Where the eff is my View Master?

Originally created in 1911, by Sawyers Photo Services, to view photographic postcards. They went through a period where many companies had them under the radar including the Army to help share photographic images. Ideal Toy Company purchased View-Master in 1987, boosting marketing techniques and switching to production of Kidsongs. Tyco Toys Later purchased the View Master making the success and a toy in every home.

This was my favorite toy as a child. I remember taking my VewMaster , and all of my slides that I could scavenge up from my sisters who would like to steal them from me. I would test every room and the amount of light it contained, just checking which room had the best lighting for my viewmaster slides. Not to bright and not to dark, it really needed to be just right. Yea, I was that kid.. so what.

I often brought my slides outside, and sat under the giant tree that overtook our roof with its leaves. I spent hours viewing, "Winne the Pooh", "Batman," "Barbie," and one of my favorites, "The Dinosaurs." I remember trading slides with my sisters and playing, "nice" for once. We never left the house with these, once they were in our possession and off of the store shelves, we were to excited to leave without them.

Times have quickly changed. What once amused me and brought me so much delight was quickly tossed to the side, when introduced to my four year old nephew. He too has caught on quickly to our rapid inventions. His tight grip and in depth stare was caused by the stolen attention of an, "I-Pad." He was watching his favorite intro to one of his favorite cartoons, "The Backyardagins."

I will still continue to stand in amazement at our Wide World of Technology and how rapidly it produces toys, that hold the attention for a few weeks, and then they are tossed a top a pile of has beens to new inventions, that take learning and entertainment to a new level.

New Cage

More than thankful, the lovely city of Sheboygan was given the gift of a skate park more than 6 years ago. To date, the park has not had many fixtures, or remodeling since the initial building of the skate park.

The Skate Park is an awesome addition to Sheboygan, and the youth in our community. However, with the lack of attention the park receives, caged in on the property of Kiwanis Park, has lead to further deterioration.

My nephews love going to the park, and while they shred, I clean up garbage these messy boys casually throw behind. The ledges are bent or lifting, the ramps are rusted and old, and the park is surrounded with a metal fence.

The Sheboygan Skate Park needs to seek, private or public funds to keep this environment thriving. Lack or areas to skate, often leads to public or private destruction that skateboarding causes to hand rails, or public seating or recreation areas. Skateboarding is also illegal in the roadways and many public sidewalks, making it impossible to skateboard anywhere.

Cement Skate plazas are the new ascetically pleasing, and community friendly skate parks being built in many cities around the world. It would be great to see and demolition of our current skate park, replaced with a new area for a Skate Plaza. The metal during the summer, burns in the sunlight, causing harmful injury to those who fall. Its terrible to see the kids that get hurt down there, do to the lack of funding to keep up with fixture.

On Sunday, March 16th 2012, Sheboygan's Local Skate Shop, "Revolution" will be hosting another fund raiser and park clean up in order to boost efforts in raising donations to re-build our skate park. We will have the chance to meet with the new park director and raise important issues and idea about what we can do, to keep our kids developing healthy habits, and active lifestyles.

"GONZ"

Mark Gonzales, also known as the "Gonz," is known in the skateboarding world as the pioneer of street skating, which is most popular form of skateboarding. His influences are: Rob Roskopp, George Horton, Jay Adams, Joe Lopes, Neil Blender, John Lucero, Jeff grosso, Eric Nash and Ben Schroeder.

Mark hit the scene at the ripe age of 15 years old with a "unique" style to street skating. He quickly picked up popular magazine covers like, "Thrasher" and was offered sponsorship by, "Vision Skateboards."

The "Gonz," set some records that have left landmarks, famous "skate spots." In, 1986 he cleared a major gap at Embarcadero in San Francisco. This was so major, that it will forever be known as the, "Gonz Gap." Famous for his, "front board slides," "50-50 hand rails," and "radical personality."

Mark greatly influenced skateboarding as it modernized in the early 90's. He released, "Video Days," but this time by his own company he created, Blind Skateboards. With much pressure from Santa Cruz, Alva, and Vision Skateboards to turn pro he choose Vision' later learning and feeling that Vision was to, "coorporate" and like many companies they sell out! and go where the power is. Many argue that the name Blind was an intention name in opposition of Vision. But Mark insists his inspiration came from a song by the, "Talking Heads."

Not only is this man an impeccable skater but he has also established a career as an accomplished artist, writer, painter, poet and actor. Today, Mark is keeping busy with his company and skate team, "Krooked." He also rides for Spitfire wheels, Independent Truck Company, Fourstar Clothing, and Adidas.

Thrasher Magazine has named Mark Gonzales, "the most influential skater of all time." Without this guy, it would be difficult to know where skating would be today. He has the consistent ability to change , and tap into new realms of skateboarding constantly changing the elements of skateboarding.

"i wanna be just like you"

When I enter a room, I carefully scan the area, indicating and setting up mental markers for garbage cans, tissues, clocks even escape routes in case of an emergency. I carefully select my seating, completely making personal and mental judgements based on ones appearance. Even though at times they fail me, my instincts usually lead me to where I feel I am meant to go. I have learned to trust them in courageous matters, and have learned to let go, and put my trust in the word of others.

I knew the professor, and have had many of her courses. I was able to get away with sitting at the back of the class typing every word that ever came out of her mouth. I also had to remain close to one of the only student accessible power sources. Most of the kids that occupied the seats beside me, where either the, "geniuses" that spent their class drawing a notebook filled with an anime comic story, not paying attention at all to lectures but still scoring high 90's or the kids that spent the entire class period flipping between "popula"r social network sites like, 'Facebook", "Tumblr", and "Twitter". I catch a number of "TMZ" photo uploads and re posts to either site, followed by joke, or humiliating story, most likely false but juicy in detail. Did I mention that, these are the kids I see sticking around to fail or , doing the smartest thing of all semester and dropping by the financial aid refund date.

The few that stuck around to cause their life demise, never participated in class discussions, but often interrupted with whispers and giggles. Due to my eye for, "precise location" I was at the center of conversation.

Today I found out that, "Snooki" a character from a "reality television programming show" was pregnant. The reality show takes please on the Shores of New Jersey. Sex, partying, sex, and emotional outbursts containing profanity seem to be the obvious social norms, displayed within the first fifteen minutes. Entertaining to some, a shame to me.

The next topic, more important than, the failing healthcare system in the United States was Lindsay Lohan appearance this Saturday on "SNL." They began filling each other in on Lindsay's history with drugs and alcohol. With the credibility of gossip articles like, "TMZ" these students and their attention was absorbed by the false identity's and advertisements of television programming.

I was concerned for myself, and those who would invest in energy and time into success. After all, these "glamorous" lifestyles portrayed ordinary people, "striking it rich" with their wit, charm and good looks. I was concerned and fearful of those that would buy into these, "lifestyles" meant to "entertain" us and become consumed to the point of obsession. Enough for one to mimic and idolize the actions that seem to be encouraged by most of my peers.

Really, this just pissed me off because instead of being concerned about current events that will effect our future or current political issues, they were obsessing about ordinary people who are payed to "act" and "entertain." At times I feel, we forget these are people that face the same decisions we do.

Unfortunately when the director yells, "cut" the life of a movie star is captured on an endless reel, waiting to be exposed, and waiting to be mislead.