Family Home Evening

Do you have a regular Family Home Evening? This could be anything from a time of religious study to getting together to watch Shark Week. A family home evening is a way to reconnect with the members of your family. With work, school obligations, sports, academic clubs, friends and more, it can sometimes feel as though you never see each other except when driving around from one activity to the next. A family home evening can mean different things and take on different forms. The important thing is to schedule a regular time to spend together. It should be a … Continue reading

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week: I Stand Corrected

Earlier this week I wondered if the Discovery Channel was sending mixed messages with its Shark Week programming. On the one hand they had sponsors like the Ocean Conservancy advocating shark awareness and conservation, but on the other they were running programs like Ocean of Fear, which, well, inspires fear of sharks. I’ve been following some of the other shows they’ve aired this week. They’re not just running sensational shark attack stories. (Although they are running a fair amount of those as well.) They’re also running ones that feature people trying to better understand and save sharks. The Myth of … Continue reading

Shark Week on Discovery Channel: Mixed Messages?

Last night the Discovery Channel kicked off its 20th anniversary celebration of Shark Week with a documentary: “Ocean of Fear: Worst Shark Attack Ever.” It examined what happened to the surviving soldiers left to float in the water for five days in the Philippine Sea after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during WWII. (If you missed it they’ll replay it again on August 4 and September 2.) Here’s the thing: the documentary was dandy. It was entertaining and thought-provoking, but also frightening. Not that it was scary like a horror movie but it emphasized the dangerous and predatory nature … Continue reading