This holiday season…

Black Friday, an endless amount of Sears catalogues and seeing the in-laws have all increased stress in some during the holiday season.  

Many get all too caught up in the hyper-commercialization of the holidays and miss out on things that occur only one season out of the year. This post will be used to reaffirm the joys of this time of year by listing off what you have to look forward to.

1. Eggnog- Sometimes a good glass or eight of eggnog after a long day can brighten spirits. The greatest thing about eggnog is you can practically put whatever you want in it and it still tastes great. For you eggnog purists, maybe a dash of cinnamon is all you need. For you lactose intolerants: sorry. Whatever it is, make sure to indulge while you can.
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas- Poor Charlie Brown. You think you have troubles? Try directing a successful school play with the worst Christmas tree prop known to man, and then do it. Paired nicely with eggnog, this movie will surely get you in the holiday mood. 
3. Family- Pinches on the cheeks usually end early in life except for the unlucky few in the family. This is the great time of year when families converge and pump out endless amounts of food. For some, this is the only time of year to see those family members from far away. Make the most of it and eat while you can. New Year’s resolutions are quickly approaching.
4. Carol of the Bells- If you’re feeling a little tired of Jingle Bells get a grip and crank Carol of the Bells to 11. With Ukrainian roots tracing back to 1916, there is no holiday carol more dramatic and awe-inspiring than this one. This should always be in your back pocket of requests when the neighborhood carolers come knocking. 
5. The Griswold Family- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation reminds us all what happens when we forget to check for squirrels in the Christmas tree. Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, wins the award for the most patient father ever in this one. Your Aunt Ruthie and Uncle Charlie have nothing on what is thrown Mr. Griswold’s way. 

Cherish the moments you have during this holiday season. Sit down and enjoy a glass of eggnog, or watch Charlie Brown prove everybody wrong. The holiday season should be a time of gathering and binge eating not stressing. 

Jour 4250: Walt’s Empire in question with documentary

“Mickey Mouse Monopoly,” a documentary on Disney and the messages in its films, covered everything from racial stereotypes to propaganda.

The documentary inspected underlying messages in Disney movies and racial stereotyping with some characters. The Siamese cats featured in “Lady and the Tramp” were just one example.

What was more shocking than some hidden messages in certain Disney films was how powerful of a corporation Disney has become. In a capitalistic economy it is normal for companies to become large and powerful enough to buy up other companies. “Mickey Mouse Monopoly” focused on Disney gaining media ownership.

Disney now owns a multitude of TV channels including: ABC, ESPN, The History Channel, Military History, A&E TV and Lifetime just to name a few. Those are just the TV channels. Disney also owns plenty of news outlets, a topic of controversy according to the documentary.

One man in the documentary said Disney has made itself virtually inescapable on purpose. For instance, Disney can come out with a movie that isn’t popular or critically successful, but promotes it on each one of their news outlets, magazines, TV channels or websites it now owns, making it seem like the most popular movie of all time.

This wasn’t necessarily controversial. What was most controversial, according to the film, was Disney’s ownership of news outlets. Disney owns television stations in Chicago, Flint, Fresno, Toledo, Philadelphia, New York City, Los Angeles, Houston and more. Disney also owns countless radio stations including two in the DFW area.

A full list of what Disney owns can be seen here.

One potential problem with a corporation owning so many other news companies and outlets is the potential for unbalanced reporting. It would, for example, be easier for Disney to get away with or purposely not report something that would put the company in a bad light.

“Mickey Mouse Monopoly” focused so much on the messages of Disney films and how certain social or racial groups are portrayed because of how impactful Disney is on kids. Disney’s impact now stretches further than just children. Disney can potentially influence its news outlets and other companies it now owns.

Source:

http://www.yearwithoutdisney.com/what-disney-owns/