What Happens in Vegas...

...stays in Vegas!

Assignment 5-1: Weekly Written Analysis

December 7, 2009. 11:30 am.

Some come to gamble or shop, watch Cher sing, have a quickie wedding or one last fling, but they all come here because it's Vegas, baby!

Las Vegas, Nevada has always been a rebel. In 1931, gambling became legalized and by the 60's the "who's who" of everyone traveled to Vegas to be seen and heard. The city became bigger and bigger and now plays a recurring role in movies, television shows, the news and in our "off-screen" lives as well.

Known for the strip, their showgirls, and the sinfully good time one can have, fun seeking people of all ages put Vegas at the top of their list.

Their is a certain air in Vegas that when you breath it in, the slogan, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" somehow consumes you. You gamble your money away, you do shots off of stripper's stomachs, maybe land a threesome or marry a stranger, but whatever you do, its ok because you are in Vegas.

Everyone has seen at least one movie set in Las Vegas, watched shows like CSI and Las Vegas or has been there themselves. People go because they are curious. Is it really that beautiful, that fun and exciting? People go to become someone else. People go to win or lose. People go because Vegas has been thrown in our faces and because we have been lead to believe Vegas is cooler than anywhere we are at. Unfortunately, that is probably true! The mobster and Hollywood history of Sin City paired with all of the glitter and lights it offers today have made Las Vegas a staple in pop culture.

Stay up all night, gamble, drink, dance, marry, divorce, and then next year, come back and do it again! Just remember, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!"

Intervention

Assignment 4-1: Weekly Written Analysis

December 1, 2009. 6:00 am.

Whether on television, in movies or in real life, we have all seen someone do drugs, but we don't always see their lives after the drug use. Now we can.

Intervention. A documentary series about drug users who will soon face interventions. The cameras follow the addicts over a period of time, showcasing their use and the pain they inflict on those around them. By the end of the hour, each addict gets a choice to attend treatment or be cut out of their loved ones lives forever. The last few moments update whether the person has relapsed or has stayed clean.

That description does not do the show justice. I watch this show every week. Sometimes I cringe, sometimes I cry and sometimes I just want to be sick. These addicts are desperate and selfish. Watching them drink mouthwash for the alcohol or stick themselves repeatedly with needles makes me not only appreciate my life more but I never want to do drugs!

This show is an Emmy winner and has become very popular with people of all ages. I have had numerous conversations with friends and strangers about some of the best cases on Intervention. Alison, a huffer, has become a favorite mockery.

Today's society loves to see people at their worst and Intervention definitely delivers but by the end you can't help but to feel hope!