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Thought Provoker

June 16-17, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

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Saying of the Week

We get so caught up in the small business of our lives, we forget about changing our circumstances so that we can lead better lives.

Religion

Prayer is such an important part of people’s lives, for those who believe in the power of it. If you do not feel like praying at a certain time, pray until you feel like praying. We don’t have to pray; we get to pray. It really is a gift from God. Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we would not be worthy to pray but since He died on the cross for our sins, we are permitted to go to Heavenly Father, and ask Him to accept our gratitude for our many blessings, and to ask for a forgiveness of our sins. We should pray for other people more than we pray for ourselves. Maybe someone else will pray for us!

Politics

Ronald Reagan is my favourite Conservative President of the United States, at least of the ones who were sitting during my lifetime. He stopped the Cold War. He focused on important tasks, while letting others handle the more administrative work. What do you think? He did not do much about AIDS during the 1980s when that disease first became well known. There is a lot of controversy about that. Some people think that he can be excused because people bring the disease on themselves, according to his defenders. Others say that shows a lack of compassion that is awful. We are all human beings, and no one should be ignored. Also, there is the practical point that smokers often bring cancer on themselves, but we still feel sorry for them and believe that the health profession should do something to find a cure for cancer. Reagan did some great things during his Presidency. Could he have done more with regard to the AIDS epidemic?

Philosophy

What do you think about capital punishment? I think that there have been so many cases of false imprisonment in the last generation especially that it seems wrong to murder someone who might be innocent. A lot of people say that the prisons are too crowded, and people who break the law in certain extreme ways should receive the ultimate punishment. However, DNA, blood evidence, has proven the innocence of many. How horrible is it if someone receives capital punishment and they were innocent all along? Put fewer people in prison for smaller offenses, and put people who have killed others in prison, rather than killing them.

History of American movies

Do you know which year most film critics say represented the best year in American films? It was 1939. Here are just a few of the titles and stars that made that year so memorable: Greta Garbo in Ninotchka, Bette Davis in Dark Victory, Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind, Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights, Cary Grant in Gunga Din, and Henry Fonda in Of Mice and Men. What a year!

Advice

Read books! If you don’t like to read, as many people don’t, then start off small. Read newspaper articles on topics that interest you. If you like soccer, then read articles about that. Then, as you discover information that excites you, build on that until you begin to develop a love for reading. Trust me; it will change your life!

Health

Next time you have the flu, consider a natural remedy. They have them in the health section of your local supermarket. They work very well and they do not have the alcoholic content of many traditional flu medicines. They are also more suitable for diabetics, who always have to be concerned about keeping blood sugar levels low.

Kardashians

Have you noticed that there is a double standard about Kim Kardashian and her sex tape? Ray J, the man who was in the sex tape with her, is not judged the way she is for the production of that video. Women are judged much more harshly even in Western culture than men are for similar sins. I think that is interesting, since many people judge the Middle Eastern culture for stoning women and not men as much for similar offenses. Although the stoning may take a different form, it seems like it happens in Western culture, also.

Donald Trump

Some people are accusing Trump’s beauty pagaent, Miss Universe, rigged. He called into the daytime talk show The View this past week and said that such an idea is ridiculous. He said that even the judges did not know how the overall vote went. He said they only knew how they voted as individuals. You can always count on Trump to come up with something funny at times like this. He said that you can see why one of the women who is complaining, lost. I love Trump!

Good books

Agatha Christie Mallowan wrote Come, Tell Me How You Live. It is a book, published in the late 1940s, about her archaelogical digs with her husband from the years 1933-1938 in Syria. Although I love Christie’s murder mysteries, this book is a delightful example of her self-deprecating humour, her ability to tell a story like no one else, and the fascination of her personal life. I highly recommend this book!

Sound smart at parties

This week’s entry under History of American movies sounds like it would be good for this section, too. What year was the best for American films, according to most critics? 1939! Gone with the Wind, Ninotchka, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and other classics were all released in this year!

Thought Provoker

June 9-10, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

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Saying of the Week

If rain is sin, then God is our umbrella.

Religion

Does a person have to be part of an organized religion in order to have a strong spiritual relationship with God? Or can it be a private thing? There are definitely advantages to being part of a group that worships God each week at an established Church. In fact, one of the criticisms is that people join a Church just to take advantage of the social atmosphere. Whether this applies or not, it cannot be denied that it is a lot easier to be a good person if you around people who believe in the same things you do. It is harder to be good if you are around people for whom morality is not an important focus of their lives. On the other hand, a lot of people go to Church each week and do things in private that are very different from what they preach or pretend in public. Maybe there is a place in the middle. Find a group of people who think like you do, but live what you believe, rather than just talk about it. As I have said in other places: words whisper, actions scream.

Politics

A lot of politicians have cheated on their wives. I think that most men, if given the possibility, will cheat on their wives, unless they are very religious. Especially in this more secular day and age, when fewer people even pretend to be religious, it is hard to find a faithful man outside of an established religion. That is not to say that it never happens, but I feel that it is rare. The question is, does this mean that they are not suitable to lead a country? Bill Clinton cheated on his wife with a number of different women. But the economy did well under him. In other areas, he was not as impressive in terms of policy, although even a lot of Republicans agreed with many of his policies, since he practiced triangulation, which basically means that he was politically realistic or pragamatic enough to adopt policies that the other party would favour if it meant good electoral results for Clinton. If a man is unfaithful to his wife, does that mean he is going to be unfaithful to his country?

Philosophy

There is a big controversy about helping people who are in a lot of pain die, so that they die with dignity and obtain relief from the pain that they are feeling. What do you think, is this murder? There have been doctors who have been arrested because they have helped more than one person die in this way. It is possible that while some doctors have good intentions, and really want a merciful release for their patients, there are other doctors who will take advantage of the situation and become carried away with this idea. Also, what happens if the patient is so grateful to the doctor for making this arrangement that the patient leaves the doctor money in his or her will? Then there is a conflict of interest, and it gives the doctor an extra incentive to have the patient die. This is where ethics come into it. It is a hard problem to solve, because no one wants to think about someone suffering an untold amount of pain. But there are many issues to sort through on the topic, and there are no easy answers.

History of American movies

Around the 1960s, the studio system which had existed in Hollywood since the 1910s collapsed. One of the main reasons for this is that the United States government did not want film studios to own movie theatres, etc., because they thought it made seem too much like a monopoly. So they wrote what is called anti-trust legislation which forced the studios to sell off their theatre chains. Movies became significantly more independent after this point in the 1960s. That is when all standards seemed to drop in movies, at least in America. For example, people started swearing, and we witnessed scenes taking place in bathrooms, etc. Realism replaced glamour. Movies were no longer made on an assembly line by a group of moguls who cared deeply about the product they were turning out, moguls like Louis B. Mayer, head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor studios from the 1920s to the early 1950s. Nowadays, we just have cinematic drivel with special effects taking the place of characterization, for the most part, and vulgarity everywhere.

Advice

In today’s blog, Sunday, June 10, 2012, I talked about it infuriates me when people do not respond to my texts quickly, etc. They use the excuse that they are busy. But I have talked to a lot of people about this subject, and trust me, there is a lot of dissatisfaction on the topic, not just with me. Yes, people are busy, but it takes a minute to text someone and explain you are busy with something. And no one is busy 24/7, every day of the week. And one more thing: men need to remember that women really notice this. If a man does not respond quickly to a text, then he is seen as being not a good communicator. This spells death for any relationship between a man and a woman.

Health

One of the things that I feel sorriest for people about this is if they find it hard to sleep. It is becoming a serious problem. If a person cannot sleep, their whole next day is going to be compromised. It is hard to operate full tilt if you are not satisfied with enough sleep. Some good ideas are sleeping naked with a fan blowing gently across your buttocks (seriously!), or taking a fish oil pill part way through the night. Also, if you can get someone to massage you before you go to bed, that also works. And perhaps the most important health advice I can give on this matter is, if you find you are having trouble falling asleep, tell yourself you are not going to stress about it. The stress creates a vicious cycle where you find it even harder to sleep because you are finding it hard to sleep. So be good to yourself and just tell yourself, okay, I’m not going to sleep, but I will just think pleasant thoughts and make myself feel better that way. Whatever you do, don’t fall into the habit of taking sleeping pills!

Kardashians

Right now, there is a controversy about whether or not Khloe is the biological daughter of Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner. They have even mentioned it on the show several times. Kris wants Khloe to take a DNA test to prove that she is her natural daughter with Robert. However, my question is: even if it turned out that Robert was not Khloe’s biological father, does it really matter? He raised her, so in all effects, he is her father. I am adopted, and my mother is my mother. Even though she did not give birth to me, she is my mother, forever and always. So I think it does a disservice when we insist on knowing about biological sons and daughters.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump has said several times that one of the reasons why he did not actually run for President, even though a lot of people encouraged him to do so, is that there is a law that says he cannot have a television show because it would give him unfair exposure. He thinks this is unfair because President Obama can go on TV whenever he wants and basically campaign. Now that Trump’s season of Celebrity Apprentice is over, I think he could now join the race, except that Mitt Romney, the man endorsed by Trump, is the presumptive nominee for the Republican convention, held at the end of the summer. So now it seems too late for Trump to run, even if he wanted to. Of course, he has endorsed Romney so it is not likely that he would have run anyway.

Good books

I’m currently reading Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot, by J. Randy Taraborrelli. He has written many books about entertainment figures and always has good gossip. In the beginning of this book, he tells an anecdote about Greta Garbo. It looks like it is going to be a promising book; it talks about the relationship between the Kennedy sisters-in-law.

Sound smart at parties

Why is politics in such a mess nowadays? One reason, in my opinion, is the fact that debates started being held on television. That meant that there existed a visual component to presidential candidates that never existed before. It has increased the chances of superficially having a good-looking President but not one that is especially competent. Also, because people have to buy tv ads, etc., more money has entered politics, making it a lot more difficult for the average person (read: honest) to make it far politically.

Thought Provoker

June 2-3, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

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Saying of the Week

All that’s twittered is not told!

Religion

As I was walking down Barrington Street today, I noticed that there was graffiti on what I think is the United Church on the corner of Barrington & Spring Garden. Graffiti, writing nonsense on the walls, is not appropriate for a sacred building like a Church. This is a symbol for how ungodly our modern society is. This would not have happened many years ago but now it is a thing that happens way too often. It’s impossible to know what to do. Should they put in security cameras so that they can see who is doing it? That is expensive. Who will pay for it? Would the people who attend that Church be willing to donate to having the walls painted again? The people who put the graffiti on the walls would just do it again, so it would really become expensive. But if the graffiti is left there, does that send a bad message, that bad behaviour like that will be allowed to continue? It is another hard problem to solve in our modern society.

Politics

All humankind is made up of both good and evil. People who are considered some of the world’s great leaders are just like everyone else in this way. Gandhi, for example, has a great reputation for contributing to peace. However, as the following website (http://thinkingmatters.org.nz/2011/03/gandhi-saint-or-sinner/) makes clear, there are two sides to every story. Some of the bad things, according to this website, that Gandhi did included that he did not help the Untouchables in the 1920s when they needed his help. The Untouchables belonged to the lowest rank of the caste system. This website also reports that Gandhi was not very smart politically. He encouraged Jews in the 1920s and 1930s to be non-violent toward Arabs regarding the land of Palestine (or Jerusalem, depending on how you look at it). Gandhi is considered a friend of peace, but the question that this website article asks is, Is peace always the right answer? Was Gandhi a great leader, or did he have huge faults and weaknesses? Or perhaps he was both. A great leader, and a weak man with a lot of faults.

Philosophy

Karl Marx believed that capitalists exploited workers. He thought that employers took advantage of the people who worked for them because they profited so much. A person works part of their shift to pay their basic bills; shelter, food, etc. After that, they basically work for the benefit of their employer. Marx believed this was unfair, and made human beings unequal. However, I believe that the class system is natural and is always going to exist. Think of it this way. Supposing that everyone on earth was given a million dollars. Some people would spend it immediately. Others would invest and make the amount of money they had larger. Others would live wisely, while many would not. Humankind is always going to be unequal because no two human beings are exactly alike. There is nothing wrong with an employer making more from an employee than the employee makes for themselves. Without the employer, after all, the employee would not have a job.

History of American movies

One of the ways that we can tell what is going on in society at any point in time is to see what is happening in Hollywood. Ingrid Bergman was born in Sweden in 1915, and became one of the most famous movie stars in the world. Her first American movie, Intermezzo, was made in 1939. Ten years later, she left her husband for an Italian movie director named Roberto Rosselini. American society was so shocked at what she had done that bad things were said about her on the floor of the United States Senate. Nowadays, bad behaviour on the part of actors and actresses are considered normal but over 50 years ago, society still cared about morality. Bergman was later forgiven by the latter part of the 1950s, but it took her years to reach that point. The American Film Institute said that she is one of the greatest actresses of all time.

Advice

If you have committed a major sin (and who hasn’t?) it is important to remember that no one is perfect. But it is also important that you make a conscious effort to overcome the sin. Everyday we should remember that at some point in the future, and it could be any minute now, we are going to have to account for everything we said, thought and did during our time on Earth. We should not just shove it aside. We should try to figure out a way to stop committing the sin. We should not put off repentance, but we should give ourselves enough time to change our circumstances. Maybe something causes us to think bad thoughts. We need to change our situation so that does not happen any more. It is within our power to change. God will help us as long as we help ourselves. But we definitely have to try each day to be as good as we can be.

Health

It is hard to avoid microwaves these days, especially if you are away from home for a lot of the day. If you are at school all day, for example, you might have to reheat your food and there is rarely a convection oven around to reheat your food (which is a lot healthier than a microwave). But we should try as hard as we can to use a microwave as little as possible because of the radiation. Radiation causes cancer. Microwaves are just as dangerous as smoking, in my opinion.

Kardashians

Here’s something interesting that not everyone knows about the Kardashian family. In 1994, there was what is known as “the trial of the century.” O.J. Simpson, one of the most famous football players (and television personalities) in the United States, was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. She was brutally murdered in Brentwood, California. The trial was on television and lasted for almost a year. People could not believe it when a not guilty verdict was read by the jury. Actually, that is not strictly true. Television cameras showed that black people celebrated because of the verdict. One of the policeman involved was believed to have planted evidence to incriminate O.J. Simpson. The African Americans in the Los Angeles area were used to being victims of discrimination and so they could easily believe that the policeman could do this. On the other hand, cameras also showed that white people, or at least the vast majority of them, believed that Simpson had done it and were sickened by the jury’s verdict. So there was a clear racial divide. What is the connection between the Kardashians and Simpson? One of the lawyers who defended Simpson was Robert Kardashian, the father of Kim Kardashian. And Kris Jenner, Kim’s mother, was best friends with Nicole Brown Simpson.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is feuding with Cher, the pop singer. Cher said something negative about Mitt Romney, the man Trump just endorsed for President of the United States. Trump has stated that if someone attacks you or one of your friends, you should go after them with greater force than they attacked you with. Do you agree with this? One thing about Trump…he always keeps things interesting!

Good books

Earlier, I said I enjoyed reading Lady Colin Campbell’s book on Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. And I did. But the book I’m currently reading, The Windsor Story, by J. Bryan III and Charles J.V. Murphy, offers a different perspective. They don’t talk much about the Queen Mother, but you can tell that there was a lot more to the Abdication of 1936 than the Queen Mother’s attempts to have her husband take over the throne. This is a very interesting read.

Sound smart at parties

Camelot is the term used to refer to the Presidency of John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline. It represents an optimism about the country. It is said that Jacqueline herself came up with it, to try to attach more importance and grace to his Presidency than would otherwise have existed. It is hard to know where the term originated, but there is no doubt that for many years that the Kennedys were America’s royal family.

Thought Provoker

May 26-27, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

Twitter: JaclynHStrauss

Facebook: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Ideas for newspaper content? Need publicity?

Email jaclynhollandstrauss@hotmail.com or

fill out one of the contact forms at the bottom of each website page

Saying of the Week

If we honour God one day of the week, perhaps we will get to visit Heaven 1/7 of the time.

Religion

The Christian belief is that the Old Testament part of the Bible represents our relationship with God before Jesus Christ atoned for our sins. There was no mercy, no forgiveness, nothing, because humankind had distanced ourselves from God through our sins. However, the great news of the gospel is that because Jesus died on the cross, and atoned for our sins, the New Testament version of God demonstrates love and compassion for all human beings. Because Jesus took responsibility for the world’s sins, we have been saved as long as we try to do good. This is why we owe Jesus so much.

Politics

The Treaty of Versailles sought to make Germany pay reparations for their part in causing World War I. The humiliation engendered by such reparations caused so much resentment on the part of the German populace at the time that Adolf Hitler was able to ascend politically to the point that he became Chancellor in 1933 (Germany’s Chancellorship is that country’s version of Canada’s office of Prime Minister). However, another reason for Hitler’s rise to power and ability to create the issues that led to World War II was the policy of appeasement that prevailed in Britain in the years leading up to 1939. Appeasement basically means to let people walk all over you. Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of Britain in 1939, said there would be ‘peace in our time’ due to the ratification of the Munich Agreement. Winston Churchill saw this for the drivel it was. He knew that Britain had to take a hard line with Hitler and built up the navy and weaponry accordingly. Churchill was not perfect, and Chamberlain was not the devil, but Churchill had a markedly superior understanding of the realities behind what Hitler was doing. Originally, Hitler pretended that he just wanted control over states that had previously been under German control. However, as time went on, it became evident that his plans of domination far exceeded what he had originally pretended. My political satire, Melisande’s Lingerie Closet, mocks the idea of appeasement so if you would like to read the introduction to that book, please click on My Writing.

Philosophy

Many people believe that children should not be spanked. They feel that it is child abuse. However, the Bible says “spare the rod; spoil the child.” I agree with this, because I think that if you do not spank children, they become spoiled and become impossible to manage when they become teenagers. The important thing is the motivation for the spanking. If it happens as a result of the parent to control, then it is not a good intention. If a parent sincerely wants the child to be able to differentiate between good and bad behaviour, then it is all right to spank. People take political correctness too far these days. Children threaten parents with Social Services if they lay a hand on the child, which is ridiculous. If children have too much control, they are doomed.

History of American movies

Greta Garbo was the most famous movie star from the late 1920s (her first American film was released in 1926) to around 1980. She had everything anyone could ever want in a movie star or actress. She had perfect beauty, glamour, the ability to change emotions in front of a camera without changing expression; she was photogenic, she had an interesting personal life, she had a mentor in Mauritz Stiller, she retired at the young age of 36, she was a recluse, and she spoke with an exotic accent, expressed through a captivating voice. She was also a magnificent actress, with the ability to cry, be vulnerable, matched with unbeatable glamour. Her greatest movie was Camille.

Advice

The ability to show sympathy is one of the greatest gifts we can have. Most people are going through a rough time. So when you have the chance, try to put yourself in another person’s shoes, and examine their perspective. If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, you will be surprised how often you will be justified in doing so!

Health

Although it does not taste as good as chocolate, a person should try to incorporate as much leafy green vegetables each day. The health benefits of even a little of this food are immeasurable. Even if you cover it with salad dressing it still does you a world of good. Try incorporating a leafy green vegetable in your diet and you will be amazed at how much better you feel, very quickly. It can help prevent cancer, overcome the damage done by smoking, etc!

Kardashians

Kim Kardashian is now dating Kanye West. Remember Kanye? He is the man who rushed the stage when Taylor Swift, a country singer, was accepting an award. He interrupted her acceptance speech by saying that Beyonce deserved the win. He seems to greatly enjoy fame. Do you think that Kim Kardashian is just dating Kanye West for publicity purposes? They both seem to enjoy fame, so it is possible that they are doing it for the attention. Or, perhaps since they are so similar, they genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is now endorsing Mitt Romney for President of the American 2012 election. However, some years ago he criticized Romney for his part in the Bain corporation. Basically, Romney is being criticized for taking over companies that are failing, turning them around, and creating a profit. Part of this process can often include many people losing their jobs. Years ago, Trump criticized this state of affairs for Romney, but now he is endorsing him. Do you think that someone loses credibility if they criticized a politician in the past, only to endorse them later?

Good books

A book that I read that I enjoyed very much was D.M. Andrews’ The Serpent in the Glass.The highest compliment you can pay a book is that you do not read a lot in that genre, but you still really enjoyed the book. This is the case with this book. There are always interesting twists that make you want to read what is going on. I highly recommend this book, especially to fantasy lovers!

Sound smart at parties

Queen Elizabeth II has reigned since 1952. This year she is celebrating 60 years of reign, one of the longest in history. Her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who reign from 1837 to 1901, had the longest reign but the current sovereign for Britain, Elizabeth II, almost has her beat! She will beat Queen Victoria’s record in the year in about 5 years.

Thought Provoker

May 19-20, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

Twitter: JaclynHStrauss

Facebook: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Ideas for newspaper content? Need publicity?

Email jaclynhollandstrauss@hotmail.com or

fill out one of the contact forms at the bottom of each website page

Saying of the Week

The most devastating event the world has ever known is the transition from an agricultural economy to an industrial one.

Religion

I think that the main reason why Christianity means so much to me is that I firmly believe that God loves each one of us as an individual. He knows us perfectly. He has been with us from before we were even born. He wants only what is best for us. He wants us to repent not because He loves rules. It is that if we repent, we will be happier and like any parent, God wants us to be as happy as possible. If we begin to think of God as someone who always has our best interests at heart, then it will be easier to overcome the sins that we commit every day. We know that He is in our corner. We just need to make sure we are always in His.

Politics

Are you familiar with the Dawgfather? He is the popular man who sells hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., outside of the Dalhousie Student Building on University Avenue. He is running for Councillor of District 7 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His platform is that he will disrupt the status quo. He feels that because there are tens of thousands of students in Halifax, that they have an enormous amont of power that they have yet to unleash. The election will be in October, 2012. If you would like to support him, become registered and vote for someone who is looking out for students’ interests.

Philosophy

One popular philosophy states that we should do whatever we want as long as it does not hurt anyone else. However, along the lines of what I was saying in this week’s religious section, what about hurting ourselves? I define sin as searching for happiness in the wrong places. We all want to be happy but rarely do we make decisions that help us attain or obtain that happiness. If we do whatever we want as long as no one gets hurt, we can easily justify. Perhaps we want to have a relationship with someone who is already married. And we rationalize it by saying that their marriage is already not happy. However, if we pursue someone who is married, we shortchange ourselves. Therefore, the philosophy of doing what we want as long as it does not hurt others seems suspect.

History of American movies

In 1934, the Hays Code began being seriously implemented in Hollywood. The silent movies of the 1920s had become quite racy (by standards of the day, if not modern standards) and many people, including religious leaders and politicians, wanted to do something about it. After 1934, if a woman had sex with a married man, for example, she would have to die or somehow seriously suffer by the end of the movie. She would have to show through the plot of the film that her lifestyle was not conducive to happiness. Evil could be shown, in other words, but negative consequences of that evil also had to be depicted.

Advice

If you are a student in university and depressed about how long it is before you graduate, remember that people who are graduating are also stressing for different reasons. They have a lot of new responsibility on their hands. They have to think about careers, where to move to, marriage, raising a family, etc. Sometimes we do not realize how lucky we are to have the opportunity to be students. It is a time of exploration, of uncovering our identities, and having the freedom to take the time to find out who we really are. We should take advantage of it as much as possible because there will come a day when we will miss such freedoms.

Health

Are you taking antibiotics because you have a viral infection? Antibiotics can do a lot of good, but you should also know that it not only kills the bad bacteria in our body, but also the good bacteria. One way to overcome this problem is to take Acidopholous. Keep it cold in the fridge, and take it everyday because it puts the good bacteria in your body.

Kardashians

I think the reason for why the Kardashians are so popular, other than superficial reasons, is that their reality TV shows focus on family. In a way they are the 2012 version of the 1970s shows The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie. Although times have definitely changed in the ensuing 40 years or so, shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians have a moral each week for their show. By the end of the episode, someone has learned an important lesson. The lessons are very different than what TV shows in the ’70s talked about but because both kinds of shows emphasize family, there is a point of similarity between them.

Donald Trump

I have watched The Apprentice from its beginning and I have noticed one thing. Trump loves a micromanager. A micromanager is a leader who wants to be involved in every decision that an employee makes, rather than just delegating to them and expecting them to do well. Because of this, my prediction for tonight’s Apprentice finale is that Clay Aiken will win. Clay is a micromanager whereas Arsenio Hall is a delegator.

Good books

If you want to read someone with a wonderful world view (optimistic and funny), check out books by Agatha Christie. She wrote murder mysteries. Her masterpiece was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I was so surprised when I found out who the killer was! One of the best books I have ever read from the best-selling author of the world.

Sound smart at parties

Britain has produced many great authors (like Agatha Christie, mentioned in my Good Books section this week). But Britain also has a lot to answer for. There are a couple of reasons I say this. In the 1910s, Sir James Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary, in his Declaration of 1917, stated that the Jewish people should rule whats Jews refer to as Israel and what Arabic people refer to as Palestine. This has caused a lot of wars over the land in the ensuing century. Britain basically carved up a land they ruled without consideration for the reality of the situation, only what supposedly helped them at the time. A second thing they did was have Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister during the first part of World War 2. The reason why Chamberlain was such an awful PM was that he believed in the principle of appeasement. He thought that Britain should let Hitler do what he wanted so that war would not occur. Winston Churchill, the PM who would follow him, did enact policies that were much more beneficial to the world; however, so much damage had already been done.

However, let’s not forget that Britain has given us some of the best literature the world has ever known. Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Shakespeare, etc.! And also don’t forget Adele’s singing!

Thought Provoker

May 12-13, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

Twitter: JaclynHStrauss

Facebook: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Ideas for newspaper content? Need publicity?

Email jaclynhollandstrauss@hotmail.com or

fill out one of the contact forms at the bottom of each website page

Saying of the Week

If every single person on earth disagrees with God, God is still right.

Good deals in Halifax

Fickle Frog on Spring Garden: Thursdays, Unlimited Spaghetti $7.00

McDonalds on Spring Garden: $1.00 soft drinks, any size

Go to couponnetwork.ca for a wide range of free coupons (currently down for maintenance but should be up soon)

Religion

Why are people saying it’s brave for Barack Obama to support gay marriage? He’s a Democrat. It would be brave if it were a Republican supporting gay marriage. One of the reasons that gay marriage is happening is because there are too few people willing to say that they do not believe in gay marriage. We have reached a point in society where we value the individual over God. I’m a simple person. Women’s and individual rights have become more important than children’s rights. Children have to fight against the right for women to have abortions and now they have to fight against gay marriage. Here is how I break it down: 1. God is perfect. 2. He loves us perfectly. 3. Like any parent, He wants us to be as happy as possible. 4. If a person has a happy marriage, that goes a long way to making us happy as human beings. 5. The ideal is that a child has a mother and a father. It is true that children can have bad mothers and/or fathers, but that doesn’t change the fact that a mother and father is ideal. A father provides some things from the male perspective, and a woman certain things from the female perspective.

Politics

I am a staunch, strong Conservative. If I were American, then I’d be a Republican for sure. But have you ever heard of Fox News? There are 3 primetime shows that are very popular on that network. Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Greta Van Susteren. Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, on The Factor and Hannity respectively, often interrupt their guests, shout over them, etc. They make conservatives look bad. Greta Van Susteren is very polite and her show is worth watching because she really is fair and balanced. People often criticize Fox News as not being fair and balanced, but as with everything in life, the truth is not so cut and dry. Some shows on that network are fair and balanced, and some are not. If you are going to watch one show on that channel in primetime (evenings), then I suggest her. It’s called On The Record,and in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, it comes on at 11PM.

Literature

Please click on My Writing, where you will find the prologue and first chapter of my political satire about celebrities who think they know everything about politics but are actually naive. It is also a balanced look at how artists are sensitive, and different from most people because of their emotional vulnerability. This book is entitled Melisande’s Lingerie Closet.

You will also find under My Writing the book I’m currently working on, entitled He Talks To Me, Too. It is about a young woman’s journey and experience with a Church, using an island as a metaphor for the Church. The main message of the book is that although there is nothing wrong with organized religion, a person can have a deep and abiding relationship with God even if they are not part of a particular faith.

Philosophy

Postmodernism is the theory that says you have to distrust the master narrative. It is, frankly, a lot of nonsense. It came about in the early 20^th century when religion was already beginning to become less of a force in Western society. When a postmodernist says that you distrust the master narrative, they are basically say that you cannot trust an author to know what their own book is about! This way they can undermine an author’s attempt to talk about God or religion in their books. Although the theory also extends into literature, the fundamental question that I would like to ask is: If we are supposed to distrust the master narrative, then why shouldn’t we distrust works that were authored by postmodernists?

History of American movies

Birth of a Nation was released in 1914. It was the first full-length, roughly 2 hour film ever produced. D.W. Griffith was the man who directed it. It was extremely controversial because of the fact that it appeared racist. Black people were not depicted in a positive fashion. It is fascinating to look back at these pictures and see the history of the nation as it unfolded. This movie in particular is about the Civil War in the United States.

Advice

I’ve noticed in the past that when guys get a girlfriend, they tend to lose contact with all of their other friends. This is not a good idea. If the relationship ends, as it often does, then the guy starts contacting his old friends all the time. Their very understandable reaction is to ask where he was when things were going well for him? People do not like to feel like you are only getting in touch with them when you need them. So if you are in a relationship, whether you are a guy or a girl, man or woman, please remember that your friends need to hear from you all the time, not just after a break up!

Education

On my website, under the Tips tab, I have 4 sections that are of interest to students. Two are pretty much for international students, and one is for any students, either a native speaker of English or an international student. The two specifically for international students are emailing professors in a professional way so you do not make them mad! The other is common mistakes that international students make in spelling and grammar. The other two sections are for anyone. One is tips for writing midterms and exams, using the library for research, databases, etc. The other is writing better sentences. I offer basic sentences, and then spruce them up to make them more impressive and professional.

If you want more examples than are offered on the site, just subscribe to my website and for $10, you can be added to my Facebook group where I offer frequent tips in each of these categories.

Health

(Disclaimer: This is just advice; you should consult your doctor before taking any advice)

One handy trick when you are taking antibiotics is to also take Acidopholus. Why is this true? This is because antibiotics kill not only the bad bacteria in your body, but also the good bacteria. Acidopholus actually puts the good bacteria back into your body so your health is stronger.

Kardashians

Whose side are you in Kim Kardashian’s court case? I’m on Kris Humphries’ side. I watch the Kardashian reality shows. Although Humphries certainly isn’t perfect and has some personality issues, I think he has been given a bad rap. I heard he’s the most hated NBA player, although I’m not sure if that’s true or not. But their 72-day marriage shows one important thing. When you get married, you are becoming one person, or at least that is the idea. Kardashian wants a jet set life in Los Angeles. After Humphries retires from the NBA, he is going to want to raise his family in Minnesota. They should never have gotten married in the first place, because they are too incompatible. When you wed, you are to become one flesh, as the Bible says. This is impossible if your fundamental goals in life as these two people’s were.

The new season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians starts on May 20, 2012.

Donald Trump

Trump is continuing his feud with Rosie O’Donnell. I think a lot of Trump. I think he is the perfect combination of entertainer and businessman. And his political ideas are top-notch, in my opinion. But I wish he wouldn’t make fun of O’Donnell’s looks. That is not the act of a gentleman.

The current season finale of Celebrity Apprentice airs on May 20, 2012.

Good books

I just finished reading Jermaine Jackson’s book on Michael Jackson, entitled Michael: You are Not Alone. I am really impressed with this book and his sister LaToya’s book, Starting Over. Both of these books show a great deal of emotional intelligence. Although neither of them is perfect (who is?), they both show the importance of a strong family. When LaToya was on Celebrity Apprentice, she was able to take an enemy (NeNe Leakes) and turn her into a friend by being emotionally intelligent. I have a lot of respect for the Jackson family.

Sound smart at parties

Aristocracy refers to a social class. Aristocrats are often rich, although not always. It is a lot more important to be a natural aristocrat. This means that you are a good, kind person who cares about the welfare of others.

Thought Provoker

May 5, 2012

Founder and Editor: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Read online at https://jaclynhollandstrauss.com

Twitter: JaclynHStrauss

Facebook: Jaclyn Holland-Strauss

Ideas for newspaper content? Need publicity?

Email jaclynhollandstrauss@hotmail.com or

fill out one of the contact forms at the bottom of each website page

Saying of the Week

Words whisper; actions scream!

Good deals in Halifax

Fickle Frog on Spring Garden: Thursdays, Unlimited Spaghetti $7.00

McDonalds on Spring Garden: $1.00 soft drinks, any size

Religion

This is a religion-friendly newspaper. The purpose of the column is to provoke thought about issues of spiritual importance. For now, I will compare specific issues that are important to Muslims and Christians. It could be argued that combining such a serious topic with those of less importance is disrespectful. However, I take the view that we should think of religion with the frequency that we think of less important issues.

Issue: The status of Jesus Christ

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And that He died on the cross in what Christians call the Atonement. The idea behind it is that we are not worthy to return to live with God, because of our sin. God sacrificed Jesus Christ so that through Him as an intermediary, we could return to live with our Heavenly Father.

Muslims believe that Jesus Christ is a Messenger of God, but not the Son of God. They believe that He is worthy of great respect as a Prophet. They believe that on the day of what Christians call the Atonement, there was a case of mistaken identity. It was not Jesus Christ who died on the cross; it was someone else and the real Prophet was taken up to heaven and protected.

Politics

One of the biggest problems with contemporary politics is that people belong to specific parties. The Founding Fathers of the United States did not believe in political parties because they feared the influence of factions. This is precisely what has happened. When discussing a specific issue, people focus on which party the person discussing the issue is from. They should instead focus on the merits of the argument on its own. People ridicule Fox News anchors just because they are on Fox News. It is the same with equally political channels like MSNBC. Take the issue of abortion. Conservatives believe that abortion is murder, and just like murder, sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, where the murder is allowed. Self-defense is one example. If a woman’s health is jeapordized by giving birth, then conservatives generally feel that abortion is acceptable. Liberals, on the other hand, believe that this violates a woman’s right to choose what she does with her own body. They believe that her rights come before the child’s rights, because the child has not yet been born. My personal belief is that such a serious, personal issue should not be discussed except between two close friends. No one’s opinion is going to be changed because someone on the opposite political side feels a certain way. We should abolish the party system in North America, and focus on the issues.

Literature

Philosophy

One of the most pointless accusations we can make against someone is that they are a hypocrites. It is meaningless, because we are all hypocrities, so it is akin to criticizing someone because they are a human being. Pointless. I think the reason people call others hypocrites because it is an easy way to neutralize someone who is trying to get you to be a better person. Many people in our modern society seem to underestimate the importance of actively being good, rather than just discussing it in the abstract. We are all sinners and we all need as much help as possible becoming better people. If we call someone a hypocrite because they are sinful, when they are just trying to tell us that we are doing something wrong, we shortchange only ourselves. When someone points out that we are doing something wrong, we should not immediately believe them. But we should strongly consider the possibility that they are right.

History of American movies

There have been few good movies made after 1950, in my opinion, at least in America! In 1914, a full 98 years ago, the most famous movie star in the world was a fellow named Charlie Chaplin. He is most famous for his creation of the fictional Little Tramp. This is relevant for today, because of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Nowadays, the 99% is mad at the 1% because of the gap and inequality between the rich and the poor. The Little Tramp, as popularized and created by Chaplin almost 100 years ago, dealt with the same issues. He was the powerless man fighting against the elite. He was the most famous comedian and star for many years.

Advice

A recent experience I had underlines the importance of me for communication. A friend of mine on Facebook deleted me because I had been making negative comments on his status updates. I never thought about it; I was just expressing my opinion without realizing how he would perceive the situation. I was wrong to post negative comments on his wall, and I think it would have been better if, instead of deleting me, he would have told me what he was displeased with so I had the chance to stop my bad behaviour. If we communicate clearly with others, almost any situation can be handled so that it does not get blown out of proportion. Knowledge is power, and other people can be one of our greatest sources of knowledge.

Education

If you want more examples than are offered on the site, just subscribe to my website and for $10, you can be added to my Facebook group where I offer frequent tips in each of these categories.

Health

I am a big believer in alternative health and natural remedies. The first tip I would like to share with you based on personal experience has to do with sinus infections. The best thing to do is to give up dairy. I resisted this with all my might many years ago because I absolutely loved dairy milk; however, since giving it up, I no longer have recurrent sinusitis and chronic bronchitis. A helpful natural pill you can take to maintain sinus health is a fish oil pill, Omega 3-6-9. You can find this at almost any drugstore in the health section.

Kardashians

The latest news on this family is that NBA basketball player Lamar Odom, and his wife Khloe Kardashian are cancelling their reality show Khloe & Lamar because it made him lose focus from being a crappy basketball player….er, I mean a nationally important basketball player.

The new season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians starts on May 20, 2012.

Donald Trump

I think Donald Trump should run for President! I do not agree with everything he does in a business context, but I read his book Time To Get Tough, and it has a lot of excellent ideas in it. For example, he believes that China is taking clever advantage of the United States, through spying on technology, and benefitting from trade regulations that unfairly hurt the U.S. As a result, China has benefitted to the tune of $3 billion annually! He makes the overall point in the book that the President of the U.S. Needs to be a negotiator, and that President Obama is far too weak in this regard.

Good books

I’m currently reading Nemesis: Aristotle Onassis, Jackie O. And the Love Triangle That Brought Down the Kennedys by Peter Evans. I’m not done with it, but so far it is an engrossing read if you are interested one of the most flamboyant Greek millionaires of the 20^th century, the widow of President John Kennedy of the U.S in the early 1960s, etc.

Sound smart at parties

Greek mythology is fascinating. Did you know that Cassandra has to do with a Greek myth where she warned everyone of impending danger but no one listened to her? So whenever you are warning someone that something bad is going to happen because of their actions, you are being a Cassandra. And it’s important to note…Cassandra was right!

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