Week 3 EOC: Stolen Valor

Stolen Valor? No, it is not a brand new action-adventure movie starring Arnold Shwartzeneger and Syllvester Stallone. This is the official summary; Stolen Valor Act of 2011 - Amends the federal criminal code to subject an individual who, with intent to obtain anything of value, knowingly makes a misrepresentiation regarding his or her military service to:(1) a fine, one year's imprisonment, or both if the misrepresentation is that such individual served in a combat zone or in a special operations force or was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; and (2) a fine, six months' imprisonment, or both, in any other case. Provides that: (1) this Act shall not apply to a misrepresentation that an individual did not serve in the Armed Forces, and (2) it is a defense to prosecution that the thing of value is de minimis.-http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1728

Confused? The Stolen Valor Act pretty much says that you can not lie about serving in the military and receiving metals due to service in the military. It was signed into law on December 20th of 2006 by President George W. Bush. The interesting thing about it though is at it's core, The Stolen Valor Act is basically about lying. Even more interesting is this; "The Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act, saying that the First Amendment defends a person's right to lie -- even if that person is lying about awards and medals won through military service."-http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/supreme-court-strikes-stolen-valor-lie-military-service/story?id=16669096 This is raising some eyebrows because the question now is: Should lying okay or illegal? "Moreover, the dissenters suggest that medal lies alone, without more, still do sufficient damage that criminal penalties are merited when such lies are told."-http://verdict.justia.com/2012/07/23/the-supreme-court-strikes-down-the-stolen-valor-act

I don't know about you, but my mother always taught me to always tell the truth and that the truth will set you free. Yes, it is our constitutional right to lie at will, but when is lying gone to far? When a company false advertises about a product? When a husband lies to his wife about working late at the office? When a women lies about her age and weight? When a student lies to his teacher about his/her fictional pet eating their homework? One's moral obligation is usually parellel in these types of discussions, but the point I am trying to make is if lying is socially accepted for what it is, then what is stopping a major multi-billion dollar corporation or a politician from saying what ever the heck they want to sell their product and/or get their message out to the naive public. This is always going to be a fine grey line to walk. People lie every day.  I guess we just need to be prepared and informed enough to call their bluff.

Week 2 EOC: Erin Brokovich

When I hear the name, Erin Brokovich, unfortunatley I automatically think of how hot the academy award winning actress Julia Roberts looked in the movie with that name as the title. What one should know of the name, Erin Brokovich, is how hard she fought for the hundreds of families effected by PG&E water contamination in southern California. Because of her relentless pursuit of justice, the plaintiffs were awarded $333 million to which she received $2 million in bonuses.

Why? PG&E’s Compressor Station is located approximately two miles southeast of the town of Hinkley and a dozen miles west of Barstow in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County. Between 1952 and 1966, PG&E used hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium 6, to fight corrosion in cooling tower water. The wastewater from the cooling towers was discharged to unlined ponds at the site. Some of the wastewater percolated to the groundwater, resulting in hexavalent chromium pollution. The chromium affects an area of groundwater approximately two miles long and nearly a mile wide. - http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/rwqcb6/water_issues/projects/pge/index.shtml Hexavalent chromium pollution is a serious health hazard. It can cause tumors, many types of cancer; damages the nose, throat, and lungs and irritation or damage to the eyes and skin, and cause major damage to vital organs(all of which can be passed along to infants by their mother).

After reviewing the facts of the case and viewing the movie once again to refresh my memory I have become a little more fond of lawyers. I believe lawyers are a necessary evil in the world of today. Although they receive 40% of awarded settlements, they played a vital role in protecting victims, who of which could not fight for themselves otherwise.

EOC:About Me

I bring to the profession of photography my unique view of the world and a burning passion for my craft. I am born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada; which is reflected in my images due to my use of vibrant colors and the locations I use with in city around me. I have been working as a freelance photographer for the past nine years and in my brief career I have created a well rounded portfolio shooting everything from event flyers for nightclubs, websites, weddings, family portraits, NBA Summer League and model portfolios.  My goal is to run my own studio equipped for everything from simple portraits to high fashion, as well as working as a sports photographer for a professional or collegiate team. My passion for photography began when I was a young boy, helping my Father (who is a portrait photographer) with lighting, posing, and composition. Beyond my father's early influence, David La Chapelle has served as my inspiration.  His use eye-catching colors, elaborate scenes, and his success in the industry kept me in awe of his work.  I keep my photo-shoots organized and fun.  My passion for photography has found no limits; I live to shoot and shoot to live.