He’s A Family Guy! Best Adult Cartoon Review

Do you ever take the time to look at today’s culture and the current events in a less serious light? That’s exactly what the animated television show Family Guy does. Family Guy is one of the best witty adult cartoon shows that have made its way into television since The Simpsons. This show portrays most of its characters as unintelligent, aside from the talking dog Brian and the football headed baby, Stewie. It effectively satirizes pop culture, is riotously politically incorrect, and contains humor so bad, it's good. Though this cartoon is made for a more mature audience, its age appropriateness is still questionable. Like The Simpsons, people often watch this show for its amusing adult-cartoon humor. Jeremy Frost, a reviewer of the show says, “it’s a more gruff version of The Simpsons, with far “bluer” material.” (Frost). However, I have found that viewers who have loved The Simpsons since the first time they’ve watched it, generally don’t like Family Guy, and the people who like Family Guy don’t enjoy The Simpsons. None the less, some think both the shows are equally as great because they both contain a good amount of senseless and cheap humor. The setting of Family Guy takes place in Quahog, a small urban town in Rhode Island. The Griffins, a dysfunctional family, are a very colorful set of characters with very different personalities from each other. Brian Griffin is the family’s pet dog. He has very human-like characteristics, and along with Stewie, is probably the smartest character in the show. Stewie is the football headed baby with a British accent and a powerful hate for the people and the world around him. He often thinks he is more clever than everybody else. Peter, husband and father, is a lazy, overweight slob with an IQ of a small child. He is often inappropriate, and makes a terrible role model for his children. His character is shamefully funny, and does just about everything a person should not do. An example of this would be the time Peter took a test to see if he was a genius. It turned out that he was actually mentally-retarded. In celebration of his test results, which he thought were terrific, he hired a bulldozer with a drunk driver to level off half of his house. Lois, whose voice is played by Alex Borstein, comedian on the T.V. show Mad TV, is a very patient and caring wife and mother. Their son Chris is an overweight teenager who closely resembles his father in the fact that he behaves very childishly and is not very intelligent. Once he taunted his sister, Meg, by telling her that his father was smarter then hers. Meg is the unattractive and unpopular teenage daughter. She is practically disowned by her family, and is the butt of most of their jokes. She is almost always being referred to as manly. In “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story,” Stewie goes into the future and sees Meg as a transitioned male named Ron. This is a good example of how the show portrays her character. The hilarious references in Family Guy are mainly aimed at popular culture, such as celebrities, movies, television shows, and the many different ‘isms’ of our culture. They don’t continuously single out a specific minority, but instead humorously blow stereotypes out of proportion. “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein” was an episode that the Fox Network could not air, due to its offensiveness. This episode concentrates on the idea that Peter thinks Jews are smarter than everyone else. I personally love the different ways Family Guy satirizes pop culture. However, some people tend to think that the pop culture references are a bit overdone. Loerke, an opposing reviewer of the show, calls it a pointless spoof of everything in pop culture. The shows viewers must watch the show and feel proud for catching the references they make about pop culture. It doesn’t make sense to sit down and watch a show that poorly imitates Hollywood celebrities because they already make themselves look bad. Family Guy feeds on the trends of the present time, and anybody who watches it in the next two years will not understand the jokes; therefore the show will not be funny to them (Loerke). I would have to disagree with this reviewer. Family Guy does a fine job of mocking pop culture. The show is meant to create a cheap laugh, and it does just that. Though Family Guy does feed on the trends of today, I don’t feel that its viewers always have to understand exactly what they’re satirizing in order to get a good laugh. However, since Family Guy often generates most of its humor by making references about a person, movie, show, etc., I can understand why some viewers may develop a dislike of the show. If the viewer has never heard of the person or show being imitated, they obviously may not fully understand the humor that lies within. It might fly directly over their heads without even knowing it, or though they may not understand the reference fully, they may still have a good laugh. This show also does a good job of being politically incorrect. It is jam-packed with crude and derogatory language. A lot of times the show over-exaggerates on the thoughts people in our society have. An example would be Peter and his buddies drinking at a bar talking inappropriately about a woman’s breasts. Instead of just keeping their comments to themselves, they will blurt them out. Humor in this show tends to be so unreasonably stupid, it’s good. It is a random cartoon show that’s main purpose is to give its viewers a cheap laugh. Peter’s flashbacks and the jokes contained in the show often jump from place to place and generally don’t follow the plot line of the episode. It is a show bursting with random and mindless humor. Sitting down and watching a show like this is entertaining because it allows its viewers to stoop down to a lower level of intelligence for a while without having to worry about looking or feeling dumb. Though overflowing with foolish humor, its one-liners are carefully and cleverly written. The jokes incorporated into the show are often “inside” jokes and references. This outrageous show is chock-full with over the top imitations of our everyday culture. It never seizes to creatively mock human relationships and behaviors, and make poor imitations of popular culture. If you haven’t seen the show yet, I recommend curling up onto the sofa with a bag of potato chips and I also suggest taking off your “thinking cap” because viewers of this show don’t have to do a whole lot of thinking while engaging themselves into this side-splitting cartoon comedy. Sources Cited: D., Andrea. "‘Family Guy’ to Explore Gay Gene and Ex-Gay Therapy." Box Turtle Bulletin. 31 Jan. 2008. Google. 17 Feb. 2008 . "Family Guy on Fox." TV Guide. 16 Feb. 2008. Fox. 16 Feb. 2008 . Loerke. "Reviews for Family Guy." Rate It All. 09 Jan. 2007. 15 Feb. 2008 . "Lucky There's a Family Guy! and Lucky They Brought Him Back!" Epinions. 08 Jan. 2007. 25 Feb. 2008 . Ulrich, Jesse. "Abstract." Brandeis.Edu. 25 Feb. 2008 . Frost, Jeremy. "Family Guy (Volume 2)." UpcomingDISCS. 07 Sept. 2003. 25 Feb. 2008 .

Teachers and Staff Face Tough Decisions in 2008

Figuring out what career path to take once high school is over can be a difficult decision. For some people it’s a piece of cake--they know exactly what they want to do when they get out of high school--but for others, selecting a career can be very hard. They first have to decide what career field they would like to endure and how long they’re willing to go to school for. Whether they are going to school for 2 years, 4 years, or 12 years, it is something they are doing so that they can be specialized in a specific job area. Students going to college for a degree look forward to having a job when they are done with schooling. What they don’t realize, however, is that it might still be hard to get the job they want. Also, if they’re teachers for example, they may have the burden of possibly being laid off later down the road. This is the case for many teachers in the St. Francis School District.

In the fall of 2007, the referendum for more funding in the district did not pass. Because of this, Independent School District 15 had to make a 1.9 million dollar reduction for the school year of 2008-2009. Because tax payers are not willing to pay more taxes, the district has to cut budgets. This means fewer teachers, smaller classroom sizes, and less programs. Currently 4th grade is located at the Sandhill Center because the 4th grade portables were shut down in October, and later removed due to mold. For the school year of 2008-2009, however, 4th grade will be back in SFE, and they will be moving 5th grade to the middle school to save on time, transportation, and mileage. 1st grade classes are being reduced by two sections, and 2nd grade and 4th grade by one section. Specialists for Physical Education, music, art, and enrichment are being reduced from one point five teachers, to one teacher. Next year they will no longer have a media teacher for the media center, and their six noon aides will be reduced to five. Throughout this overwhelming time nobody has really focused on the thoughts and feelings of the teachers and staff. How are they dealing with this? What are their plans for next year?

Mrs. Miller always knew she wanted to be a teacher, “It sounds corny but I feel destined to do it. I jump out of bed to get here in the morning and I hate leaving at night. Both of my parents are teachers and it seems to run in the blood to be a teacher. I remember being excited when I found out that in ancient cultures the children followed what the parents did. Even then I knew I wanted to teach.”

She earned her teaching degree at Bemidji State University and has been teaching and subbing for a total of four years now. Mrs. Miller teaches the 4th grade and was cut this year because there will not be as many 4th graders in 2008-2009. She and a few other 4th grade teachers found out about the cut in a conference with Principal Kathy Kohnen. When I asked Mrs. Miller if she was prepared for the news she said, “No, it came out of left field. I figured it would happen next year with the major cuts that might be coming but I had no idea it would happen this year.” She said the weekend before the conference her mother had even asked her if she was worried about the cuts, and she told her mom that she had nothing to worry about.

“It is a horrible feeling being cut and not having a say in it but I know it isn’t because of my performance but because there just isn’t enough money or students.”

Although being cut had nothing to do with her personally, she still has to deal with it on a personal level. “My husband and I were thinking about buying a house and settling down but now we will be moving to wherever I get a job and basically starting over. I will miss my fellow teachers as we have become good friends in this short time.” She also worries about getting a new job and finding a new place to live.

As for the other teachers’ reactions to the cuts, Mrs. Miller says, “The mood is pretty somber at school. We have kid of gotten over the shock and are now starting to look around but it is still rather depressing.”

It’s a very tough time for many of the teachers and staff who now have to figure out what they will do for a job next year. It’s very stressful because many of those people went to college to be sure something like this wouldn’t happen to them, and they are now facing many tough decisions. The teachers now have to try to find another teaching position elsewhere, which could cause them to have to relocate or find other ways to commute to work.

Though many drastic changes are going to take place next school year, it is important that the school is continuing to focus on the needs of the students. Kathleen Kohnen, Principal of SFE says, “While this is financially a difficult time, we will strive to deliver the best instruction possible for our children.”

It is clear that this is a tough time for everyone in the district, but there is no doubt that the school and community will keep on doing what is best for the students.

Cite Sources: Kohnen, Kathleen. "March Newsletter." Stfrancis.K12.Mn.Us. 14 Mar. 2008. 23 Apr. 2008. Kohnen, Kathleen. "On a Serious Note." Stfrancis.K12.Mn.Us. 08 Feb. 2008. 23 Apr. 2008.

A Healthier Lifestyle

Ever feel disgusted when looking down at the dinner plate, only to see a piece of flesh on a bone waiting to be devoured? Maybe it’s time people met their meat, gained some knowledge, and saw what they’re really dealing with. Though humans are capable of eating meat as well as vegetables, it does not mean that it is necessary for life. Humans are not carnivores nor herbivores, frugivores, gramnivores, folivores, insectivores, etc. They cannot be strictly specialized eaters of just one category, because they are capable of eating just about anything. Over hundreds of years, however, people have had the misconception that humans must eat meat to survive when really people have become “conditioned” to eating meat. Unlike non-meat eating diets (herbivorous, frugivorous, gramnivorous, etc) consuming meat can be a very unhealthy lifestyle, but it can simply be fixed. A lifestyle without meat could be the best lifestyle choice for everyone. By going vegetarian or cutting back on their consumption of meat, people can save money, better their health, better the environment, and can also significantly help people in need of food. If people chose a vegetarian lifestyle they could save more money. It’s expensive to raise animals for food, and it can also be expensive to consume meat. Most fast food places are popular for their burgers and other meat products. If people cut meat out of their diet, they wouldn’t have to waste hundreds of dollars at fast food restaurants, but instead could save their money. Eating meat products from fast food restaurants can also cause health problems if consumed enough. People may have hospital bills because of health problems due to eating too much meat, and money can be wasted on trying to lose weight, because of health problems like obesity. Eating meat increases the risks of developing heart disease, gallbladder disease, lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoarthritis, and food poisoning. Humans are not actually “true” meat-eaters. If they were, they would get down and dirty and eat raw, bloody flesh just like carnivores do, and they wouldn’t have to cook it and season it to disguise it. Humans, however, have conditioned themselves to being hunters by creating tools effective for hunting/killing. A vegetarian’s immune system is much stronger than that of a meat eater. Vegetarians are said to be 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and have 40 percent of the cancer rate of meat eaters. Eating meat is also unhealthy because the human body more closely resembles that of an herbivore than of a carnivore. There are many differences between the human body and a true meat-eaters body. Carnivores have claws and have sharp front teeth for tearing, and no flat molar teeth for grinding. Humans and herbivores do not have claws and do not have sharp front teeth, but have flat rear molars for grinding. The digestive system of carnivores differs greatly from that of humans and herbivores. A carnivore’s intestinal tract is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decomposing meat can pass through quickly, whereas herbivores and humans have an intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length. Carnivores have strong hydrochloric acid in the stomach for digesting meat, and humans’ and herbivores’ stomach acid is 20 times weaker than that of a carnivore (celestialhealing.net). The environment benefits when people decrease or cut out their meat consumption. By taking part in the consumption of animals, people are helping destroy the environment and perfectly good resources are being wasted. It takes a lot of water and land to raise and feed farmed animals that are being used for food. Excrements passed by animals pollute our water, erodes our soil, and also contaminates our air. The misunderstanding that there would be an overabundance of animals if they were not consumed, would not be true because animals would no longer have to be “bred” for food purposes. If more people went vegetarian, resources could be used more efficiently. Land being used to grow crops for feeding animals could be used for humans instead. Land, water, and other resources could be used to grow food for human beings. There is plenty of food in the world to feed everyone, but instead it’s being used to raise animals for food. If people went vegetarian, the resources could be used simply for growing crops for humans, which would provide more food for people than animals can. Going about being a vegetarian is easy. You can take baby steps, or you can quit “cold turkey.” Taking baby steps usually includes cutting the red meat out of your diet. Red meat is like steak and pork(cows and pigs). Eventually more meat products can be cut out, usually the last people cut out is chicken and fish. Learning how to substitute meat is also another step. Grocery stores sell meat substitutes like, veggie burgers, soy chicken patties, soy chicken nuggets, soy ground beef, soy corn dogs, soy hot dogs, etc. People may be wondering why eat these items when they can eat the real thing? Meat substitutes are healthier because they’re made from soybeans, and don’t have all the fats that meat does. Also, the substitutes weren’t injected with antibiotics, hormones, and nobody was harmed. They’re made from natural resources, and they won’t give you diseases, cancer, or make you obese. Being a vegetarian can be the healthiest lifestyle for the planet and everyone in it. People who are vegetarians can live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Though there is much controversy whether humans are omnivores or herbivores, vegetarianism is clearly the healthiest for all.