April 25, 2012

Opinion 7
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Reality TV has b e c o m e a fact of life. Like drinking d u r i n g happy hour or paying rent, it has b e c o m e unavoidable. S u r e , it can be a great guilty

These singing shows are making my ears bleed

Clarkson and Lionel Richie, Fox hopes to draw in crowds. What has happened to scripted TV, dramas or comedies that carry out the wit of seasoned writers or the creativity of new voices? Perhaps I am bitter because I have been forced to sit through these shows year after year. My mother, a very intelligent teacher of 30 years, is an American Idol junkie. Season after season, she has been a devotee to this fad. Even as these shows have started to become monotonous. All of these talent shows have the same basic formula: three to four judges, usually overexposed celebrities whose careers have lost traction plus a B-list host, plus desperate wannabees, plus commercial suspense for some flavor. Stir quick with messy speed and bake till cheesy. Oh, and of course, dont forget to garnish with horrible tryout videos of disillusioned people who know how bad they are but refuse to give up. I still have PTSD from video. When American Idol first came out, it was innovative and interesting. Finding a star on live TV, being able to vote for your favorites, it WAS epic for about the first three seasons. Then the concept became over-saturated. How many Idols can you churn out year after year? Some idols have been successful, but it is arguable to say that any of the winners have truly taken over the charts, and half of them are not even relevant anymore. After American Idol came out there was a new rush for contestant reality TV shows, like Married by America and Americas Next Top Model. It seems like America had seen an onslaught of these talent shows in the last couple years. There is American Idol, The X Factor, The Voice, Americas Got Talent, The Next Country Star, and Sundays Best. I believe P. Diddy also jumped on this band wagon when he tried to start a boy band search on MTV. I dont think that the contestants dreams are inconceivable, but going on these types of shows is probably not always the best idea. Most contestants have been delivered to the American public in cheap cookie cutter form. To me, there is nothing like discovering a new artist that pops into the mainstream, not one that has been covering songs for most of his/her career on a TV show. Lets go back to the era when we didnt rely on these cheap copouts of television shows. Give me a classic Seinfeld comedy or Rachel and Ross love story. I want to think about what I am watching, instead of being force-fed this drudgery by the top networks. I have a message for the big networks and my mom: the singing competition dish is overdone.

Arlene on Have a problem with students texting? Deal with it.: I am assuming that the majority of those students attending a college classroom, have not chosen as their major, Electronic Device Button Management or Under-Desk Screen Monitoring Technology. I should at least lazy have TV executives become? watching William Hungs cover of check the higher education college catalog With judges like Kelly Ricky Martins She Bangs music just to be sure. Dehandolat on Editorial GRCC: Home of the drive-through degree program: I love the title! This is so true, though. Doreen Timmers on Have a problem with students texing? Deal with it.: I must say that I agree with Arlene on the text messaging during class. When you take a text remember that you are not the only one being distracted. Clementine Newburg on GRCC students go global: This was such an amazing event to go to! I am so glad you did an article about the great stuff these students are doing. My children especially loved seeing all the birds.

By Lizz Vensas
News Editor

pleasure. Some weeknights I will close the blinds to my apartment, turn off all the lights, take the phone off the hook, and put on some old episodes of Jersey Shore, not ever to be considered good TV, but an excellent time waster. However, the amount of reality singing competitions has become ridiculous. There is no guilty pleasure in that; it is just mind numbing. Another singing contest is about to be added to the TV schedule. The Fox show Duets is set to premier this summer. The motto of the show being, Two is better than one. How

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Letters to the Editor

Texting is not for the classroom
I agree with the teachers. Texting during class should not be done. The reason that I say it should not be done is it could very easily be a distraction to a fellow classmate you do not know. The person sitting next to you may be distracted enough to miss something that the teacher says and then it is on the next test. Every student has the responsibility of being an adult, not a child. If you must text a friend, do it between or after classes, not during them. Please remember that you do not know what may be a distraction to the student sitting next to you. Doreen Timmers price to ride $1.50 for nonstudents, $.75 for students. Be prepared to show proof that you are a student. You could always choose to purchase a monthly bus pass which gives you unlimited rides for 31 days, it does expire after the 31 days, and then there is the $10 ride bus pass. If you do not ride the bus often, a $10 ride can save you some money. Again, the prices vary: $11.00 for nonstudents and $9.00 for students. The worst thing to do is complain. Find a solution that works best for you. Doreen Timmers

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Students should consider Rapid bus

If the price of gasoline is so bothersome to you that you need to complain try riding the Rapid. Bus transportation can get you just as many places in Grand Rapids as driving your own vehicle. The Rapid also has a steady

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