The new member of the White House

As I turned on my television this morning, and the morning before, I was surprised by the face of a cute new puppy. This famous pooch of the moment is none other than Bo Obama. The President's family recently welcomed their new Portuguese water dog into the White House. At first it struck me as sad that as our nation seems to be crumbling under the pressure of the war and the economy, the news is focused on the Obama's new puppy. But then as I thought about it ,maybe it is a nice distraction from the struggles, but what does this say about the citizens of the United States?

Much of the news we hear is either light, bias, or half the story. We as viewers watch what we want to see and listen to what we want to hear. It makes sense that we would rather watch a cute puppy grazing the White House lawn as opposed to the stocks dropping or lives being lost overseas. I'm not saying that it is bad or good, but every now and then it is nice to hear or see some good news on the television or radio for a change. Yet after any piece of news is broad casted, we as a people all for some reason have to form our own opinions. We justify actions and blame results. Even with as light of a story as the Presidents new pup, people find a way to form arguments, and make a big deal out of something small. Bo, the new dog, is not from a shelter, and therefore wasn't rescued as many believed Obama would/should have done. Of course, many are now outraged over this issue, but why? Obama's daughter has allergies, and so the family pet could not be one that would upset her health. As a result of that, the Obama's dog selection was very slim. It would have been very difficult for them to have found a dog at a shelter. Even with this fact, many Americans continue to be angered by the situation. They channel all of this passion into this issue that really isn't that big of a problem. The Obama family bought a dog from a breeder instead of from a shelter. Whether we hate that or not, shouldn't we just take the story for what it is, and enjoy the smile you get when looking at the cute face of a new puppy. Should we really be arguing about it? Fighting only makes people more tired and stressed, and we could really use less of that right now. Americans should be fighting for issues that are much more important, and come together as nation to battle them. I also think we as a people need to loosen up a little bit. We are so overwhelmed by all of this stress. So, the next time I see the new puppy on the television or on the computer, I am going to appreciate its pleasantness, and hope that the Obama family is enjoying their new family member. I hope others can do the same.

Country confidence

I was watching The American Country Music Awards earlier tonight, and I came across a commercial that I thought really connected to what we have been studying in class. It was a GM commercial that explained their nine month payment protection along with other money protection plans they offer as a company.  With the economic crisis in full swing, they are offering a more secure way to buy a car. It is a smart move advertising wise because it gives people reason to buy again, and lets them know that their money is safe. The commercial also makes a good move by talking about the country as a whole first. As a viewer you don't know what the commercial is for right away. It begins with explaining the need for a country comeback, and finding a confidence to help bring us back from the economic crisis. This overall message gives people a strong sense of nationalism and hope. It lets people know that we can get through this hard time, and GM is going to help us in the process. After receiving this hope, the commercial then goes straight into the advertising for the cars. We feel better about buying a car because GM just gave us reason to believe everything will work out.

I found this commercial very interesting for two reasons. After having watched Roger and Me in class this past week, it didn't really seem that GM cared for the people and their incomes. The company cared more about itself and its own income when it laid off so many workers. Now the company is taking a completely different persona. Another thing I found interesting was that it played during the American Country Music Awards. This show is highly watched by the people who "love" America, and live in the "real" country parts of the nation. When we think country we think of the heart of America. 

I have to admit that no matter the angle, this commercial definitely pulled at my heart strings, and I think after having watched it I do believe the future will be a little bit brighter.