Outside reading

Text: caringbridge/bretthansenbegg
Author: Greta Hansen-Begg

On Saturday Brett had a few visitors and when told to make his " evil face " about 15 seconds later he did just that same as when he was asked to smile for pictures. When you are with Brett he will make eye contact with you. Brett understands everything you say to him and trys to talk back but just cant yet, but it will come in time. When you ask Brett to do something such as move his thumbs he can do it it just takes time for him to comprehend it about 10 to 15 seconds. Brett is also starting to eat real food, not much though. Greta, Brett's mom, will give him one bite of a different kind of pie everyday. Grata nor Alen were at the hospital all weekend because there was a hunted house on behalf of Brett and Luke on Saturday night and then a benefit where the summerfest band, the camp that Brett attended this summer played. Both fundraisers were a great success. Well Greta was gone Brett got a great report and one of Brett's friends who came to visit Sunday left a note about what they did with Brett. In the note it said when Sam, the girl who was driving in the time of the crash, would talk to Brett he would look away because he is mad at her. Bretts doing so great!

Outside Reading

Text: The Original: How Gabe Lucas became one of wake boarding's most unique riders.

Author: Luke Woodling

For my outside reading i read a story about Gabe Lucas. Gabe is a very good wake boarded. His father and Grandfather were baseball players and Gabe was going to be one too. He went to the university of Houston to play ball and did nothing else but. He was not wake boarding or getting good grades in school. After three years at this school and three years off a wake board he realized that baseball was not his sport he then picked up and moved to Texas state mainly because it was on the Guadalupe river. His life was changed forever, the only sports he did were sports that involved a board. He was wake boarding every chance he got! He also started skate boarding in his free time as well. Gabe was known as TARnation. He also has many photos taken of him because of the things he does well wake boarding. He uses what he has for example he will jump up on a rock or something like that. Over all Gabe Lucas is a very good wake boarder

Outside Reading

Text: caringbridge/Bretthansenbegg
Author: Greta Hansen-Begg

Today Brett took apart a puzzle with help of his PT doctor. This is something that pre brain damage would have taken him about 10 seconds took him 10 minutes. Brett also had a very bad experience the other day. He was not feeling well and his vitals went up very high and he was trying to verbally communicate and he was mumbling, but Greta was not in the room and she came back and he was groaning and had thrown up. On a lighter note one of Brett’s nursed sons were in a similar situation two years ago, but only at this point in his recovery her son was still in a coma and now two years later he is walking and talking. The future looks bright for Brett. It will be a long road and won’t be easy, but he is a strong person and will pursue through it!

Disney Heroes

photo from: http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/3348843/Disney-Hero-Collection/Product.html

When i look at this picture it seems like its more of the stereotype Disney heroes, when in reality woman can be heroes too.

photo from www.lambdapsiphi.com/daft/daft/art/lodsh.gif

When i look at this picture it doesn't seem like a Disney hero because there are girls in the picture and small creatures as well. I think this is really who most heroes are.

by Allie Lahn
Disney. What comes to mind? Colourful characters, magical adventures, and a world of dreams and entertainment? Or perhaps, "the happiest place on earth"? In reality, Disney is the world's second-largest media conglomerate, accused of being a sinister organization committed to the exploitation of our children for monetary gain. Yes, it's true. The corporate superpower, endorsed by parents and their children worldwide, is finally being challenged on the basis of disturbing claims that its films promote racial and gender stereotyping. Though these allegations may seem ludicrous, one has only to look beyond the gaudy animation and presumably innocent childhood themes to discover the truth.

I can recall numerous childhood memories, many of which involve some aspect of "The Wonderful World of Disney": family vacations at the Magic Kingdom; crunching popcorn during Aladdin; and the overwhelming amount of Disney memorabilia scattered throughout my house, everything from lamps and picture books to stuffed animals and placemats. (In addition to movies, children are bombarded with every imaginable Disney medium, thereby increasing the mega-company's destructive influence.) As a six year-old Mickey Mouse enthusiast, I did not recognize the depraved subliminal messages to which I was being exposed. Take Beauty and the Beast. A charming love story in which the viewer learns that "true beauty begins on the inside"? Think again. This universally beloved classic actually imparts two very frightening messages. First, it trivializes the role of women by glorifying the ideals of patriarchal societies; Belle, like many female Disney heroes, is only fulfilled upon being swept away by her perpetually handsome Prince Charming. Second, Belle's inane tolerance of the Beast's violent behaviour gives the impression that abusive relationships can be resolved if the victim "sticks with it". It gets worse. The following are examples of other offending Disney films: the insulting and ignorant portrayal of Natives in Pocahontas and Peter Pan; the gender clichs in Snow White and Cinderella; and the stereotypical representation of minority groups, who are painted as unintelligent and poor contributors to society, as in The Lion King and The Lady and the Tramp. Are these the values that we want our children to acquire? If this isn't horrifying enough, Disney recognizes these harmful messages, whether they are deliberately or unintentionally inserted. However, the company has done nothing to fix the problem! This is not surprising, considering owner Michael Eisner's declaration that "to make money is our only objective". This attitude is sickening, when one conceives the millions of children who worship their favourite Disney characters. Thus it is up to this generation of parents to put an end to the corruption of our youth by the corporate monster that is Disney. In a world where greed and commercialism outweigh the moral development of children, there is no other choice but to strike down the Mouse.

After reading this article it made me think about how in most Disney stories have a woman that needs to be saved by a man. I really think that it should not be like that in every story because woman today play an important role in society and this is not what little girls today should be looking up to. However i don't think that in beauty and the beast it is saying abusive relationships can be fixed i think its more saying problems can be fixed.

When i saw this video it made me think that its mostly men saving woman.

Disney's Hercules

Zero To Hero

Bless my soul Herc was on a roll Person of the week in ev'ry Greek opinion poll What a pro Herc could stop a show Point him at a monster and you're talkin' S.R.O. He was a no-one A zero, zero Now he's a honcho He's a hero Here was a kid with his act down pat From zero to hero - in no time flat Zero to hero - just like that When he smiled The girls went wild with oohs and aahs And they slapped his face On ev'ry vase (on ev'ry "vahse") From appearance fees and royalties Our Herc had cash to burn Now nouveau riche an' famous He could tell you What's a Grecian urn? Say amen There he goes again Sweet and undefeated And an awesome 10 for 10 Folks lined up Just to watch him flex And this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs Hercie, he comes He sees, he conquers Honey, the crowds were Going bonkers He showed the moxie brains, and spunk From zero to hero - a major hunk Zero to hero - and who'da thunk Who put the glad in gladiator? Hercules! Whose daring deeds are greater the a-ter? Hercules! Is he bold? No-one braver! Is he sweet? Our fav'rite flavour Hercules, Hercules... Bless my soul Herc was on a roll Undefeated Riding high And the nicest guy Not conceited He was a nothin' A zero, zero Now he's a honcho He's a hero He hit the heights at breakneck speed From zero to hero Herc is a hero Now he's a hero Yes indeed

When listen to this song it makes me think that you have to be strong and good looking to be a hero when really heroes come in all different shapes and sizes.

I think this movie more because it shows more of the hard times getting saved and not necessarily a princess needing to be saved by a prince.

Conclusion

In conclusion I think that Disney Heroes have a stereotype that you have to be a strong good looking man in order to be a hero. I don't like this out look because heroes can be man or woman and don't have to be strong or good looking. I think heroes only have to be mentally strong. Some things i do like about the things that i found is now all the heroes are strong men for only most. I think Disney could change that and make a few movies where the girl saves the boy. In conclusion i think that Disney heroes have the stereotype of being strong good looking men when really heroes can be anyone.

Outside reading

Text: caringbridge/bretthansenbegg
author" Greta Hanson-Begg

I am making a connection to text Brett is in a coma after a bad car crash and had to be taken out with the jaws of life and in the unspeakable odyssey of the motionless boy he was in a very bad car crash as well and taken out with the jaws of life too, but he is now locked in. Brett is starting to eat a few things like apple sauce and suckers, but not often and only a little bit. He is also starting to sleep on his stomach at night for about 2 hours and is grunting when he wants to be flipped around. Greta went home for a night this weekend. It was her first night home in 50 days! Brett has been sleeping more through the night and later into the day which is very good. He has a benefit next weekend that will have a band and dinner in his hometown of Watertown. I will be going and am very excited for it. Brett can no longer have visitors on week days because it has gotten to hectic so now only weekends, but they encourage you to come and help with his therapies. Greta and Alen had a meeting with architect to remodel their house to accommodate for Brett’s needs when he comes home. Brett is getting better everyday thought and won’t stop till he’s done.

Outside reading

Text: Caringbridge/Bretthansenbegg
Author Greta Hansen-Begg

Brett never stops. He is no longer considered in a coma, but a vegetative state. He has come so far and is still recovering faster then most teens. Brett got his trach removed 2 days ago and is now breathing through his mouth and nose on his own! They did a test and plugged it and most people only last about an hour on this test, but not Brett he lasted 24 hours. He also is no longer connected to a heart rate monitor. This means that Brett has not cords or tubes connected to him any longer except for his feeding tube which is not always there. Now that Brett does not have a trach he is starting to try to talk, but can only manage to make noises. Alan, Brett’s dad, had to leave the hospital to go home and work and on Friday Greta surprised him and came to Watertown for the day! Greta has also been filming different things that Brett does because her friend is applying her for an extreme makeover home edition. I cant wait to see the old Brett.

Outside reading

Text: Caringbridge/bretthansenbegg
Author: Great Hansen-Begg and Alan hansen-Begg

On Sunday Brett had a chest X-ray to see if there was any improvement which would lead them to start the process Brett’s trach (A hole in his neck to help him breathe it heats and moistens his air). After not getting the results back yesterday Greta had heard talk from the nurses that it was not showing good signs in the x-ray and Brett’s trach would not be downsized leading to get getting removed. Well the nurses were wrong and today his trach was downsized from a 6 to a 5 and has been handling it very well. Greta also asked for people to email videos of them selves talk to Brett because Brett shows signs of excitement when he looks at pictures so she thinks videos will make him even happier. Yesterday Brett slept in later then most days and he needed to get up for physical therapy so Greta, his mom, played Katy Perry’s CD and he woke up right away. Brett’s getting better every day and he will keep getting better.

Outside reading

Text:Caringbridge/Bretthansenbegg
Author:Greta Hansen-Begg and Alen Hansen-Begg

Again I read caring bridge for Brett. Brett is still in a coma and had some complications with his feeding tube and now has to be on drip feeding again. Other then that he has been getting better day by day. Brett has been starting to make eye contact with you, even if it does take him a while to get there and only for a short time. Today Brett was able to watch a football game on TV and Greta, his mom, swore she saw him smile. A connection that I have is people always are saying be prepared for him not to wake up, or he’s been in a coma for a long time what if he doesn’t wake up. My response is that my grandpa many years an ago when he was a teenager was in a similar situation. My grandpa was hit by a train and was in a coma for about a month and it was way before they had much of the technology that they have today to help Brett get better. So knowing this connection helps me think optimistic on the whole accident and know that all Brett needs is time.