Blogcritics Author: Ashtyn Evans

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

DVD Review: The Flintstones - The Complete Sixth Season

Ashtyn Evans — Thu, 5 Oct 2006 23:48:10 EDT

What can be said about one of the best cartoons ever created in the history of television? The Flintstones was a groundbreaking cartoon developed by Hanna-Barbera, which aired on primetime television for six seasons from 1960 to 1966. The Flintstones was the longest running series on primetime until the record was broken by The Simpsons television show, which first aired in 1989.The Flintstones - The Complete Sixth Season is now available on DVD through Warner Brothers Entertainment. Season Six was the last season of the series, and though it is sad to think that The Flintstones series ended with this DVD (minus any movies or spin-off series) each episode has you laughing to the very end.By the time you get through to episode 26, “The Story of Rocky’s Raiders,” you can't help but feel nostalgic because your time has been well-spent. Your old friends, Fred, Barney, Wilma, and Betty have grown with you. You can relate to Fred as a gruff bear that has a teddy bear core. Barney, the comic relief, is the same Barney we know and love. He has always been and continues to be duped into any plan ol’ Freddy has. Meanwhile, Betty & Wilma have turned into the voices of reason, much more willing to share their thoughts and opinions with their husbands.Through The Flintstones, we saw a reflection of life at the time in which it was written. Many, if not all, of these life lessons still apply to today. We still have crazy fads that pass through pop culture. We still swoon over famous celebrities and dream of the high life we could live as a world famous actor, singer, etc. Just like The Flintstones, we who live in suburbia understand what its like to work for a boss who doesn’t seem to care about anything but his paycheck. We have have overbearing pets and can understand the joy a child can bring making those moments that seem depressing or bad that much brighter with them in our lives.The Flintstones – The Complete Sixth Season is filled with many exciting episodes, for anyone of any age to enjoy, as well as the introduction of everyone’s favorite green space alien, the Great Gazoo. One of the most memorable episodes of the entire series is episode 6.1, “No Biz Like Show Biz.” In this episode, Pebbles and Bam-Bam become rock stars thanks to their newfound ability to sing, even though they cannot even talk yet! However, the celebrity life leaves much to be desired for Fred and Barney as their wives and children are whisked off from concert hall to concert hall with little more than a kiss for the boys between appearances. My favorite episode, “Shinrock-a-Go-Go,” episode 6.12, and my eleven-year-old son’s favorite episode, “The Great Gazoo,” episode 6.7 are included on disc 2 in this four-disc set. Dominick, my boyfriend, liked way too many to mention all his favorites though he was rather fond of, “The Return of Stoney Curtis,” episode 6.3 and “The Masquerade Party,” episode 6.11 and considers them his top two choices for this season.In “Shinrock-a-Go-Go,” Fred and Barney head down to the television station to pick up tickets to Wilma and Betty’s favorite dance show. While they are there, Barney drops his bowling ball on Fred’s foot causing him to hop around and create a new dance called the Frantic. This dance is seen by the host of the dance show, Jimmy O’Neillstone. He is so impressed with Fred he asks him to come down to his club and create the newest dance move sensation in its worldwide debut.In “The Return of Stoney Curtis,” Stoney Curtis, voiced by 1960’s heartthrob Tony Curtis, is shooting a new movie, in which he plays a slave, in Bedrock. Betty and Wilma head down to the studio to try to see Stoney, and when they do they have the chance to enter a contest where Stoney Curtis is your slave for a day. Fred and Wilma win and Fred tries his best to prove the likeable Stoney Curtis is actually a Hollywood snoot.In “The Great Gazoo,” the audience is introduced to Gazoo. He is a haughty, intelligent, smart-mouthed green space alien who has been banished from his home planet, Zetox, and sent back in time to learn his lesson. He must serve the two who find him (and the only ones who can see him other than children and animals) Fred and Barney. Gazoo is not very thrilled to be stuck with these dumdums and though my family enjoyed Gazoos presence, many people are not as fond of the little green companion, citing him as a major distraction throughout the season.In “The Masquerade Party,” the town is filled with panic and horror at the thought of “Wayouts” coming down from space and invading Bedrock. Unfortunately, Fred is unknowingly going to his annual Water Buffalo Masquerade as a space alien and many think he is a wayout! The Wayouts turn out to be the new hit band in Bedrock, and though things get off to a rocky start, they end the show with a great performance!The Flintstones –The Complete Sixth Season contains a few special features. There is a short documentary on the Great Gazoo called “The Great Gazoo from A to Zetox,” and there are trailers for other great cartoon DVD’s by Warner Brothers (including Scooby Doo and other seasons of The Flintstones). There is also a special presentation by Stephen Baldwin, who was Barney in the Flintstone’s movie, Viva Rock Vegas. This presentation discusses the influence of pop culture on the Flintstones episodes. Season six is full of such references including the episode “Samantha,” with Samantha and Darrin from Bewitched stopping by in Bedrock, “The Return of Stoney Curtis”, the Band the Beau Brummelstones (played by the Beau Brummels), and the Wayouts in “The Masquerade Party.”The Flintstones found a way to discuss life in a non-threatening, eye-opening way. The reflection of pop culture and its influence on the show is part of what made it so popular. Though The Flintstones –The Complete Sixth Season is the last of the series episode discs that will be available, this Stone Age family has found a place in infamy. With this DVD set, The Flintstones truly can live on throughout history as new generations watch and enjoy all of the episodes presented on this four-disc set.

Ashtyn Evans is a full-time blogger, freelance writer, and aspiring novelist. When she's not writing she is spending time with family, checking out new music and movies, enjoying life, and playing with her puppy. You can read additional work by Ashtyn at Literary Illusions. She can be reached through her website.

Book Review - The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubensfeld

Ashtyn Evans — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 07:06:28 EDT

All it took was one trip, and Freud would never return…to America…Sit back and relax as you are taken on a journey through the mind. From the deviance of a sexually, sadistic killer, to the psychoanalytical processing of one of the greatest psychological savants in the world, it is a safe assumption you will not be able to put down this book until the final page has been turned.Jed Rubenfeld, a law professor at the prestigious Yale University, shines in his first novel, The Interpretation of Murder. With the perfect blend of fact and fiction, this historical mystery twists and turns through 1909, New York City, without pause. From the vibrant aristocracy and a host of interesting characters including New York City mayor, George McClellan, to the underworld of the gritty New York streets and back there is not a moment you can miss in this book without feeling a bit cheated.As a former student of Criminal Justice, I took great interest in the psychoanalytical aspect of the book as the main character took charge over an amnesiac socialite teenager all while searching for her attacker, who was also the murderer of another young woman. It is in the nature of a CJ professional to want to analyze a criminal, and the main character, Dr. Stratham Younger, does so with vigor, and the help of some of the most important analytical minds in history.To further complicate the story, Rubensfeld intricately intertwines real life New York City in 1909 and the first and last visit Sigmund Freud made to America with the fictional world. It has long been disputed exactly why Freud never returned to America after just one trip. Rubensfeld fills in the gaps while leaving it open-ended enough for the reader to make their own conclusions.With Freud comes his prized pupil, Carl Jung. Through the observations of the “first-person” Younger-told story, Jung is portrayed as aloof. Of course, Rubensfeld also leaves an air of mystery about his teacher, Freud. While some see Freud as the father of sexual psychoanalysis, others view him as a quack. In this book, Rubensfeld leaves enough to the imagination to appease those from either schools of thought, especially as Younger questions whether Freud’s situational analyses are correct or not.As murder and mayhem set the scene in The Interpretation of Murder, the pieces of the book fall into place nicely. While the story is primarily told through the eyes of the protagonist, Younger, Rubensfield easily switches to the third-person style, characteristic in books when the main character simply cannot know what is happening outside their scope of vision.To say that Rubensfeld researched the historical aspects of the book is an understatement. As only a skilled story master can do through their prose, you actually experience the world Rubensfeld created during the moments you are enraptured in the book.As the story fits together and the pieces of the puzzle are put into place, the ending reveals the observations of Younger - or are they Rubensfeld himself speaking through his character? Regardless, the only disappointing part of the book is the cliché ending for Stratham Younger. Of course, so many other things are happening at this point, I did not let that bother me too much.

DVD Review: Lonesome Jim - A Depressing Comedy Directed by Steve Buscemi

Ashtyn Evans — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 00:39:30 EDT

Welcome to Jim's life. It is a sad, pitiful life, but it is the one the Jim prefers. After all, much of it he brought on himself. Jim is a 27-year-old man who lacks the options other people have. Lonesome Jim starts with the somber, depressed man walking home from a bus stop to his parents' house. At 27, he has hit rock bottom and has come home from a failed career at writing and walking dogs in Manhattan. In Jim's words, he has come home to have a nervous breakdown. Meeting Jim's family is quite the experience. Jim's mom, Sally is a perky, Donna Reed type who likes baking and caring for her family. Jim, who is somewhat awkward and doesn't seem overly interested in his appearance, is referred to as “Mom's pretty boy”. Jim's father, meanwhile, is a stern and quiet man until mom leaves the room and then he usually has something more to say, despite being a man of few words. The final member of the family is Tim. Tim is much like Jim except he is the older brother. Tim is in his 30s, divorced, and works for and lives with mom and dad. He coaches basketball for the team his twin daughters are on, but as a testament to Jim and Tim's outlook, the girls (the entire team of girls) haven't scored a basket all season long. Jim has come home to have a breakdown and resents his brother, who gets to it first. So, while Tim lays in a coma we begin to dissect the family life of Jim and what on earth could make him so glum. We are presented with issues such as premature ejaculation and marijuana laced with crack. This movie is an unconventional comedy. Lonesome Jim is for all the people in the world that love to laugh at another person's pain and yet feel it's wrong to do so. This makes it socially acceptable to do so and Jim is the perfect person to laugh at. With an outlook like, it's better to accept misery as opposed to trying and failing like everyone else, you cannot help but laugh at him.Casey Affleck's performance was amazingly plain, just like it was supposed to be. Affleck was hilarious and his performance was compeimented by that of Mary Kay Place (Jim's mom) who stole the show as a motherly force to be reckoned with. It's hard to not like a woman that is that perky. Of course, it is easy to imagine how someone could not handle her being their mother.Now add to this the performance of Liv Tyler who plays Anika, Jim's rather unconventional girlfriend — or habitual one night stand, as the case may be. Anika is the single mother of one boy named Benjamin. Anika is the exact opposite of Jim. She is friendly, genuinely seems to care about people, and likes helping out where she can. Jim is profoundly good at making lemons, but Anika would prefer to drink the lemonade. You know what they say about opposites attracting. Jim's life revolves around the need to perpetuate drama, and it's human nature to laugh at someone that has nothing better to do than continuously ruin his own life. In one scene Jim is with Anika and they are looking at the photographs on his wall. She asks who they are and he comments that they all writers. Eventually he explains more about them and the writer philosophy as he sees it. It goes something like this: these people jumped off a cliff, these drank themselves to death, and these guys shot themselves in the head. It's not a happy job being a writer, so Jim is a perfect candidate.Special features on the Lonesome Jim DVD include a commentary with the writer, James C. Strouse, and the director, Steve Buscemi, as well as a special making-of feature that shows off some behind the scenes action. It is hard to call such an unhappy movie a comedy, but you will see that it is. The direction in this movie was excellent, but then Steve Buscemi rarely disappoints. Lonesome Jim is a special movie that would have gone wrong with bad direction. However Buscemi had just what was necessary to get the job done. If you need a laugh or anything to make you feel better about your own life, try looking up Jim. After all, if your outlook is any worse than his is, you should become a writer, too.

Movie Review: Radioland Murders (1994)

Ashtyn Evans — Fri, 8 Sep 2006 04:33:40 EDT

The year 1939 was a hectic year for radio especially if you were working at WBN. At the time, WBN, a small, fictional station set in Chicago, Illinois was to become the fourth national radio network in the United States. Everyone was ready for the big night. The investors were relaxing in the lounge awaiting a good show. The writers were rewriting their scripts and the actors were poised and ready. WBN was going to make a huge splash as the number four station in the nation! Well that is, if anyone was alive by the end of the night. There seemed to be a small problem at WBN during the national premiere. The problem was murder. There were numerous problems. Murder really was not the only one. This farcical comedy has all the elements to make you laugh, shock you, and leave you satisfied if you’re looking at it from a non-traditional view. Multiple plots weave throughout Radioland Murders that all revolve around the WBN national broadcast. The story begins with a soon-to-be divorced husband (Roger) and wife (Penny), played by Mary Stuart Masterson (of Fried Green Tomatoes fame) and Brian Benben (from Dream On). It seems that Roger Henderson had a roving eye, which landed him flat on his back. The real problem, though, was that his loving wife Penny caught him with the Va-Va-Voom girl, Claudette Katsenback (Anita Morris). While Penny tried to keep WBN organized as the station manager’s secretary, Roger ignored his writing duties in an attempt to get his wife back.Soon we are introduced to the director, Walt Whalen Jr. (played by Jeffrey Tambor). Walt Whalen Jr. is only the director because Walt Whalen Sr. (Ned Beatty) is the owner of the WBN network. Junior isn’t a very good director. If you’re in the film industry you can’t help but laugh at his inept ability to direct or even make simple decisions for himself. Many times Whalen looks on with his trademark blank stare as he adjusts his toupee, whimpering over the need to decide whether to cue music or the announcer. Usually it is up to Penny to chime in with the proper direction.This is just the tip of the iceberg. One of the band members dies on stage. The scripts are horrible and late arriving after having to be re-written at the last minute and everyone is in an emotional rush. To make matters worse, a strange voice keeps coming over the intercom and no one knows where it is coming from. All they do know is that someone gets popped every time they hear the voice and no one knows who is going to be next. They also know that every time someone is murdered, the person attached to the scene of the crime is Roger Henderson. Sure, Roger is bumbling, clumsy, and maybe even untrustworthy (just ask his wife), but a murderer? Radioland Murders takes you through the performance on the scene as they try to determine who is murdering the staff of WBN and who is going to be next. It clocks in at close to two hours. If you are a fan of farcical comedies, it will feel like the movie is just the right length. You don’t feel rushed and the multiple plots are entertaining as you watch them unfold. Whether you are trying to guess who did it during this whodunit or not, the character development will amuse you. Celebrities fill the lineup in this movie from well known names like Masterson, George Burns (this was his last movie) and Rosemary Clooney to many names you won’t recognize that are attached to people with faces that will look all too familiar. If you’re a fan of vintage ideas and radio shows you will find this movie to be a treat. This type of movie is rare, as is its fan base, so this movie will not appeal to everyone. If you are a fan of the movie Noises Off, then Radioland Murders should be right up your alley. The critics were not fond of this movie when it came out and many wondered what George Lucas was thinking when he came up with the idea. However, you cannot always believe the hype of critics and if you are one that this type of movie appeals to. you will be in theatrical heaven. I went in not sure what to expect. I was expecting more of a drama because of the movie’s title. By nature I am a much bigger fan of dramas than comedies. This one hit me by surprise though. I began laughing almost immediately and continued to do so most of the way through. It was not the typical movie by any stretch, but that is what made it worth watching. I recommend you check it out as a rental before you buy it. If you like it, buy it. It is one of those movies, which you will want to watch more than once. This is especially true if you get the meaning, the context, and the slapstick enjoyment from the melodrama of the radio celebrities in Radioland Murders. I give it four stars.

The Overall Treatment Of The Disabled By The Muscular Dystrophy Association

Ashtyn Evans — Sun, 3 Sep 2006 12:38:54 EDT

The conclusion, of a three part series on the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Jerry Lewis, and his Labor Day Telethon ends with some final thoughts on the MDA and some personal experiences I have had with them as the caretaker of my longtime boyfriend, Dominick.If you would like to check out Part One or Part Two of this series, you can go back and read through the links posted on this page. I want to make it clear that I am not out to make the MDA look like a completely bad organization. There are many people that work for the MDA, who truly want to help. However, many of the people that work at the MDA are similar to the people that work at Burger King. It does not mean they have to be nice or enjoy their job. It does not mean they have to help people. All it really means is they need a job and they have one. By employing people that are not sensitive, understanding, or interested in the needs of the disabled the MDA looks like an organization that does not care. In the past, it has been suggested by the disabled community locally and in other areas that MDA employees are terse and uncaring. Sadly, many of them treat the disabled as if they are intellectually impaired, though usually this is not the case. When spending over $12 million annually in paid salaries you would think the MDA could provide sensitivity training or provide employee testing to ensure that employees understood how to treat the disabled and what their most common needs are. Rather than just offering a pay check that the public provides for a job that is sometimes not done well, why not make them earn it while doing some good at the same time? My Own Personal Thoughts on MDA I cannot aptly portray other people’s feelings about the MDA. I can only explain what has happened in my own case or rather in Dominick’s. I started dating Dominick in 2002. However, we had been friends since the late 90's. When Dominick and I first met, I was very curious about his disability. I had never known a disabled person personally before. Like many individuals ignorant to the needs of the disabled, I asked all the stupid questions such as, can you feel your legs? I tried to observe his actions and reactions to certain things. At first, Dominick had many excuses for why he could not do things. Most of them revolved around his MDA doctors telling him he could not or should not do these things. This made me angry because Dominick is a very determined individual, especially when he has his heart set on his goal.Despite Dominick living on his own (with Personal Assistants coming in to get him out of bed, dressed, etc.), going to school, balancing two jobs, and other responsibilities, his hope for the future was bleak. I could not fathom how someone with so much potential was so hopeless about their future...until our first visit to the local MDA clinic.The experiences we have had locally have not been the best. As mentioned, the clinic visits did not go well. Further there were issues with Dominick’s wheelchair. His wheelchair was purchased by a company that did not create it the way they were supposed to in relation to his needs. This caused harm to Dominick’s body that we are still trying to repair. He asked for help and rather than offering any viable solutions, the employee at MDA continued to suggest that MDA pay to have the wheelchair repaired. For starters, the wheelchair was made for a person 6 foot tall and Dominick is 5’3”. It’s really hard to fix that without at least getting a new seat. Additionally, the engine produced issues with speed and the batteries have never been able to hold a charge. Dominick took the help at first, even though his wheelchair had been fixed multiple times in the past. He had been told by more than one professional who works on wheelchairs that they could not fix his wheelchair. The employee, who’s chief job is listening to the disabled and being the liaison between the administrators/doctors and the disabled insisted that a solution could be found. She continued to suggest fixing the wheelchair. Dominick continued to tell her that would not be possible especially when he had it fixed only to have it break within a day after the repairs were made (and it got to the point where a lawyer had been involved to get repairs completed after the initial purchase). Eventually, the employee decided to yell at him over the phone so loud that I could hear her across the room, because to her it was obvious that he would not know his needs or his equipment better than someone who saw him once a year for 5 minutes during clinic visits. This is when Dominick decided he would no longer deal with the MDA. Unfortunately, that was not the last time we dealt with them. Dominick’s grandfather was very concerned that Dominick would not take the MDA’s help. It was brought to Dominick’s family’s attention that Dominick was being selfish and only thinking of himself without taking into account all MDA is trying to do for him. When Dominick asked where this information was coming from he determined that the patient coordinator was providing information, based on her opinion, to Dominick’s estranged mother. Dominick was 25 years old at this time (and still is) and had mentioned that he was not in contact with his mother. He also requested that she not receive any information about his case or health. Even if he had not requested it, he was an adult living on his own, so the MDA, by law, should not have given out his private medical information to anyone. At this point, the MDA decided it was in their best interest to help Dominick get a used wheelchair and offered him $2,000. It should be noted that I firmly believe they did this because I sent a letter explaining the situation and my frustration that a national organization would break privacy laws out of spite and blatant discrimination. I suggested that the worker, who lacks bedside manner, be removed. The MDA never mentioned the problems in their reply. They only said that it had come to their attention that Dominick needed help and they hoped the new wheelchair would do him good. In some ways, it has helped, but unfortunately, the help came too late and there is more damage to repair to his body. And that needs to be done before he's the active, out and about Dominick I first met all those years ago.Today, Dominick no longer attends the MDA clinic. Instead, he gets referrals for specialists through his primary care physician. Dominick is incredibly vocal about his needs. He is asthmatic and makes sure that it is taken care of regularly. He had spinal fusion surgery so he sees an orthopedist to check on the rods in his back and mold his AFOs (plastic foot braces).At this point, we are more happy, healthy, and have a goal of one day starting our own organization with the goal of actually helping those in need. Until then, we can only continue to spread the message of hope as we let people know that people with MD or any type of disability can do what they put their minds to, and have a very fulfilling future if they give themselves the chance.

Jerry Lewis And The Labor Day Telethon: A One Man Show Of False Hope

Ashtyn Evans — Sun, 3 Sep 2006 11:33:47 EDT

This is the second in a series of three articles about Jerry Lewis and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In part one, I spoke about the promises that the Muscular Dystrophy Association makes to both the people who donate the money that supports the organization and the individuals who live with Muscular Dystrophy every day. Let us now turn to information about the Labor Day Telethon and Jerry Lewis before moving to the third article, which is a much more personal look at the MDA from the standpoint of a life partner, caretaker, and best friend to a wonderful 25-year-old male with Muscular Dystrophy, my boyfriend Dominick. The Telethon MDA runs an annual telethon, which could mean the chance to shine, if you are a child, on a national or at least a local level. It is one of the many ways that MDA raises money throughout the year, though they make it seem as if it is the only way. During the year, there are numerous events which add to the collective pot-o-money that the MDA makes. The telethon is just the best-known fundraising event and gives fundraisers the chance to brag about how much they have given to MDA this year. This is the number one reason Jerry’s Orphans do not support the MDA. The telethon is there to raise money and, according to Jerry Lewis, unless the MDA evokes pity for the disabled, they will not make any money to help them. (Jerry’s Orphans are a group that feels the MDA telethon promotes a message of pity and weakness among the disabled.) Unfortunately, that means many children are exploited for their beauty and/or their wheelchair. If they are able to walk, many of these children stand and listen in horror as Jerry explains that they will never be normal despite their current abilities. These children will always be different and there is no real hope for them without the support of the able-bodied money-giving person. Anyone who has watched the telethon has heard Jerry’s spiel. Imagine how these children feel when they hear it. To some, it becomes second nature. To most, they assume it is their reality. Many children fight so hard for the MDA because they really do believe what the MDA says. They are different, they need help, and they are nothing without you. The sad fact of the matter is that this message of pity only perpetuates self-pity in the disabled community. This is supported by the fact that 70% of the disabled community is unemployed or they lack the skills to become gainfully employed. One only needs to look at the telethon to understand how a child could grow up and be unwilling to face the challenges of being different in a cruel and taunting world. When organizations like MDA make children listen to this and beg for a “normal” person’s help, it sends the message that they are not normal. It sends the message that they are worth nothing. So, when it comes time to become something, what else are they going to do but sit in their house and wait to die? According to the telethons each year, that is all many of them can do. Additionally, the money raised by the telethon is more for finding a cure than it is for extending the quality of life a person has. Why not split the money? The MDA is so quick to offer statistics about when people are going to die and how many people’s lives this disease affects, so why not make their lives better while they are here? I think most disabled people would appreciate the fact that they have a chance to live in a house without barriers or have specific equipment or care that insurance will not pay for that they obviously need. A cure is nice, but if you think you are going to die, and you know how you are going to die when you do, then the idea of spending millions in research for years on end with no cure in sight before you die is not a comforting thought. The Cost of MDA MDA is one of the most wealthy privately-owned charity organizations. They receive millions of dollars per year. In fact, their total assets for last year were $215,198,168. If you consider all things logically, it would be simple to split this money between research, care, equipment, and summer camps. Even if you only helped those in some areas based on the most need you would still be able to better the situations of many people. However, charities cost money to run. It is currently unclear just how much money MDA brings in and spends for certain. The information presented here is only as correct as MDA has presented it, but there have been questions in the past about their funding and spending practices. Of course, it is rare for MDA to make their financial information readily available when requested. Their financial discrepancies are clear when you compare totals listed in this article and examine the Better Business Bureau’s charity report on MDA. Of course, it could just be that this has not been updated since March of 2005. It is known that the CEO of MDA makes $399,321 annually. To give you an idea of how much money that is to a disabled person, you could buy at least 16 top of the line wheelchairs ($25,000 a piece) with that money. Additionally, over $12 million is spent on paying all of MDA employees. At least 1,355 people are paid to work for MDA while the rest, many disabled themselves or families of disabled people, are not paid for their time or hard work. Additional costs can be viewed here. Disabled people receive numerous flyers per year from the MDA begging for money. This seems a bit odd considering that the money is supposedly being raised to help them. Other mail sent is to ask for help in fundraising by working at events and the telethons because their paid staff cannot do everything.The Spokesman Jerry Lewis is known for being a comedian and actor, but he is also known for his MDA telethons. Jerry has worked tirelessly for the disabled community in hopes of finding a cure. However, Jerry has also cut down and demoralized the disabled, likening them to people that are less than human because they are not normal. In an article written by Lewis entitled “If I Had Muscular Dystrophy”, he explains how he would feel if he woke up tomorrow in that steel imprisonment that is a wheelchair. He goes on to explain that he would be worn out relatively quickly because most homes have far too many barriers for the disabled. I think all disabled and aware able-bodied individuals could agree with that. The problem, and perhaps the true colors of Mr. Lewis, arrives later in the article when he says things that most people will not admit to thinking. I know the courage it takes to get on the court with other cripples and play wheelchair basketball, but I'm not as fortunate as they are, and I bet I'm in the majority. I'd like to play basketball like normal, healthy, vital, and energetic people. I really don't want the substitute. I just can't half-do anything -- either it's all the way, or forget it. That's a rough way to think in my position. When I sit back and think a little more rationally, I realize my life is half, so I must learn to do things halfway. I just have to learn to try to be good at being a half a person ... and get on with my life. It becomes questionable why Jerry Lewis is helping these half-people. One might assume it was to further his career or to make himself feel good. After all, many able-bodied people believe they are good people because they help that wheelchair-bound woman get her Coco Puffs on the shelf she can’t reach. The truth of the matter is that these actions do not make you a good person. Good people do things because they want to help people, not because they want something out of it. Based on the things we have heard about Jerry Lewis, we can only assume he helps people just to say he helps them, not because he values their input or their lives. If he were to do that, he would have to see them as complete people and not genetically mutated individuals. If this were one isolated incident, people might assume that Jerry was just going off on a mid-life crisis or was not having a good day, but has since recovered. Unfortunately, that article set many disabled people off and Jerry has not taken to criticism kindly. When disabled picketers arrive at MDA-sponsored events, Jerry has a tendency to be unfriendly. In the past, he has informed the disabled community not to leave their homes if they do not want pity. And just recently, he referred to a woman in a wheelchair as a “living waterbed.” Many in the disabled community want Jerry Lewis removed from the MDA for his comments and his actions towards the disabled. Many able-bodied people think the disabled should shut up and graciously accept all that Jerry has done for them. Meanwhile, I sit on the other side of the fence. I am able-bodied for myself and for someone I love. I am my own legs and Dominick’s, too. I think MDA needs to be reworked drastically because the focus on the disabled is gone. The telethon and the MDA were never meant to be about Jerry Lewis, bigotry, or discrimination. MDA was meant to be an organization to help people that were disabled no matter who you are or how old you are. Sadly, those days are gone and until they are back again, I will continue voicing my distaste in hopes that the voices of those with Muscular Dystrophy will be heard.Written with the help and guidance of Dominick Evans.

The Truth About The Muscular Dystrophy Association

Ashtyn Evans — Sun, 3 Sep 2006 10:34:08 EDT

There are some traditions in life that are as American as apple pie. One of those traditions is the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. The telethon is held to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and is typically shown for 24 hours live, though sometimes they air pre-recorded stories in the wee hours while everyone is sleeping, instead of live footage. As the name of the telethon implies, it is hosted by comedian and actor Jerry Lewis. Lewis spends the entire telethon requesting donations to find a cure for the 40+ neuromuscular diseases that fall under the term Muscular Dystrophy. Unfortunately, unlike apple pie it may fail to leave a warm, sweet taste in your mouth. Instead, for some it turns out sad, bitter, and bigoted, which is not good for anyone involved. For the past 16 years a growing number of disabled people have been picketing the MDA telethon and the inclusion of Jerry Lewis in the organization that is meant to help people with disabilities. These people, many of them who prefer to be called Jerry’s Orphans, are a group that feels the telethon promotes a message of pity and weakness among the disabled. Everyone can agree that pity is the absolute last thing anyone needs. It does not matter whether they are in a wheelchair or not. These individuals also feel that MDA has lost its true meaning, which was supposed to be to help the disabled…all the disabled with Muscular Dystrophy, not just a select few. These days, looking on the website, the telethon, and other forms of media you primarily see the children in their wheelchairs and leg braces. Where are the adults who once were on the telethons? We cannot assume all of them are deceased now can we, because I know for a fact that this is not true. The Jerry’s Orphans organization, which has taken to picketing any venue with Jerry Lewis present, has caused a hailstorm of criticism. Accusations have been tossed back and forth from the disabled to the non-disabled. So, who is right, the private, corporate machine that has the ability to say one thing and do another or the people that live this life every day and have a chance to understand first hand what they need and what they are missing? In order to really decide who, if anyone is right in this debate it is important to examine all sides. We will start with the MDA and move from there. The Pros of MDA According to the MDA website, there are many good reasons to support and donate to their cause. The reasons to support and donate are broken up into three, well-marketed categories: Help, Hope, and Knowledge. If I did not know anyone with Muscular Dystrophy and had stumbled across their site on my own, I would want to donate simply because of the message that is portrayed on these pages. However, let’s examine each section a little more in depth before making any assessments on what MDA is hoping to accomplish with their website. Help comes in the form of clinic visits, equipment, support groups, Internet chats, and summer camps. Hope is classified by research, clinical trials, and research news. Knowledge is all about information concerning diseases, offering publications and videos to enlighten people, and showing “MDA” art, which is art made by people with a form of Muscular Dystrophy. Part of the struggle here is going to be reading between the lines. Remember, not everything you read is going to be as clear-cut as the way in which it was written. So, let’s break it down. MDA Offers Equipment According to their website if you, a person with MD, and have a prescription and a medical need, MDA will offer financial assistance regardless of age, race, etc. This includes wheelchairs. However, there is a tricky part to this. The maximum assistance toward the purchase of a wheelchair, leg braces or a communication device is established by MDA annually. Generally, this means that people are offered a few hundred dollars a year for repairs, which is hopefully not the year a person’s wheelchair decides to fall apart completely, since wheelchair parts are quite costly. Every 5 years or more MDA will help with some form of wheelchair purchase. Some have been told MDA will pay it all while others are told the maximum allotted amount is $5,000. This could be based on the yearly allowance though so I am certain this number fluctuates. For the average teenager or adult with MD in a wheelchair this may include an electric wheelchair with tilt to alleviate pressure and prevent sores, elevating leg rests to increase circulation, a headrest, a special grip for their controller, and so on. My boyfriend, Dominick’s last wheelchair (purchased in 2002) cost $20,000. Furthermore, the majority of people with MD are also on state insurance or Medicare. The insurance often alleviates the assistance with wheelchairs and other equipment mentioned. In fact, some insurance, such as Dominick’s Medicare, have been billed instead of the MDA, who merely wrote the prescriptions and did not offer the true monetary assistance their website clearly promises. MDA Offers Clinic Visits This is true. Every MDA office has a clinic. The clinic usually runs one or two days a week and is located out of a local hospital or doctor’s office. Of course, it should be noted that the cost of these visits is usually paid for by insurance, which at the very least, should exclude them from being listed on a page soliciting donations. I, like many, had believed MDA paid for these visits completely, and I was actually surprised to get Dominick’s Medicare and Medicaid monthly statements of payments shelled out. His insurance had been charged for the visit, rather than MDA. Dominick had told me when he was a child and his father had been laid off, the family did not have to pay a dime for his clinic visits. Perhaps since the 1980’s, MDA’s clinic policy has changed. At the clinic visit the doctors will offer any prescriptions necessary, listen to any medical complaints you have, and run any tests that may be necessary. Is such a clinic necessary when you look at what they do provide vs. what they do not offer? If MDA is billing a person’s insurance, they are not offering them anything they cannot get at their primary physician’s office. The fact of the matter is that disabled people are just like other people. They know their bodies and their limitations just as well as you or I. In fact, I would gather that many of them are more knowledgeable about those things. They know what type of doctors handle what issues and they could just as easily go to these doctors to receive services without the added clinic visit. I think Dominick sums it up nicely when he says, “I used to love to go to the MDA clinic to socialize with the doctors, the nurse who was my nurse at camp, and run into old friends with Muscular Dystrophy.” MDA Doctors The clinic is supposed to be a welcome change for the disabled because they will be dealing with a doctor that is familiar with their disability. Of course, this isn’t always as it should be. In many cases, these doctors only want to refer to the ‘textbook case’ portion of your disability. For example, in past visits to the MDA clinic, Dominick was being looked at to determine the level of progression of his disease. Dominick has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type III. He was diagnosed at age four, and though he could walk until he was sixteen, he now uses an electric wheelchair full time. Some of the symptoms of this form of Muscular Dystrophy are general muscle weakness, inability to hold the arms above shoulder width, and tongue fasciliations (a rippling/shaking tongue). As an adult with SMA in a facility, which was training other medical professionals it seemed that Dominick was there to be the interactive textbook. The doctor called other trainees in to watch Dominick’s tongue quiver and see how high he could raise his arms. Frankly, it reminded me of a guinea pig in an observation cage and I was not very pleased when we left the clinic. Once the trainees left, it was time for all of us to discuss Dominick rather than for Dominick to discuss any issues he was having. They talked over him rather than to him. They talked over me rather than to me, and assumed that anything in the book was all there was to say about his disability. However, most people with Muscular Dystrophy are not textbook cases. If Dominick were a textbook case he might still be walking today, but currently he is not. The MDA clinic is there to offer a service you can get from any decent, understanding specialist. Why not offer something you cannot get everywhere else? An example would be proper female care. Women that are wheelchair bound and cannot be transferred without aid of a Hoyer lift cannot receive pap smears in a traditional doctor’s office. This is because doctors do not have Hoyer lifts. These women go without exams and many of them die from conditions that possibly could have been prevented. This would be something you would think would be offered, especially due to the severity of the issue. However, these things are not offered. Alliances with hospitals and doctors offices to supply them with Hoyer lifts so that patients do not need to bring their own and so that doctors can adequately treat patients would be a good idea, but again this is something not offered. If you want special treatment, you need to go to the MDA clinic and if the MDA clinic does not offer what you need then you do not deserve to have it. Even properly training health care professionals on how to help and care for the specific needs of the disabled community would be money well spent, but again, its money not spent at all. MDA Summer Camp MDA offers Summer Camp for children with Muscular Dystrophy. Originally, this summer camp was available for all people with Muscular Dystrophy. Eventually, this was changed to only allow children the chance to go to summer camp though this information is not readily available on their website. I had to hunt to find this out. Summer Camp is an excellent thing because it gives children with Muscular Dystrophy the chance to spend time with others that understand their needs. Ultimately, for one week out of their year, these children do not have to worry about the fact that they are treated differently. When adults were allowed to go to Summer Camp, children with Muscular Dystrophy were able to have a better sense of hope because they could see that life did not end at 21. It meant that they could lead fulfilling lives, just like everyone else. In essence, it gave them a mentor. Dominick talks fondly of summer camp, and some of his best memories include a very understanding man named Jack. At one point, the scooter bound Jack saw a very tired six-year-old Dominick and gave him a ride back to his cabin so he did not have to struggle to walk across the camp. Knowing the big camp was too much to navigate, Jack made sure to come back and pick Dominick up to take him the long distance from his cabin to the community pool and dining hall each day. Dominick was sad when the adults did not show up one year for camp though he did not know why at the time. It seems, due to funding constraints, sending the adults to camp as well cost too much money and so they were cut. On one hand, it’s nice to know that children get this release from reality, but on the other hand, it seems a little unfair that adults, who supported the MDA vigorously as children, are now left behind because they are too old to get a one week break. For some of these adults, MDA camp was the only vacation they had each year. Unable to find care, transportation, or have their loved ones take off from work long enough to go with them, a conventional vacation was and still is out of the question for these individuals. It seems as though MDA has lost its focus. It is not the organization it once was. Where adults and children were both supported by the MDA, the adults now take a back seat to the more profitable children. The unfortunate part is many of these individuals have the capabilities to be talented, hardworking, and dedicated individuals if only they were truly given the chance to show all they have to offer the world.

DVD Review: Dallas - The Complete Fifth Season

Ashtyn Evans — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:17:36 EDT

For the time in which it first aired, Dallas was one of the raciest shows on primetime television. As a child of the 80s, now in my late-20s I grew up watching Dallas, or rather my mother watched it while I was getting ready for bed. However, all these years later, I have to admit I hold a special place in my heart for the show. The actors were amazing, especially since they were television actors, and the storylines were tumultuous enough to be remembered nearly two decades later. Dallas: The Complete Fifth Season was an excellent season to watch because several of the show’s main plotlines had already been established. As a viewer, you were well aware of what you would be getting when you turned on the television on Friday nights, and this season was full of shocking moments and unexpected surprises.Right from the start, the ultimate Southfork drama occurs. A body is found in a pool on the Southfork property and J.R Ewing (Larry Hagman) becomes the prime suspect! Of course, all of the Ewing brothers spend the show accusing the others of killing the person, so maybe J.R isn't to blame…this time. J.R. has other things on his plate, which are more important than a dead body. He’s battling Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) for their son. Sue Ellen and the boy are living on the Ewing family’s rival's ranch, and J.R. wants his son back. Midway into the season, things really heat up when the family patriarch Jock Ewing dies. Let the games begin on the Southfork properties, because while lovely Miss Ellie is grieving, her children will all be fighting for the prestige and money of Ewing Oil. By this point, viewers needed to prepare themselves because there was going to be a knockdown, drag-out fight to the finish – everyone wants their fair share, and a little bit more on the side.Meanwhile, in the midst of all this craziness, Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and his wife Pamela (Victoria Principal) are both desperate to have a baby. When adoption doesn’t go as well as hoped, Bobby does what all Ewings do best, he buys one. Now add in a suicide attempt and the possibility of financial ruin and you have the best of Dallas in one stunning DVD box set.Excellent performances were given by the entire cast, but, as usual, Hagman and Gray stole the show. However, special kudos should go out to Patrick Duffy, who also gave an amazing performance. This box set has everything a true Dallas fan could want. From murder to treasonous behavior, all the elements are represented and they guarantee to please.The big special feature for this season of Dallas offers a tour of the Real Southfork Ranch. This is the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the ranch the Ewings called home.All in all, Dallas -The Complete Fifth Season is a Dallas-lover's dream. Watching this particular season made it crystal clear why season five was ranked number one in both the U.S. and the U.K. when the it first aired. If you are a fan, you will not want to miss this box set, and if you are not, but you love the serial dramas of today, you might want to give Dallas a try. Nothing on television these days can compare to the drama of the Ewing clan, and honestly, I doubt anything ever will!

Movie Review: World Trade Center Is The Best Two Hours You'll Spend This Summer

Ashtyn Evans — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 10:44:23 EDT

September 11, 2001 is a moment that will forever live in infamy in American history. Nearly everyone that was old enough to remember the attacks remembers what they were doing when it happened and how it has affected them all these years later. So, as the news for this movie began circling I was immediately and anxiously awaiting the release. In fact, it was the most anticipated movie of my summer.Oliver Stone rarely disappoints when it comes to epic movies. In the past, movies like Alexander and Natural Born Killers have struck a chord in many people and left their mark on society. World Trade Center is set to do the same thing. While there have been complaints that this movie was made too soon, it was backed by the families and the men who were affected by this event the most. It was handled beautifully with plenty of emotion and a powerhouse cast of actors that knew just how to make you feel that you were in the middle of it all and that your life was as affected as theirs were.Nicolas Cage heads up the cast playing John McLoughlin, the sergeant that led a small group of Port Authority police officers into the towers to help rescue people trapped there. Cage offers a glimpse of an emotional side, showing strength and fear with only his voice as we watch the events unfold with bated breath.Michael Pena, while lesser known than Cage, is simply a scene-stealer. Pena beautifully portrays William Jimeno, one of the Port Authority officers, who is stuck with McLoughlin beneath a pile of rubble. Pena moved into the Jimeno house to prepare for the role and the studying definitely helped. His performance was filled with emotion, force, and desperation. It was everything necessary to bring the movie together perfectly. Lead actresses Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal showed us how the wives of these men held on to memories when the lives of their husbands hung in the balance. We watched the turn of events in their minds and on their faces as life went from normal to unimaginable in a moment’s time.A small bit part by Stephen Dorff also added to the strength of the movie. The horror of the events are as evident on his face as the tears in his eyes as he plays Scott Strauss, the man that came in and saved the lives of Jimeno and McLoughlin. People might call this an attempt on Stone’s part to cause a stir, but they could not be more wrong. McLoughlin and Jimeno both have writing credits on the movie and their input heavily influenced the production. If you are looking for a touching, heart-wrenching story that could have been an action-flick but was unfortunately true, then this movie is for you. If you see one movie this summer, see World Trade Center. It is well worth the time and tears you will spend watching it.

DVD Review: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Season 4 and Going Strong

Ashtyn Evans — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 10:01:02 EDT

The Fresh of Bel-Air and lead funnyman Will Smith took television by storm. There was just something completely hilarious about a sophisticated family in a haughty Bel-Air neighborhood taking in a relative from the inner-city ghetto of Philadelphia. This was the premise of one of the funniest and longest running sitcoms of the '90s.As the Fresh Prince, Will Smith played the street-smart teenager named - get this - Will Smith. He moved in with his supportive Aunt Vivian, played by Daphne Reid (who replaced Janet Hubert-Whitten in season four), conservative Uncle Philip (James Avery), slightly ditzy cousin Hilary (Karyn Parsons), younger cousin Ashley (Tatyana Ali), and the star of the sideshow, cousin Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro). Season four of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air brought about many changes in the storylines of the show. For starters, there was a new Vivian, though she seemed to take on the role beautifully, which helped to make the transition much easier for the show’s audience. Meanwhile, Little Nicky, the newest member of the Banks family and newborn son of Philip and Vivian, was added to the fray.Everything about this DVD set will bring you back to the days when, as a teenager, you clustered around your living room television anxious to see what antics Will and Carlton were up to next. You will enjoy everything about the box set, from the colorful artwork that adorns the front of the case along with Will and Alfonso, to one of the best seasons of the entire show. The greatest thing I remember about the Fresh Prince is that while many other sitcoms seemed to grow stale, this one managed to get more entertaining, even taking the show in slightly new directions.Some of the highlight episodes on these four discs include "The Philadelphia Story", where Will goes back home to find a chicken sandwich has been named after him, and "Home Is Where the Heart Attack Is", which deals with the dangers of Uncle Philip’s weight, dieting, and the family struggles of an unhealthy patriarch.Other excellent episodes have Will and Carlton moving into their own place, getting kicked out, and fighting over the same girl. In true blue Will Smith fashion, the famed dating book, The Chicktionary, even comes out a few times to save the day, once in hopes of saving Will from failing a class.The sitcoms of today do not seem to pack as much humor into those 30 minutes as the Fresh Prince did. Season four was everything I remembered and hoped for in a DVD set. The only thing I felt lacking would have been some special features or outtakes. However, even with them missing the set is still worth watching. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Season Four will give your whole family something to laugh at without worrying about violence, sex, and anything else you tend to keep your children from watching. So, have some fun, kick back and head to Bel-Air. The time you spend enjoying yourself will surely do you some good.