Psge 11 Eve On Thay Lion) S vErg- : Our Cede ret ion . Septsnibet 3 23, , 2009 ? TENE ALE Disney Kills Marvel So it’s a quiet Tuesday morning, I’m eating some Honey Nut Cheerios and enjoying USA Today when I reach The Money Section, on the cover page is Mickey Mouse wear- ing Spider-man’s iconic costume and the big bolded headline of “Disney Acquires a New Alter Ego.” Needless to say, I slam my spoon down as a resounding ‘“Noooooo!” Shoo out of my mouth in protest. For just 4 billion dollars, Marvel sold my childhood and my still current dreams of becoming a masked vigilante to Disney. Disney CEO Robert Iger claims that through movies and merchandise this addition will expand the Disney audience, particularly to young boys. By the end of this year, The Sil- ver Surfer, Captain America, and over 5,000 other beloved superheroes will be subject to poorly made Disney movies. Basically, this is Marvel’s hotel. Stan Lee believes that this ac- quisition will be a progressive move for both Disney and Marvel. According to an interview with Shannon Eberson of the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette, Lee stated, “Disney is the greatest marketing company in the world. They will just know how to market these characters wonderfully. And the Marvel people will still be doing them the way they should be done.” Not only will Marvel cartoon television shows increase, but there is also rumors in the mill about a proposed collaboration between Mar- vel and Pixar. Although this is a brilliant money making move for both parties, I can’t help but think of worst-case scenarios. So what does this all mean? My mind reels from there being a superhero High By Caitlin Olszewski - Lions Eye Staff Writer- c005024@psu.edu bright side, since comic books are only read by a small margin of people, they will gener- ally be unaffected. I guess I will just have to wait to see what the future truly holds for Mar- vel. DEEP DIVE by Mike Green Fe a game of monopoly and Disney just bought School Musical spoof to the Jonas brothers portraying The Avengers. Looking on the HULK EMBARASSED! Image courtsey of Mike Green He Said Cellphone Etiquette — By Daniel J. Taylor - Lion's Eye Editorial Editor- djt5036@psu.edu The world is, each day, becoming a bit more technologically advanced than yesterday. The benefits are countless--im- proved medicines, surveillance, weaponry, communication and information processing. On the other hand, however, the damages are countless with more expensive and divisive medical care, Orwellian oversight, threat of nuclear holocaust, depersonalized communication, and... hmm, well, informa- tion processing seems to be mostly good. The trouble is balancing the abundant successes of technology with the increasing fears and frustrations it causes. A timely example is the constant babble regarding cell phone etiquette. You’d be hard-pressed to find any pre-retiree without a cell phone these days, but you still hear the complaints of inappropriate conversations and the rudeness of ill-timed texting. So the basic question is, “When and where is it permissible to use our cell phones?” The answers are simple, but first let me make a few points. One, the metal and plastic which makes up your iPhone is not intrinsically impolite, just as using your cell phone is not automatically rude. Because this is true, the presence or use of a cell phone is not bad, but it is another factor which disgruntes SO many. Two, we live in a etrilbgion] world, boys and girls. It’s time to toss away our outdated sensibilities regarding what is appropriate and inappropriate. If you often find yourself insulted by someone’s use of a cell phone, consider this: the world is too busy, too fast, and too selfish to really be bothered by any mini-traumas you suffer. You would do yourself a great service by simply ignoring the ongoing white noise of cellular chatter. And three, if you use a cell phone (and you do) and you care about whether or not your exhibiting rudeness with your cell phone habits (and you may not), there is one perfectly good rule to decide whether. or not to use the phone. So the next time your third-best friend calls and the room gets a 30-second snippet of her “Dancing Queen” ringtone, ask yourself: Would I act the way 1 am about to act if said third-best friend was standing right next to me? If the answer is yes, typically your behavior is perfectly ac- ~ ceptable and should not be considered rude by anyone. If the place has any sacredness at all, however--any religious, political, edu- cational, or judicial institution, for example- -for heaven’s sake, leave your phone in your pocket! So if you're picking up what I am writing down, then you should understand that my answers is that it is permissible to use our cell phones whenever and wherever it is permissible to have a normal conversa- tion. Tips: Do not answer your phone on a date, text in ENGL 015, or even look at your phone in church because I can assure you that your date will feel isolated, your profes- sor will be angered, and God will question your devotion. Furthermore, do not scream obscentties, do not become ignorant of the world around you, and save the story about getting felt up by the cute guy in chemistry because you will offend, you will get in the way, and you will come off as a floozy. Easy enough, right? Be smart, act respect- ably--use your cell phone, but do not be an ‘ ignoramus. Let me wrap it up with a few final thoughts. It is perfectly fine to use your cell phone in both the supermarket and in the bank. Time and time again, I hear shoppers complain about that guy on his cell phone while they -were looking for Ragu, or see accountholders shoot dirty looks at a dialer, while wrapping their pennies. As a patron of the supermarket and an employee of a lo- cal bank, I can tell you, anyone who is upset that you are talking on your phone in those places is just as jealous as can be that they don’t have a friend to talk with. And if you are one of those complainers, it is ok--my number’s 610-675-9872; text me. She Said By Jennifer Santaneli Lions Eye Campus News Editor jms10845024@psu.edu Cell phones are a huge part of our culture. It is impossible to deny the convenience and benefits of this technology. As a mom, it is imperative that my children be able to reach me. Stay-at-home moms are rare in this day and age. People that work in service industries are reliant are cell phones and people who break down on the road no longer have to walk to a payphone to summon a tow truck. T could go on forever - extolling the virtues of owning a cell phone; however, I could go on for even longer listing the pitfalls. Roaming charges and billing woes aside, cell phones have been some- what detrimental to our society. On any given day, car accidents related to cell phone use are rampant. People find that what they have to say is far more important than paying attention to the road. Legislation is pending for many municipalities in an effort to curb cell phone use while operat- ing a motor vehicle. Texting while driving is another abhorrent practice. Most adults are aware of the dangers of texting while driving, and tend to shy away from it. Unfortunately, teenagers and young adults engage in texting while driving. This age group is usually inexperienced behind the wheel and by adding texting to the picture, the results could be fatal. Dangers aside, public cell phone use can also be extremely annoying. I do not need to know what you plan on doing this weekend while waiting in line at the bank. It is exasperating that people blab-- bing on their cell phone hold up the line at stores and I have seen this time and time again as persons talk about their private life while the clerk rings up their purchases. These people are so wrapped up in their . own conversations it does not occur to them that they actually have to pay for their purchase. They then proceed to dig in their pocket or hand bag, all the while juggling their cell phone, while the rest of the patrons patiently wait in line. The ul- timate gall is when these same people act annoyed at the clerk waiting on them for interrupting their conversa- tion. Just last week, I was in Borders book store with my youngest - daughter. As we stood in a line of about ten deep, the woman behind me continually blared in my ear her private conversation. This went on the entire duration of my wait. The woman continued to rant about some- one who she “would choke” if given the chance. When I finally could bare it no more, I turned around and stared at her until she finally hung up. My young daughter smiled gratefully at me as I turned back around. Our _ relief was short lived though, as her phone rang again, we were submitted to her brash voice spouting about her personal problems. Why do manners seem to go by the wayside when cell phones are involved? I can’t count how many times I have heard people . use language that would make a truck driver blush in a public venue. I do not speak like that in front of my children, and I would appreciate the common courtesy of others refraining from doing so also. Cell phones are without a doubt a wonderful advancement in technology. Now if only the human race would catch up and act a little civilized when using them.
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