If you were to make a documentary...

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Permalink Reply by Moosie on June 13, 2008 at 3:42am

It's an Inconvienient Truth meets Starbuck's at the Drive Thru.

Being a true Californian I know how easy it is to use Drive thru when traveling with animals, a full load of family, or on the road in an unfamiliar area. Still to sit there for 15-20 minutes with many other vehicles running their engines, I noticed in some areas there are 5 or so Drive Thrus all with the same line length next to each other. This got me to thinking about what impact has our level of "convience" made it inconvienient for our planet Earth.

I'd like to do a study and follow some true commuters for one month to see the number of drive-thrus used whether it is for food, coffee, phamacy, or dry cleaning. It seems we have become overly reliant on not utilizing the parking lot of most establishments with a Drive Thru option. There are a number of people willing to wait 15 minutes in their idling vehicle when it would take 2 minutes or so to go inside to retrieve whatever is needed. During that extended wait in the Drive Thru line, the fuel wasted along with the emissions sent out into the atmosphere have expanded greatly over the last 10-15 years.

I would like to compare the air quality and fuel usage for that period of time to the previous 30 years. Also asking some of the commuters go to without using a Drive-thru for one month's time, monitoring savings on time and gasoline as well. Another part of this is to see how many Drive thrus are in a certain range of each other compared to other cleaner communities. The constasnt would be to also have others continue on per normal during the same period of time, using the same number of establishments.

The follow up would be to come back a month later to see if they stayed with their walk-in ways or reverted back to not exiting the vehicle, even if there is a line of cars around the establishment. The final results would be utilized to set up guidelines for local planning commisions when it comes to issuing a limit of Drive-thrus permits for a certain area. Hopefully this will reduce emissions and increas health benefits, while saving monies on wasted gasolline.

PS.. Have your people call my people.
MaMoosie-berg

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Permalink Reply by Moosie on June 16, 2008 at 1:58pm

Okay my people haven't heard from your people so here is my second pitch.. and I'll make it quick as my people have people waiting for my person to show up.. as we're doin a late lunch..

Anyway.. Mass Transit

Some of the most successful cities have become so due to a working transit system that is both commerce and socially friendly. Cleaner air, economically sound and at times even safer as people don't have time to stand around looking for things to do when a bus, trolley, or rail system is just a step away to take them to the next cultural event, entertainment venue.. or even a Starbuck's.. (ahem)

Follow 4 different people as they use the system for their purposes and then contrast that to the SUV taking the one child to school or just the one person to the market or work. Also add in studies as to long term savings compared to those cities of same size without such a transportation network.

Oops gotta go .. my people are callin me.. they need a ride.. .. hmm if only they had access to a bus..
:)

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Permalink Reply by BooBooBaby on June 18, 2008 at 3:01am

If I were to write a documentary on something, it would be the Ecological Impacts Of Palm Oil Plantations.

My son came home from school one day all upset about the rain forest and what his teacher had dicussed with the class . He was so engrossed in this subject of the destroying of the rain forest that I started to research it on line.
I was amazed at what I read about Palm Oil Planations.

I would love to write something, I have very strong feeling and ideas about the vast plantations that grow oil palm trees have contributed to the destruction of the rain forest and wildlife of Southeast Asia.
I have been researching this for a few weeks and I am learning a great deal.

Palm oil is used around the world in such foods as margarine, shortening, baked goods, and candies. Biomedical research indicates that palm oil, which is high in saturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat, promotes heart disease.

Indonesia and Malaysia have, concomitant with the destruction of enormous tracts of tropical rain forest, some of the world's longest lists of threatened wildlife. Of the more than 400 land mammal species of Indonesia, 15 are critically endangered and another 125 threatened. Of Malaysia's nearly 300 land mammal species, 6 are critically endangered and 41 threatened. The numbers of threatened species climb higher when terrestrial reptiles, amphibians, and birds are included.

I would love to write about this but the thoughts in my head sound so much better there, then when I start to type.
I will have to work on this a bit.

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Permalink Reply by Moosie on June 18, 2008 at 11:13am

Go with what you know..
Follow the fans or forum members about 6-10 of them.. of Reality TV.

Find out the life-styles of those that go up and beyond the level of being a fan of a show about Real Life.. and how much they abandon theirs in the process. Having seen people who have 6 kids watching Feeds for Big Brother or in constant chat about Reality shows almost 24/7 to those that go to work and use the Corporate Internet service to keep up to date, or students bypassing schooling or studying so to get the latest updates from Reality shows around the World no matter what time of day or night it is. I know of a few that put off going to a Family Reunion because although they had it recording on the shows and the Feeds, they did not want to miss the premiere of Big Brother a few years back. A month after a dear relative died, and they never got a 'last chance' to visit them.. all over a TV show.

See how it affects their health, life-styles, and social interaction with others. Also evaluate how they feel about other areas of life as current events, family, or future. This also comes from knowing some that have passed on 'real life' experiences all for the sake of 'not misssing a show'. Then at the extreme follow those that take that extra step over the line to the level of harrassment and stalking even. See what drives them to that point and the ways that they can be either helped or dealt with so to protect the object of their obsession.

This could focus on over-saturated media shows (episodes, internet forums, feeds) like Big Brother, long running series as Survivor, or educational/artistic ones like Amazing Race or Dance/Song competitions. From those various shows maybe classifying the kind of fan or fanatic that follows the various Genre'.

To close it would be good to see what satisfaction or sadness exists when that particular series ends for that Season. Having seen fans grow upset and create drama with others when there was lack of the same within the show, gave thought to the desire or need for that void to be filled when the season ended.

Another side story could be the 'players' or Celebs of the shows and what their response is to such a following and how it changes their lives, for better or worse.
:)

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Permalink Reply by lavonne on June 20, 2008 at 2:33am

Darfur:

Because it is so important to help people understand the confusing nature of the genocide in Darfur, it is crucial that we go to the root causes of the conflict itself. So many are genuinely confused by the Arab/African lables that they do not understand what is driving it. I truly believe that if research was conducted and spelled out for people in plain English, they would be more apt to do something about it.

*Origins of conflict beginning in 2003:
The combination of decades of drought, desertification, and overpopulation are among the causes of the Darfur conflict, because the Baggara nomads searching for water have to take their livestock further south, to land mainly occupied by Black African farming communities. This begins a conflict among tribal and ethnic lines.

A rebellion started in 2003 against the Arab-dominated Sudanese government, with two local rebel groups - the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) - accusing the government of oppressing non-Arabs in favor of Arabs. The government was also accused of neglecting the Darfur region of Sudan. In response, the government mounted a campaign of aerial bombardment supporting ground attacks by an Arab militia, the Janjaweed. Literally translated, Janjaweed means 'devils on horseback'. The government-supported Janjaweed were accused of committing major human rights violations, including mass killing, looting, and systematic rape of the non-Arab population of Darfur. By the summer of 2004, 50,000 to 80,000 people had been killed and at least a million had been driven from their homes, causing a major humanitarian crisis in the region.

*Conflicting sides:
-Sudanese Army/Janjaweed (gov't)
-Sudan Liberation Movement/Justice and Equality Movement

*International Involvement/Lack of International Involvement
-United Nations
-United States of America
-Sanctions
-Banned Companies
-Aid/Lack of Aid
-China Conflict of Interest
-Aid to Sudanese Government
-Olympics Motivation
-Celebrity Pleas for Help
-Grassroots Groups
*Casualties
-Deaths
-Genocide/Not Genocide~International reaction
-Pictures of before/after devestation of villages
-Refugee Camps/Camps for "Displaced persons"
-Enviromental Disaster (lack of food/water)
-Lack of Medical Aid
-Attacks on Camps
-Confiscation of Aid Supplies by Janjaweed
-Methods of war used by Janjaweed
-Rape
-Murder
-Torture
-Disfigurment

*Conflict Spreads
-Janjaweed follow fleeing villagers into Chad


I know this is, to many, an "old news" item. However it is, according to the United Nations, the largest Humanitarian Crisis facing our world today. Over 500,000 dead and 2 million displaced persons have had their lives destroyed by this conflict. Many more are in danger of dying not only by the hands of the Janjaweed, who are following them accross borders, but by starvation, thirst, and disease as they fight to survive in unsanitary, overcrowded camps.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on June 21, 2008 at 5:32am

Little has been done about the adolescents of nowadays, but it's scary, and something needs to be done.

I work in a drop-out prevention school for teen girls, middle and high school. And what they see or live through on a daily basis is just wrong and scary. The actions they exhibit as a result of it are even scarier. In the relatively short time that I have worked there I have seen so much. A lot of these kids truly hate themselves. Their parents don't give them what they need, because of their own problems, and the kids start to believe that they simply aren't worth having their needs met. Many of these kids' parents are drug addicts, are emotionally unavailable, and are overly lenient. So what does that make the kids? Drug addicts, emotionally unavailable or unstable, and overly rebellious, disrespectful, defiant, and careless. They will do whatever dangerous and self-hating acts that they think will get them love or attention. They don't hesitate to find solace in 30 xanax bars in one night, letting boys 'run trains' on them (allowing multiple boys, usually a boyfriend and all of his friends, have sex with them in one night), or cutting/hurting themselves. They try to drown out their pain in unhealthy, self-sabotaging ways. Whatever it takes, they'll do.

I've seen a girl get so wasted on drugs that they plow a car into another and then yell and curse at the police officer as if they have gone madd. I have seen a girl allow her best friend's father to have his way with her sexually for fear of losing her best friend. I have seen a girl so bullied that she has attempted to take her own life, in elementary school. I've seen a girl runaway from home because she didn't know how to deal with the emotional pain of having her friend killed by a police officer, who said the teenager had a gun, but one was never found. I've seen girls scream at their mothers because they are not getting their needs fulfilled by the people who are supposed to love them the most. I've seen girls raped multiple times and their parents either not believe them, or be so wrapped up in their own drugs and other unlawful behaviors that they just don't care. I've seen girls threaten the lives of other girls because they didn't like the 'mean mugging' (making faces at another person.). I've seen girls, younger than 16 years old, prostitute themselves, sell drugs, and join gangs. And all are done to try to help them ease their emotional pain. I've had a girl tell me that she has to be high all the time because when she isn't, she has to think and face the reality that is her life.

Some parents are afraid to discipline their kids because they don't want them taken away by the Dept. of Children and Families. And the kids abuse the freedom given to them. Other parents work so much, just trying to make ends meet, that they don't see their children for who they are, let alone the dangerous paths they're taking. Some parents give up on their kids, and send them away to live in foster care, with relatives, or in a shelter. Some parents abuse their children to the point where the kids end up hospitalized. And some parents were these teenagers themselves at one point, perhaps not that long ago. They perpetuate the pattern because they too never learned the skills it takes to be able to manage one's own emotional pain and life's traumatic events.

These kids feel scared and all alone. And they've never learned coping skills. And they have so much anger that they don't know how to release it in a healthy manner. If I were to make a documentary, it would be about these kids. The documentary would be about what these children have had to endure in their short lives, what negative, dangerous, and unhealthy actions they take as a result, and how they can find solace in healthy ways so that they don't have to throw their lives away on a gun, a boy, or a drug. All too many of them care about nothing, let alone themselves. And it shows. We can help these children. We can be role models, mentors, counselors, parents, and friends. We can teach them that they are good enough to deserve love and affection. We can teach them that they don't have to self-sabotage in order to ease their emotional pain. We can show them that they are not their behaviors, and that they are better than the actions that they are currently choosing to take. Perhaps a well-made documentary, showcasing their lives and how they get better, can be an example to them of how it could be instead. Let's start the healing early, so that they don't grow up to become the type of adults that many other documentaries are made about.

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Permalink Reply by "Hollywood Hopper" on July 1, 2008 at 12:53am

Kaysar, you know what I want to do. I fully believe in Sara and the idea we talked about at Starbucks, .... but after reading this, I really like the idea by "Moosie" about Drive-thru's. I use that constantly especially when you really don't need to. And its not necessarily about convenience its about laziness. 20 years ago when you had your dog with you, and needed to stop at the pharmacy, you let the dog out and tied him/her up or cracked the windows. Especially now since our gas prices are rising so astronomically why are we still willing to literally through money down the toilet just to stay stationary and not get out of our cars. What an inconvenience! Would need some intense research and scientific data to be plausable, but a very intersting topic...

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Permalink Reply by Shelley on July 15, 2008 at 2:24pm

First I started off wanting to discuss arranged marriages in the East, what their purpose was a century ago, to what they’ve evolved into today; touching on the horror stories of rape, mutilation and death for better dowries, but also showing a more positive aspect of arranged marriages and how they don’t always turn out to be such a horrific story involving some kind of female violence. Then it occurred to me… why not discuss arranged marriages but also incorporate how marriage in general has changed from a century ago? Marriages aren’t just arranged anymore, this generation is testing their boundaries by dating not just people within their own ethic community, but exploring the option of dating someone from a completely different background. 50 years ago it was almost unheard of for a Sikh to marry a Hindu, now it’s not even thought of twice if the couple is considered a “match.” Of course dating and marriage still isn’t easy just because the rules may have changed a little, there are still those who believe one should only marry within their religion or caste, there are still those who are forced into marriage, and now a new “phenomenon” within the community, divorce. What was considered completely unfathomable 25 years ago, is now more and more common, maybe because the old way of marriage just isn’t working anymore? But it’s definitely something to explore since it is becoming more common within the Eastern community. This documentary, can be a means to open the channels of communication between parents and their kids to discuss relationships, giving them the opportunity to explore a topic that’s still considered taboo in some households until you’re 25 and at that marrying age, but it also provides a chance for those who live in the West to understand the struggles that their friends with an Eastern background face daily trying to balance their heritage in a rapidly changing society.

I think it would be really beneficial to start the story off with how arranged marriages came to be; why they were used, which countries adopted the practice, and what the benefits were of having an arranged marriage were. Of course if you’re going to discuss arranged marriages you also have to discuss the horror stories attached to them and although it’s cliché to assume all women who had an arranged marriage were forced and oppressed, it’s necessary to show the audience that there was some truth to these myths. Stories of women being burned or poisoned for better dowries, women becoming slaves in their own houses, or even stories about honour killings are all important pieces of information that the audience needs to hear., but arranged marriages weren’t always bad though, and it’s just as important to discuss that love did blossom between a couple after some time. On the topic of love, some couples were allowed to have “love marriages,” (insert clips of an old Indian movies where the couple hides behind trees while singing and dancing in the forest) of course their parents would have to approve and it would have to be considered a suitable match by both families, but not all marriages were financial transactions.

How the story should be set up…. The first bit discussing what arranged marriages were like a century ago will likely have to be narrated; maybe reenacted images from movies can be used as visual aids to enhance an understanding of what marriages looked like and how they came to be. The rest of the documentary should be done through interviews with movie clips, reenactments, or even media clips to evoke the most emotion out of the audience.

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Permalink Reply by Shelley on July 15, 2008 at 2:24pm

Part 2 because I write too much :)

The Emotional Center:
This is where we discuss the various love stories. I think it would be good to start off with a modern couple who found love through an arranged marriage, and here we can discuss how the “rules” have changed to allow more communication between kids and their parents, regarding choice of partners. This story can then lead into the topic of dating. Dating is a sticky subject in most households, and I think it would be good to interview parents first, see how they feel about dating, and ask what they think their kids are up to, then maybe show the kids what their parents said (privately) to gage their opinion and finally bring the two groups together to open up the lines of communication and see where it goes. As with dating there are also horror stories, some parents who are too strict on the old ways may not accept someone from the same religion but who may be of a different caste, others may be okay with marrying outside of the religion so long as their kids are happy. Maybe this would be a good time to introduce an interracial couple and or a couple who have married outside of their respective religions, how their parents coped with the news that they wanted to get married, what their ceremonies were like. It might also be a good idea to interview a couple who have been dating for a while to see how they see their relationship is unfolding, and whether they’ve talked about the difference of background and how that’s going to affect their relationship in the long run.

Honour killings are still sadly common so to reinforce the interest of the audience into wanting these couples to live their lives happily ever after, I think we need to explore that although some things have changed, others have remained painfully the same. At the end of this documentary I’d like to see the stories tie up into an educational piece that fosters communication amongst parents and kids, as well as friends. It should provide a better understanding to those who aren’t of East Asian or Arabic descent, and who don’t understand the cultural practices or the struggles that kids face, but in the end everyone should be rooting for these couples to live happily ever after, because their love stories will live forever. (ya I kind of stole that line from an Indian movie but the song is fantastic!!)

How much hate exists in the world…
Yet, even so, hearts continue to love.
Even if the lovers should die, even if they are erased from this earth,
Their love stories will live on forever.
-Mohabbatein (Zinda Rehti Hain”)

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