatened to close down the Boston Globe unless the newspaper's union quickly agrees to $20 million in concessions. I have heard the newspaper industry was not doing very well, but I had no idea it was this serious. I have always thought of The Boston Globe as a very successful and respectable newspaper.
If you didn't already know, The Globe was founded in 1872 by six Boston Business men, and is currently owned by The New York Times Co. Times management told the unions that the Globe will lose $85 million in 2009, unless significant cuts are made.

We all are aware of the troubling economic times we are facing at the moment, but when does it stop? News is an ongoing process that will never end, but can our outlets be deceased? Like most things The Globe is being shown it too is not 'recession proof' and to add to this troubling situation on newspapers, according to the WCVB, last week 'The Christian Science Monitor' was forced to close their doors as well.

New York City

I spent the past several days in New York City for my birthday, so much happened I don't know where to begin! Well, we stayed at the Westin in time square for my birthday! And, on a carriage ride through central park my boyfriend of four years proposed!! Obviously being such a wonderful birthday things couldn't get much better! So I thought! On the way back to our hotel room we saw a small crowd of people and decided to stay and see what was going on..as the crowd grew larger all around me as I was in the front, it turned out all the Wrestlemania superstars were there promoting wrestle mania that will be held there in the coming week! So, I ended up meeting Edge, Mark Henry, Rick Flair, Vince McMann, Rodey Piper, The Big Show & Kelly Kelly. I'm not a crazy wrestling fan but, how cool is that?! New York City was nothing I expected besides all that! People were extreamly friendly and everywhere you turned someone was promoting something (comedy club, happy hour, broadway shows) and I even met the Naked Cowboy!! I highly suggest if you've never gotten the chance to visit New York City Time Square! It was really too much to even take in!!