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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 2007)
^rtyÆntertainment Clackamas Print 5 Wednesday, May 30, 2007 ■ace-Off: What is the worth of TV? JV is the foundation ypon Television is cause of the dis- vhich this nation stands jess Sheppard The Clackamas Print Mention TV and there’s always someone the room who groans and spouts an anti- i sentiment. Obviously, that anti-TV person has con- niently forgotten all the good things that levision has done for him or her. What happened to the entire family watch- i classic shows like Perry Mason, Murder e Wrote and The Twilight Zonel Those ere hours when everyone could be engaged something as a whole. And what about those very educational annels that unfortunately can only be found cable, such as the Discovery Channel d Animal Planet? If nothing interesting is ppening on either of those stations, then it ist be because it’s a re-run. On the other hand, there is always the story Channel. Whether it’s a tour of iankh-amen’s tomb, or a documentary on rial killers, or even a special on the life- cle of squid, there is always something to im. Consider, also, how often teachers will ggest watching a particular program. And isn’t just history teachers; instructors in jlogy, religious studies and theatre arts do too. Even movies have something to teach us. tors see examples, both good and bad, the techniques they are being taught. A ident studying religion could spend hours ilyzing the ways of the Jedi. Instructors in Clackamas’ Criminal Justice partment even have their students watch ¡vies about serial killers and have them ifilethq murderers. _ ? . At the Vefy least; in the everit ofra z6mi^ i uprising, there are those among us who mid know exactly what to do. You know o you are. Let us also not overlook video games, for y are often played on the TV and sit right Kt to it in the category of things on which d stuff is blamed. Games encourage prob- n-solving, strategy and planning ahead. Even God of War fans are getting a sub- linal lesson in mythology as they hack and slash through the monsters of legend. On the reverse, those who watched that History Channel documentary on Greek Mythology already know that to kill a hydra, you must kill the primary head. You will know it because it’s the one that has the same roar as the Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park 3. Which brings up another point: Who doesn’t admire the person at the lunch table who can name that sound effect? Or the one guy with whom you go to see an animated movie because he can recognize the voice of James Earl Jones, even if he is a cartoon lion or in a huge, black suit. That person gains respect in the geek commu nity and always has an interesting bit of information to brighten your day.' And of course, we have the news. It keeps us in the know on the status of dip lomatic relations and warns us of danger ous happenings in our area of residence. It even tracks’ our sports teams and stocks for us. Certainly, everyone can appreciate the usefulness of the news, even if it isn’t always educational. But if it’s education you’re set on, there is always OPB. While their cartoons may be overly childish, their documen taries give Discovery Channel a run for its money. Even during the Winter Olympics, when all the other channels are only covering the sports, OPB would rath- ,er play a program on the Nuremberg Trials or the plight of women forced into prostitution. So, the next time that TV-Nazi at the next table opens his or her mouth against the tube, chal lenge him or her to admit Illustration by Andrea how much of his or her knowledge was learned from a TV screen. combobulation of America Ben Caldwell The Clackamas Print TV is the worst thing ever invent ed. Its flashing lights keep people drawn in. That is why I don’t under stand people who say it is educa tional - it’s not. The attention-span that most mod ern people have is so short that it is hard for them to have a regular con versation with someone. The con stantly-changing, flashing light that the television puts off causes this, because people have sat in front of a TV ever since infanthood. When our parents’ generation started watching TV, it was a miracle invention designed to bring the world into your living room. Television programming was geared towards adults and contained generally good information. TV in today’s world is aimed at the younger generation. Producers fig ure, “Hey we already got some 300 mil lion people hooked; let’s get their kids, too. The thing that gets to me most is that parents put their children in front of the damned thing just to keep Simpson Clackamas Print them quiet. That is not parenting. Parents just plop the kids down and leave them to their own devices. They have no idea what their kids are watch ing. Then, they wonder why little Johnny is running around the house beating the cat. That sort of behavior is why the American populous is so freaking fat - oh, I am sorry - “morbidly obese.” It’s not just the constantly-changing lights and scenes that make TV bad; it is also the stupid people who are broadcast directly into your living room. However, not all television is bad. There are some rather interesting doc umentaries, but the consistency of bad programming is just making people dumber. It is a self-perpetuating prob lem because the TV makes such a wonderful babysitter and a great com panion for the elderly. Television is taking our ability to think for ourselves from us and replac ing it with a hive mind. TV is the Borg; it assimilates you, then destroys the individual in you and replaces it with a sheep that will do as it’s told. Tune in at 6 p.m. for all new episodes. The hive mind in today’s society is brought about by one thing and one thing only: TV. People tune in to get the most up-to-date opinion that every body needs to share. TV ... educational - yeah, that’s some B.S. If television was educa tional, it would be restricted to PBS and the History Channel. Media corporations won’t do that. They can’t do that. If they did, they would lose money. Everyone knows money is the root of all evil, and TV is a very evil thing. Families who watch television together aren’t really spending any real time together; they just happen to be occupying the same room at the same time. TV breaks down family ties and degrades the moral fiber of our country. To say TV is educational is to say Hitler had the right idea - it is just plain wrong. Mingo mokes more movie mogie Jess Sheppard The Clackamas Print Instructor Andy Mingo is very excited about his upcom ing film, The Iconographer. It is his first feature-length film. Mingo not only wrote the script; he is also producer and director. The Iconographer tells the story of two brothers, and is set primarily in their father’s liquor shop. One brother has just lost his job as an icon-broker, and the other is deeply distraught over his recent divorce. The first brother then takes it upon himself to “fix” his flawed sib ling. Essentially, he turns his brother into a replica of him self. His attempts, however, do not go as planned, and in a cruel twist of irony, he ends up permanently destroying his brother’s life. The movie is very much about identity, with delicious tones of irony laced into it. The film is still in prepro duction. Most of the parts have been cast, and several of the locations have been selected, though the role of one of the brothers is unfilled and a loca tion for the film’s liquor store is still being scouted. Mingo and his crew plan to rent a shop space and turn it into a temporary liquor store. They are already hard at work saving up bottles. The actual filming is esti mated to be finished by this September, anticipating time for major delays. Mingo is shooting for completion by spring of next year. In addition to Mingo, sev MINGO eral Clackamas students are involved in the film. Heather Jacobs is assistant director, and Jake Johnson is the director of photography. Many other local actors and technicians are also involved. Mingo was initially inspired by a liquor store in Reno in which he worked during his younger years. The store was owned by his best friend’s parents, who were “absolutely crazy.” “I wanted to tell a grand story on a small scale,” he said, and a liquor store seemed like an ideal place to set it. A good liquor store is “commonplace on a grand scale.” Before The Iconographer, Mingo worked on six individu al short films. These short films can all be accessed on www. chiasmusmedia.net, a Web site that publishes, distributes and produces films by thought-pro voking artists who like to be outside-the-box. Mingo’s first films were experimental in nature. Then, he switched to a more dramatic style, particularly with his lat est short, titled Bravo America. “Each one was a step toward Iconographer," he said. Design and Construction Begin with the end in mind sps.georgefox.edu • 888-888-0178 Degree completion programs for working adults Information meetings at 6:30 p.m. June 28 George Fox Portland Center 12753 S.W. 68th Ave., Portland June 5 Providence Medical Plaza 3510 NE 122nd, Ste. 200, Portland G eorge F ox SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES a matter of mind and spirit
