The Comet and the Tornado

Remember my connection to Randy Pausch and The Last Lecture? If you missed it, you can find the posts here: http://megan-wombacker.blogspot.com/search?q=last+lecture

Randy's friend and colleague has recently released a new book, The Comet and the Tornado: Reflections on the Legacy of Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture and the Creation of Our Carnegie Mellon Dream Fulfillment Factory

Synopsis

It is impossible to pinpoint the moment Randy Pausch became a household name, but when he died, millions of people who either read or watched his last lecture on YouTube felt as if they had lost a friend.


One man who actually did lose a close friend that day was Donald Marinelli. Affectionately referred to as “the Tornado” in the last lecture, Donald was the whirlwind of energy and creativity who co-founded the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University with Randy. Donald recounts his remarkable journey from Carnegie Mellon’s drama department, through the years building the ETC with Randy, to today, as he helms the center on his own and leads its worldwide expansion. Central to his story are the six years he and Randy shared an office, their differences and commonalities (they both fought cancer), and their priorities, as well as the philosophy of the ETC. Most poignantly, Don reveals what he learned from Randy, whom he describes as “a comet who burst upon the scene like an astral body . . . illuminating his secrets for living life to the fullest for millions of folks who needed such guidance.”

Good Luck Sweeps Contestants

Best of luck to this weekend's Sweeps contestants.

I found these questions on the national voy board and thought they might be helpful to prepare for this weekend...I have been asked almost all of these questions either in interview or during on-stage question.  Break a leg!

• Should abortion be permitted?
• Should parental concecnt be required for underage pregnant women to have abortions?
• Academic qualifications are commonly felt to give a person the best chance of success in life.How far is this true?
• Should gay couples be given the same legal rights as heterosexuals in adopting children?
• Should couples be banned from adopting children overseas?
• Should there be a ban on television advertisements aimed at children?
• Should the USA and its allies have invaded Afghanistan?
• Should age discrimination be made illegal in the workplace?
• Should AIDS drugs be made cheaper for developing countries?
• Should the sale and consumption of alcohol – the world’s favourite drug – be further restricted, or even banned?
• Do non-human animals have rights?
• Should human beings be allowed to use other animals as objects of sport and entertainment?
• Should arranged marriages be outlawed?
• Should government subsidy of the arts be ended?
• Should news broadcasters be required to be balanced and impartial in their reporting of events?
• Is boarding school beneficial to children?
• Should children be ‘bused’ to schools outside of their neighbourhood, to ensure diversity within schools?
• Is it ever justifiable to execute criminals?
• Should celebrities have greater protection from the media?
• Should children be allowed to work in the performing arts or professional sports?
• When is it justifiable for protesters and activists to break the law for the sake of their cause?
• Should publicly supported education programs include the distribution of condoms?
• Should divorce be made even easier to obtain, or are there social and moral reasons to discourage it?
• Should school students face mandatory drug-tests?
• Should people serving prison sentences be permitted to vote in elections?
• Should the state pass laws to punish parents who smoke in the home?
• Is Reality Television rubbish? Does it have a negative effect on society?
• Should the National Aeronautics and space administration (NASA) be government funded?
• Should the Ten Commandments be displayed in schools?

MO Sweeps Announcement - One Pageant, Six Titles

To those contestants who have competed at least once during the 2009-2010 Miss Ohio preliminary season...

Email from Gloria:
You are eligible to compete in one or both programs to earn a place on the Miss Ohio stage in June. The application period will be open until March 15th so get your application in soon.

The programs will be held on Saturday, March 27th at the Willard High School in Willard, OH. The titles to be given will be:

PROGRAM #1
Miss Buckeye State
Miss Willard
Miss Ohio River

PROGRAM #2
Miss Heart of Ohio
Miss Huron County
Miss Mohican Valley

All of the information and links for contestant paperwork is available on the website: http://www.missohio.org/. You will need to submit a seperate application for each of the two programs if you plan to compete in both. If you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to contact me.

Hoping to see you all there!!

Sincerely,

Gloria E. Buwala
2nd Vice President
Sweeps Program Chair
gloria@rapidmailing.com

Congratulations to the Muskingum Valley Titleholders

Miss Muskingum Valley 2010 – Heidi Negron

First Runner-up – Kylie Johnson
Second Runner-up – Alyssa Phillips
Third Runner-up – Krystle Formosa
Fourth Runner-up – Stephanie Beltz

Ellen Spinner Interview award – Brittany Balandis

Julie Marsh Community Service essay award – Kylie Johnson
Top-scoring talent – Kylie Johnson, Krystle Formosa
Top-scoring swimsuit – Heidi Negron, Stephanie Beltz

Top-scoring evening wear – Alyssa Phillips, Stephanie Beltz

 
 

Miss Muskingum Valley’s Outstanding Teen 2010 – Megan Yocum

First Runner-up – Sarah Cultice

Outstanding Teen interview winner – Sarah Cultice

Outstanding Teen talent winner – Sarah Cultice

Outstanding Teen costume winner – Sarah Cultice

Chloe Spirit Award – Madeline Mason

For more information, check out http://www.missmuskingumvalley.org/

TLC Drops Miss America Franchise

My first thought....NOT AGAIN!!!! Miss America has struggled ever since NBC dropped the program over a decade ago. I was baffled by the news since this year drew in a record of 4.5 million viewers on network cable. But as a marketer, I know that it sometimes isn't enough for the price of the franchise and lack of sponsored ads. Miss America, among its many battles, is still out of touch with the average American cable viewer. There are SO many marketing opportunities on a local, state, and national level that the MAO could be doing. Lets HOPE that they take the initiative this year before the program fades away. There needs to be that marketing edge...Miss USA has the sex appeal/scandal going on...and there are plenty of other program's out there that take on the opposite.

I believe that the MAO program has many unique stories to tell...about the fascinating titleholders (there is a reason behind the saying, 'the chances of a parent having a son go to the superbowl is more likely that a daughter that makes it to Miss America')...and they need to find a network that is going to capitalize on those stories...dig deep into the lives of the titleholders...which is the backbone of the scholarship program.

ABC News
..."We are happy that TLC was part of the modernization and revitalization of the Miss America pageant," TLC said. "This year, we delivered record ratings, besting any of its prior performances on cable. However, our three-year deal has concluded, and we have chosen not to renew. We wish the Miss America Organization well."...

Forbes.com
"...Sam Haskell, chairman of the Miss America Organization, told The Associated Press that TLC chose not to pick up a three-year option to renew the contract and wanted to renegotiate a new deal for less money and fewer years...Haskell says four networks, ranging from broadcast to cable channels, have expressed strong interest in airing the pageant.."

Congrats Marisa Buchheit, Miss Maple City 2010

10 Ladies Compete for Miss Maple City

Best of luck to outgoing titleholder, Ashley Lemon, Miss Maple City 2009.

The Norwalk Reflector has posted a complete article and contestant listing for the event.