Ever since the incident at Roswell, you couldn’t go five feet in any direction in America without seeing, hearing or being abducted by aliens. Newspapers, radio, television, and yes even the Weekly World News was hard-pressed to prevent the alien encroachment into the main stream of our
lives. Our belief and fascination with the little green men became a national pastime. Alien mythology has been woven into our past. Researchers began to pull back the blankets of time and hunt for evidence that the aliens were not a new occurrence; they sought out to prove aliens have been influencing the evolution of mankind from some of the earliest civilizations. Extraterrestrials have been credited with such amazing feats as the lei lines in South America, the pyramids in Egypt, and even the directorial career of Steven Spielberg. With the E.T. pop culture raging into the early eighties, it seemed nothing would stop the aliens from total world invasion. They were stealing our cattle, stealing our rednecks, and worst of all they were stealing our box office with such hits as M.I.B., and Independence Day. When the New Year’s bell tolled out on January 1, 2000, we watched and waited for Y2K to end our technological age, some of us with decades supplies of canned ravioli. What we didn’t see was the marking point of an end of the alien epidemic. It has been seven years people and with each passing year there is heard less and less about the alien crisis. We moved on to Superheroes, stomach turning mutilation films, and televised karaoke. The cattle can sleep easy, the final sign has come.
End of Weekly World News Marks Death of Extraterrestrials
The Concept of “Guanxi” in Chinese Culture
A Continuation from the Article “The Concept of “Face” in Chinese Culture”LEARN ABOUT “FACE” FIRSTThis is essentially part two of a two-part article. Before reading this article about guanxi, I strongly suggest you read the face article first by clicking here.”GUANXI” AND “FACE”Corollary to face is the inseparable concept of guanxi or “relations”.Face and guanxi work hand-in-hand. One without the other renders useless the dynamic these two concepts collectively work together. Where face is the substance – the fuel – that makes the Chinese business engine turn over, guanxi is the “personalized glue” that makes it all stick together
as a working dynamic.Arising from the concept of guanxi, concept: one may open guanxi (initiate relations), have guanxi (have clout), or pull guanxi (exercise some clout). I will discuss each of these later.To read a really interesting story on how guanxi kept me from going to prison in China, click here.Also, a very brief and more humorous piece on guanxi, click here.HOW IS CHINESE GUANXI DIFFERENT FROM WESTERN NETWORKING?Above I mention that guanxi is like a “personalized glue”. This is for good reason: because it is the very personal character of guanxi “relations” which sets it off from other more casual (less meaningful?) business relations that folks have in the West.As a contrast to Western business culture, I would specifically like to point out that any need for depth in relations in Western business has been somewhat obviated – made unnecessary. How?Contract law. Namely: enforceable contract law.While China does indeed does have specific laws pertaining to business contracts, the meaning and interpretation of these laws are not entirely clear. Likewise, enforcement of contract law is still somewhat spotty at best. In the end, it’s how strong your relations with the other person are – this is what matters.PERSONAL RELATIONS VS. LAWSUITS?
Is Gossip Girl Something to Talk About?
Fall TV Review of Gossip GirlEven with the mass amount of media buzz surrounding the show, I was hesitant to check it out. Don’t ask me why; I just was. However, whatever inner thoughts that were keeping me away, something stronger made me tune in to the season premiere last night. I figured it was worth a try,
right?Let me say that I am immensely happy that I did. With the cancellation of Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, and The O.C., Gossip Girl is the fresh new drama that television needs this season. Although I found many things to love about the show, the fact that New York, my dream city, is so prominently featured was enough to fickle my fancy. Plus, there is teen drama, deception, fashion, music and, of course, gossip. Other than New York, fashion is all through the show. With one of the supporting characters being a fashion designer, I can see why the issue is so important to the show. The characters not only know and talk fashion; they are impeccable dressed by Eric Daman, former assistant costume designer and stylist on Sex and the City.The show centers around young socialite adults dealing with alcohol, drugs, sex, and a slew of other teenage issues on New York’s Upper East Side. Serena van der Wooden (Blake Lively), once “It” girl, returns home from a year away at boarding school to family problems, the fallout of past deceptions, and a not so welcoming reception from her friends, including best friend Blair Woodsen (Leighton Meester). Things are strained with the girls as they fight to deal with their shared infatuation with Blair’s boyfriend, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford). All this goes on to the narration of unseen, omnipresent, “Gossip Girl” (voice by Kristen Bell).
Fall TV: Gossip Girl Premieres
My Take on What is to Come on Gossip GirlWhat a better way to attract an audience than by sexy, dirty secrets and six young, attractive cast members? Gossip Girl’s season premier aired tonight, September 19, 2007, at 9/8c. The show seems promising to young adults and seems to be a Sex in the City meets The OC hit.The show bases out of Manhattan’s Upper East Side with an unknown “gossip girl” who relays the lives of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) to all who attend her upscale private
school.The gossip gets juicy when Serena returns from her mysterious disappearance to a boarding school. She returns to find her friendship with Blair in ruins, many awkward run-ins with Blair’s boyfriend, Nate (Chace Crawford), and an unexpected date with Dan (Penn Badgley).Blair and Serena’s friendship only gets more complicated when Blair’s boyfriend confesses he slept with Serena before she left for boarding school. This only leaves us to believe that her disappearance very well could be due to the affair between the two. Not only is Nate distracted by Serena’s return but also by his father’s expectations for his life. He feels tied down and that his life has already been planned out for him. This leaves Blair confused about their relationship and most likely looking for revenge on Serena. I suspect Nate and Blair will not be able to resolve their relationship, mainly on Nate’s upper hand and say on the matter. I also feel that Nate will break away from his father’s expectations of his future and lead the life of a creative artist, seeking to change the world. Chuck, Nate’s childhood friend, only seems to complicate Nate’s life more by constantly luring him into his wild and irresponsible life of drinking and smoking. Chuck, the dangerous one in the group, has the power to destroy a few reputations with his knowledge of Serena and Nate’s sexual relationship. I see Chuck using his knowledge of the juicy affair to try to lure Serena to sleep with him. He will offer her his vow of silence for a hot, steamy night where I assume he will promise her all sorts of satisfaction.
Chris Crocker and the Ongoing Decline of Mainstream News
Why Mainstream News is DyingI find it depressing that Chris Crocker’s most recent rant is getting so much media attention. For those unfamiliar with the debacle, Brittany Spears gave what many are calling an abysmal performance at an awards show. This is unremarkable in and of itself, as most the performances at
awards shows are abysmal.What got the media’s attention however was the response of Youtube and myspace “celebrity” Chris Crocker. He whines and rants about how terrible it is that people are giving Brittany Spears a hard time, all the while managing to remain intelligible while crying hysterically.A quick review of Chris Crocker’s previous videos reveals that he makes a habit of over the top, whiny, drama queen rants. The only thing about his most recent rant that sets it apart is that it’s about Spears. Crocker is a man who released a video where he was making out with another guy, all the while claiming this man was his biological brother. This of course turned out to be false, as faked and scripted as his rant about Spears.He has since gone on to defend his Spears rant, claiming it was genuine, but this is a laughable notion. Any attempt to defend the sincerity of the performance falls cleanly into the “Boy who cried Wolf” category. He’s done this sort of thing too many times to be taken seriously now. Well, anyone who takes the time to do ten minutes of research will see he’s not to be taken seriously. The media however, seems incapable of even the cursory research that would have revealed the true nature of this video. The coverage he’s receiving is not just proof of the poor research skills of the Mainstream Media. It’s also proof of how pathetic and vapid news coverage has become.Crocker has shown that a single person with a little creativity and no shame can wrap the major news networks around his finger, and that the Mainstream News can be played like a fiddle. The ability to do research is lost on the Mainstream News outlets. The fact that some reporters are actually asking if Crocker could be genuine shows just how rare a commodity research and critical thinking skills have become.
A Christian Dating Guide
An old phrase, but each of us has met a girl that fits that description. You know what I mean, beautiful, money, goals– she’s everything you’ve ever wanted. Only problem is she doesn’t want anything to do with you. In fact she doesn’t even know you exist. She’s in PSY303 and you’re stuck
in PSY101. So the obvious question is– HOW DO YOU GET HER TO NOTICE YOU?! It’s simple… You have to learn to treat a girl– not just that girl, ALL girls! It’s time to step up ‘fellas’. It’s not about trying to seduce her, or convince her to giving you her number; it’s about showing her you are worthwhile. Trust me she won’t even want to talk to you, if she can’t see herself being with you. You have to learn how to give her a glimmer of what could be. In this case: you.But before we can even hope to learn to treat a girl, we need to shatter some popular myths of the female gender in regards to dating. And before we can do that, we need to cover the differences between men and women (more than just the obvious). Let me give a disclaimer here: This is not and should not be read a checklist for dating or ever worse as a way to get in a girl’s pants. Any man can do that. Be a real man, stay out of her pants until you get married.THE FACTSPenis vs. VaginaMen have a penis, women have breasts and a vagina-obvious differences, but necessary to explain. You might be surprised at the number of guys who are going to read this and be surprised. DON’T SKIP OVER THIS. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something. In order for a man to become aroused he must visually or physically stimulated. In order for a woman to become aroused she must visually, physically, or emotionally stimulated. Thus we have discovered the real difference between men and women. It’s not what does or doesn’t hang between our legs-it’s in our thought processes. There are approx. 10 main components of the penis. There are 16 for the vagina. We’ve just discovered the second difference: Women are more complicated than men. Just because they are more complicated, it doesn’t mean they are impossible to understand. It just means you have to pay more attention.
I’m Not One to Gossip!
Co-workers and Office GossipHow often do you hear others complain about another employee in the office? Complaints about people when they are not present equates to gossip. How often have you caught yourself doing the same thing? Any discussion with another person in a negative way is considered gossip. Some people
are worse at doing this than others. Gossip can quickly ruin friendships and business relationships. There’s always the notorious co-worker who tells on you. How about those people that go to your boss and insinuate that you’re not doing your job correctly, timely or not at all. For some, these complaints may be valid but it can be very frustrating when you consider there are always two sides to a story. Numerous people choose to listen to only one side. Look deep inside yourself to see if you are one of these people or if you contribute to their behavior.Fueling the fireOthers try to fit in by participating in discussions that are negative. It is probable, you either speak these negative words or fuel the fire. Everyone has been in this situation on more than one occasion. No matter what you think, others don’t want to hear you complain 24/7. This reflects bad on you and the person you’re talking to. Others see or hear you converse in this manner so be aware no matter how discreet you are, your participation is recognized. Constant negative discussions will bring a person down and make them dread being around you. Most people enjoy being around others that are positive.Change yourself and othersIf you change your ways, others will acknowledge it and also change. I recall a time when I was complaining to a co-worker about my boss. They agreed but instead of fueling my complaints, they said “What can you do?” and shrugged their shoulders. This person did not agree or disagree with what I was saying but their comment and body language ended the conversation. This was their way of saying I was gossiping and they didn’t want to have a part in it. I immediately realized what I doing and stopped complaining and changed the subject.