The Prejudice of Tattoos and Piercings in the Workplace

Written by Philip Nigro.
Photo by Rebecca Silvey and Mark Pederson
TA: Christina McAusland

With the growing desire to modify your appearance with younger adults, tattoos and piercings have become more popular but, are not viewed as being professional.

Over the summer, my co-worker had to cover up a rather large tattoo of his family crest on his arm with an ACE bandage. Something not offensive ended up causing more distractions because everyone wanted to know what was under the bandage.

Being a tattoo and piercing recipient, I have to be careful. If I had not gotten my eyebrow ring ripped out, I would have had to remove it. Getting my new ear piercing was a hard decision because I didn’t want it to affect my chances at a job…but I wanted it.

With tattoos and piercings becoming more recognized and acceptable, what makes them so unprofessional? If not an offensive piece of art, the bearers of tattoos and piercings should be able to display their art work no matter what the setting.

Skankoween

Written by Lauren Hegadorn
Photo by Heath Fisher
TA: Kate Hill/Boris Korby

Halloween at the University of Missouri is nothing like what many parents might imagine. On October 31 every girl takes an innocent sounding idea to play boy level.

Dads ask their daughters what they are going to be. The response will probably sound pretty cute. What dads don't know is the little girl's custom involves black leather and fishnets...

Halloween has become a night for girls everywhere to wear next to nothing and no one thinks a thing about it. How did Halloween go from candy and princesses to fuzzy handcuffs and a lot of skin??

Times are Hard!!!

Written by Madison Books
Photo by Christie Broadway and Andrew Conrad
TA: Andrell Bower

Times are hard. Or at least that is what the news keeps telling me. Up until recently, this topic has gone in one ear and out the other with me. Yeah, you keep telling me the economy is bad but what does that really mean?

Well now I know. Today, the best measure of the economy for a college student is the price fluctuations at McDonalds and the Liquor Store. For the first time in my life, I have to pay $1.29 for a double-cheeseburger, the figurehead of the Dollar Menu. Times are truly bad. Oh, did I mention a case of Natural Light is over $15.00!! That stuff is supposed to be cheap!! These truly are tough times for the poor unfortunate college student.

The Mediocre Man

Written by Zach White
Photo by Jaci Woodburn: Caption: "What, no pogosticks?"
TA: Valerie Mosley

The purpose of this blog is to highlight my endeavors that only ever amount to being average. Today I thought I could signify how greatly mediocre I am in my hobby of pogo sticking. I found out the other day that this hobby is just another one of those things I'm a little good at but not really good at.

I was checking at a website that included the US's greatest pogo stickers. They all do backflips. I can't. I mean, there are only like 15 people who do this, yet I find myself as average.

Note: Find a new hobby. I want something to dominate at.

Yesterday was totally uncalled for...

Written by Katie Maupin
Photo by Kent Miller
Umbrella by Jamie Johnson
Modeling by Ziggy Hood
TA: Sarah Luehrs

It never fails. Whenever I leave my umbrella at home, and head to my 8 a.m. class it pours down rain. Not only was it raining at 7:40 a.m. yesterday when I finally threw on my ball cap and stumbled out the door, but it was also freezing!

And when you get caught in an icy downpour don't expect the bookstore to be open so you can buy your one-millionth umbrella this semester.

Words for the wise: always (and I mean always) have an umbrella, a parka, raincoat, and possibly a Swiss army knife with you on your way to class just in case. After all you never know what Missouri weather might bring, but then again all you have to do is wait five minutes for it to change.

hey you, this class stinks like a bus

Yes, it very much does.

AgJ 3210 Fall Semester Blog Contest

Students in AgJ 3210 are creating blog items today. Let's see how they do.

Long Live Summer!

Story by Zachary Hall
Photograph by Kasey Hunt
TA: Christina McAusland

Summer break usually means a three-month release from school and the pressures that accompany it. This is not the case for me. No, this summer will be different than those I have come to know. This summer I have an internship.

Having an internship means instead of going to the pool to hang out with friends, I'll be going to the office to work on sales promotions. Instead of going to a barbeque, I'll be filing papers. This is exactly what I feared...real life.

During this time of relaxation for most college students, I will be bombarded with meetings and paperwork. Having an internship is not horrible; it's a great stepping stone for my career. But it also reveals another scary fact...real life is just around the corner.

I have a plan as to how I'm going to regress into the usual college lifestyle this summer, and that is to spend as much of my free time as possible with my friends. That is what summer break really is--good times with friends you don't see enough of.

Fun will be the release I need to take me away from the robotic process of the daily work life. Long live summer!

Graduating to a New Style of Life

Story by Justin Barreto
Photo by Jonathan Bachmann
TA: Andrell Bower

This is the summer that will end all summers. That's right, I'm graduating. No more pools, no more sleeping 'til noon, but I will spend plenty of time in an exciting cubicle.

I shouldn't be so dramatic. I will be making more money than I do as a student. And with that money I can take better vacations. After paying the bills, that is.

I will miss week-long breaks every two months. I will also miss the structure-lacking lifestyle that is college. But I am excited to experience a new style of life. I guess this summer won't be so bad after all.

Dreams of the Secluded Lake

Story by Allen Wills
Photo by Allen Wills
TA: Valerie Mosley

Going to the lake means traveling home. To most this may mean the Lake of the Ozarks, Truman or another mass of water. The “lake” pictured in my mind is the lake I created and built. The row of million dollar boats and party cove do not interest me. My lake is secluded. Deer and turkey often visit, while ducks and geese call it their home. Frogs croak and crickets chirp along the bank. In the distance, tractors rumble.

This lake is the destination of choice for me and a few close friends. Lined with small newly-planted trees, every feature here has a meaning or memory. All the grass was hand planted by me. All the trees I placed strategically. The homemade dock still in need of repair provides structure for the numerous fish I have stocked. Most of these I transplanted myself in the hopes of producing monsters. No one is allowed to pull fish out of this lake. They are mine, and mine to let grow for another year or two. I am thrilled to see what this two year old lake will be like in another two years. Across the dam I see the side of a future cabin. If only I was through with college.

Some day the cabin will come, the trees will be mature, and at this lake I will be. No crowds. No yachts. Only myself and happiness.

How to Pass AgJ 3210

Story by Emily Duke
Photo by Larry Fagbemi
TA: Kate Hill

Passing AGJ 3210 is very easy when you just apply yourself. The first step is making sure you go to class. This is the easiest thing you can do to help your grade. It may be difficult to motivate yourself to go at times, especially if you take it in the spring and it gets towards the end of the semester. Professor Bill Allen is the instructor and constantly reminds you how nice it is outside and how nice it was that you showed up. It seems as though sometimes maybe he would like everyone to not show up because he himself would rather be outside or watching the Cardinals play baseball.

Another step in passing AgJ 3210 is learning to omit needless words and what Bill calls death words. This simply means that you are no longer allowed to use every word you have ever used to take up space in your paper. You must actually think and read a paper before you turn it in now. Bill feels very strongly about this so be prepared for the day when he takes off his shirt, channeling his inner Chuck Norris (his hero) and tells you to omit needless words.

Wonderful Chaos of Learning Ensues in AgJ 3210

Weigh in with comments on the above four blogs to help me pick the winner!

Here's why:

Today the students of AgJ 3210 learned how to blog. The students in each TA section wrote blog items on a subject they chose as a group. One student took a photo to go along with the subject. A "winner" was chosen from each section, and that's what's posted above.

In the next 24 hours I will decide which of the blogs above is the best. That one will win an extra credit point for each of the students in that TA section. Comments will be judged by quality and quantity.

-Bill Allen, instructor

Today, Tyne Morgan showed me how to put a link into an AgJ blog item. Here it is.

Tyne's blog