30 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/25/13 12:04am)
The ASU Mindfulness Community is looking to expand its program to reach
new students and be more accommodating to its personal lives. The
purpose of the student group is to relieve stress through techniques, including meditation, yoga,
self-compassion, posture and awareness.
Social work graduate student Sam Chates leads the group through three meetings a week at the Downtown campus. He has led the group since September 2011 and built a support network among students looking for ways to
lower stress in their lives.
Courtney Carter, an urban and metropolitan studies sophomore, said he has been
attending the meetings since he finished a stress management course at
ASU. "(My classmates) began and ended each class with mediation, and when the semester
was over I wanted to continue it," he said.Chates said the ASU Mindfulness Community has about five to 10 people show up every week and more than 250 people are on the mailing list.The mailing list contains links
to additional resources to help students manage their stress. Chates said one of the critical new resources being
offered is the partnership that the Mindfulness Community has built
with Sounds True Inc., a company devoted to
manufacturing and selling audio that disseminates spiritual wisdom
through both music and lecture.
"They are the largest publisher of meditation guides," Chates said.
"Ordinarily, people would pay hundreds of dollars to use that valuable
content, but we have struck a deal where any ASU student with a valid
sign-in can use it for free."
The ASU Mindfulness Community also wants to build a relationship
between its ideals and some of the curricula taught at ASU, including
nursing and social work. Chates said the organization is making all these expansions in the
hope that it can expand beyond the Downtown campus and build a
presence in Tempe.
The organization also encourages participation through outdoor trips.
Earlier this year, the ASU Mindfulness Community set up a seven-day retreat to California, where attendees meditated under a vow of silence.Exercise and wellness graduate student Dara James said her busy life has
made it difficult to attend all of the meetings. She said she feels all the program's extra features benefit people with
busy lives.
"It's nice to be able to take it home with you," she said. "It has helped me a lot, and it even helped me write my thesis." James
wrote her thesis on the associations among self-compassion, eating
behaviors and stress among college freshmen. She said she extensively studied these topics through the ASU Mindfulness Community. James said she plans to start teaching others what she has learned as well.
Chates said that even though the techniques are useful
for managing stress during finals, these resources can be useful in
virtually any setting."It has really opened up a lot of
opportunities,"James said. "Even after I finish school, I'm going to make a lifetime
practice of this every day."
Reach the reporter at colton.gavin@asu.edu or follow on him on Twitter @coltongavin
(04/24/13 12:00am)
The Motion Picture Association of America is at it again. Every once in a while, it tries to jazz up its movie ratings system in response to some recent trauma, whether it be real or imagined. The rating system began with people freaking out over the use of the word "screw" in the film "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Then in 1984, when it felt that "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" was too intense for a PG rating, it created the new PG-13 rating.Then when the infamous X rating became too synonymous with pornography, it changed it to NC-17 — which ironically still became synonymous with pornography. After the Columbine shootings, the system increased its enforcement of the ratings system by putting more pressure on cinema owners to card younger movie-goers before entering the theaters. The system also began offering more detailed descriptions below the ratings to explain their content.With all the recent tragedies of the past few months, the MPAA now wants to push those explanations even further. That's all swell and good, except for one problem: The system is wildly inconsistent. The only way the system will even begin to be effective is if it starts being as tough on violence as it is on sexuality. For years, it has suffered the reverse, and it could be taking a toll on our society's social mores.But more importantly, these days it seems that ratings system are controlled more by corporate greed than by a desire to protect the public. A film can get an automatic R rating for having nudity of any kind, no matter how innocuous. But if its a big-budget film containing nudity like "Titanic," the MPAA can receive major pressure from the combined forces of Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures to lower the rating down to PG-13 so that it can reach a wider audience (and help the film recoup its $200 million budget).The most vivid example I can think of is when comedy writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone tried to make an independent film early in their career called "Orgazmo."When they received the NC-17 rating, they asked the MPAA what cuts they needed to get an R rating. The MPAA said it couldn't tell them what cuts to make, because that would make them a censorship board. Parker and Stone were then stuck with the NC-17 rating, which meant most theaters would refuse to show their film and most advertisers would not promote it.Parker and Stone later found success with their hit show, "South Park." When the time came to make a "South Park" movie, Parker and Stone again received the NC-17 rating. After Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., who financed the film, asked what changes needed to be made, the MPAA magically offered a detailed editing list that allowed the film an R rating. This is more than censorship.If the MPAA thinks that Hollywood movies have an impact on the tragedies in our society, then it needs to act like it. It's not enough to just set standards for the movies. It needs to set standards for itself.Reach the columnist at crgavin@asu.edu or follow him at @coltongavin
(04/17/13 1:10am)
When word got to me last week about the secret recordings from the office of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., my whole world was shaken. Up until now, I had always assumed that politicians were nice to each other, even when their backs were turned. If Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign taught me anything, it is that politicians never plot and say mean things behind closed doors.CNN, thank you for letting me know about this scary "Whac-a-Mole" strategy that McConnell and his staff were planning to discredit his then-potential senatorial opponent Ashley Judd. Until now I was so sure that all politicians played fair and never plotted to smear each other to manipulate public opinion. That's just ridiculous. As for Ashley Judd, she's definitely an innocent victim in all of this. It's not like she ever tried to desperately smear anyone. But also I must give my kudos to Mother Jones. After so many years of claiming how evil and wrong it is to secretly record people who are planning to brutally kill Americans, I am so pleased that you have seen the light and are now embracing secret recordings to combat the real threat to America: Republicans. Your transformation on this issue is truly inspiring. I will not be swayed the cynics who think you're only temporarily shirking your standards to harm your political foes and nobody else. I admire that you don't allow distractions like 9/11 or the recent attacks in Boston to dissuade you. You're the real deal, and I admire your savvy in knowing who is really out to destroy America. I have truly been educated this week. I have a new lease on life. But my foundations have been incredibly shaken by all these radical revelations. I am afraid of turning on the television tomorrow and receiving wall-to-wall coverage on other shocking developments: "The Tower of Piza is crooked," "Maury Povich reveals Anakin is Luke's father," "Chick-Fil-A not popular in San Francisco." Also shocking: "English is the most used language in England," "O.J. did it," "Experts say you can see better in the daytime," "Wrestling and reality TV are proven to be fake."And to top it all off, all analysis of the legal ramifications of these groundbreaking developments should be provided by New Yorker and CNN legal correspondent Jeffrey Toobin, who will then make headlines himself as he breaks innocent hearts all across America when he reveals that not all lawyers are honest.Reach the columnist at colton.gavin@asu.edu or follow him at @coltongavin
(04/08/13 11:17pm)
I was alarmed to hear about the death of Roger Ebert on April 4, just one day after the 46th anniversary of his career as a professional film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. His mastery of the written word left me in a mixture of pensiveness and envy. When I was losing faith in the English language at a young age, he kindled a belief in me that remains bright and new to this day.Ebert was far more than a movie critic. With the advent of the Internet he received his own domain under the Sun-Times umbrella, and used it to expand his expertise to a wide variety of topics. He mastered every major social media outlet before most Americans even knew about them. I can honestly say he is one of the few senior citizens who ever made a 20-something like me feel old. I still have my copy of the short-lived "Yahoo! Internet Life" magazine from 2002 where he wrote an amusing article that ended with his famous "Boulder Pledge," an oath that demands you raise your hand and swear to not forward any spam in order to improve the online community.His savvy extended to the business world as well. He made millions by investing in Google, as he foresaw the search engine's potential. He briefly dated an up-and-coming young Chicago radio host and convinced her that her new TV show had serious potential and told she should syndicate it across the U.S. I think it's safe to say that Oprah Winfrey was wise to listen to him.I owe a lot of my vocabulary to him. I even owe my knowledge of many choice phrases to him. But one concept always stood out to me. I remember in 2004 when he reviewed Michael Moore's film, "Fahrenheit 9/11." One disgruntled reader wrote in to complain about his political take on the film. Ebert told him (and me for the first time) of a phrase that will never leave me as long as I live: the "marketplace of ideas." While not his original phrase (it dates back to the 1850s), he frequently showed me how to put it in play.Ebert was a fierce critic of the intelligent design movement. At a young age, the main thing that bothered me about evolution was not the theory itself but how so many of its proponents so quickly resorted to name-calling and claiming all who did not accept it were "flat-earthers." Ebert maintained his opposition to intelligent design but still enjoyed having a thoughtful, open debate on his blog. He was always calm and civil and relied on facts above any name calling. He created an educational "marketplace" that cultivated curiosity more than umbrage. It was Ebert who pointed out that there was nothing wrong with believing in both God and evolution. Whether or not there is a God was a question he would ponder rather than ask. He often preferred the question to the answer.Towards the end, despite his admission to his readers that he had lived a full life, he still made big plans. He wanted to expand his domain into "Ebert Digital" and continue to have his most trusted colleagues continue contributing essays to his burgeoning online empire. It's poignant that such an bold online ambition be revealed right before his death. I hope that the powers that be do everything in their power to make it come to pass. It would be a shame if that hope was reduced to a mere Macguffin. What is a Macguffin, you ask? I first heard it, Ebert advised his readers to look it up.Reach the columnist at crgavin@asu.edu or follow him at @coltongavin
(04/03/13 12:00am)
Recent interest in the Obama family's vacation has given me pause as to what counts as news and what crosses the line to exploitation. My heart and empathy goes out to anyone who is willing to offer a thoughtful narrative that may run counter to the mainstream media. However, it's not always enough to have the facts on your side. Decency must accompany you as well.Last week, I was perusing through some partisan blogs and I was directed to a story whose headline boasted: "EXCLUSIVE: SASHA, MALIA OBAMA VACATION AT BAHAMAS' 'ATLANTIS' RESORT."What reporter Matthew Boyle failed to mention was that the only reason it was "exclusive" is because other news organizations are bound by a common honor to avoid trailing the first family — the old "family is off limits" mantra. Boyle justified the reporting by tying in the vacation expenditures to the recent budget debates.He criticizes the cancellation of some White House tours as a result of budget cuts, and implies there is an air of hypocrisy spending over $100,000 on a vacation for the first family amidst these cuts. He fails to realize that "lavish" vacations for the first family have been going on for ages.When critics began to point this out to him, he then began digging up occasions when other writers in the past similarly reported on the vacations of the Bush twins. When critics also pointed out that his reporting might put the first daughters in danger, Boyle passed the buck on to the tweets of people who reported their whereabouts on Twitter before he wrote his article.I was raised on the philosophy that you don't justify your own bad behavior by seeking out bad behavior in other people.None of the aforementioned tweets dragged the vacationing Obama daughters into the fiscal debate. You can tell that those who typed the tweets may not agree with the article, as the Twitter accounts posting most of the tweets have either been deleted or have had their privacy settings locked up.It's one thing to tell the world the location of some of its most famous citizens. It's quite something else to drag their location into a heated debate where emotions run high. It didn't help that other articles later showed up pointing out other vacation spots. Some organizations to their credit openly refused to carry word of the first family's locations as part of the debate.It's OK to be concerned about the nation's budget. But there are far larger wastes of money out there in the budget that need trimming. When you turn your reporting on a drop in the bucket, such as the first family's $100,000 vacation amidst a budget of billions, your crusade to create an alternate narrative against the mainstream media only culminates in you losing your humanity.Reach the columnist at crgavin@asu.edu or follow him at @coltongavin
(03/27/13 12:00am)
It seems that NBC has not been learning its lessons from the late night wars of the past 20 years. I warn this as I see a third late night war approaching. Jimmy Fallon is now set to replace Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" by the fall of 2014, despite Leno's positive ratings.
(03/24/13 10:52pm)
More than 1,000 people gathered at the Downtown Phoenix Civic Space Park across the street from the Downtown campus on Saturday to participate in the March for Marriage Equality event.
(03/20/13 12:00am)
I was told that eons ago, journalism was regarded as a ho-hum profession that did not receive much special notice. It was not exactly a hot commodity.
(03/06/13 2:15am)
All this sequester talk is boring isn't it? I admit that it is, but it makes my mind wander differently than most people. It has made me take a deep look at how our nation has been spending its money over the past 20 years.
(02/27/13 12:03am)
I am sometimes regarded as a prideful fellow. Writing columns suits me, because I can boast to the world about how correct I am in my opinions. This week, however, I would like to make a detour. Perhaps a U-turn, if you will.
(02/19/13 11:15pm)
There is a low hum in the land right now.
(02/13/13 12:00am)
The incentive to be an honest person has never been greater in human history.
(02/06/13 1:00am)
Emotions run high in the gun control debate for most people. For me, not so much. I don't own a gun, so I didn't invest much of my thoughts or emotions into the debate.
(01/30/13 1:00am)
Harvey Weinstein is a big-time Hollywood producer whose films are almost always nominated for an Academy Award. This year he has two: "Django Unchained" and "Silver Linings Playbook." Two Oscar nominations, plus a net worth of $150 Million. What a lucky guy, huh?
(01/23/13 12:44am)
Every year, my attention turns to the entertainment trade papers in anticipation for awards season.
(01/17/13 1:00am)
It has been over a decade since the 9/11 attacks. Still, one-third of Americans still believe it was somehow an inside job.
(01/09/13 3:00am)
In order to understand my political journey, we have to go back to my legal political beginning.
(12/10/12 12:15am)
Here’s one of the most amusing quotes I’ve ever heard: “There are two things that are important in politics: The first is money, and I can't remember what the second one is.”
(12/02/12 10:20pm)
One of my personality ticks is that I sometimes pay too much attention to what goes on behind the scenes in movies and television. To me, it makes sense because it helps me anticipate what the final product will be in upcoming attractions.
(11/27/12 12:39am)
The “War on Christmas” has become a popular term of contention this past decade.