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Archive for the ‘Judges’ Category

Ever wonder why people treat you the way they do?  A lot has to do with how you are perceived by others.  Let me give you an example, years ago when I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio I would often drive up to Canada to visit customers along The King’s Highway 401 in lower Ontario.  My point of entry and exit was Detroit and I would either take the Ambassador Bridge or Detroit–Windsor Tunnel to and from Canada.  Regardless of the route I took, I noticed I would always be asked by the customs agents to pull my car over to the side where I would have to endure the hassle of a search.  This went on for years until I realized it was probably my demeanor and expression on my face that caused me to be pulled over, which was tired and cranky looking.  As an experiment, I approached the customs agents with a smile on my face, my window down, and was very chatty and approachable with them.  Surprisingly, I was let through without any trouble, and I’ve never been pulled over again.

The point is, we primarily act on our perceptions, right or wrong, and regardless of the facts.  How we are perceived by others is the basis by which others judge us, both in our personal and professional lives.  It has been my experience that there are three attributes people use to judge each other:

1.  Social Stature – representing our pedigree and, consequently, our place in society.  People naturally act differently around someone who is perceived to be cultured and refined versus someone viewed as “trailer trash.”  Its kind of like the difference of how people act in church as opposed to in a saloon.  This is also indicative of why we distinguish people by classes (high/medium/low) and how we delineate workers as blue collar/white collar.  People like to know what the pecking order is, whether it is in their personal or professional lives, so they can act accordingly.  It denotes such things as superior/subordinate/equal relationships, thereby defining who we can dominate, who we cannot, and who we must coexist with.

2.  Intelligence – this is an important factor in judging a person, particularly in the workplace where we are evaluated based on our knowledge, skill set and ability for taking instruction.  We are either perceived as someone who can quickly grasp and implement concepts and techniques, versus someone who has trouble taking instruction and learning something.

3.  Character – beyond intelligence is the perceived character of the individual, consisting of his ethical makeup, dedication and drive, along with his record of actions and decisions made.  This denotes the person’s integrity, reliability, and responsibility.  Unlike intelligence which denotes what a person is capable of doing, character defines what the person will do in fact.  Let me give you an example, I used to know a brilliant guy with a photographic memory in the engineering department of a manufacturing company.  His IQ scores were always head and shoulders above everyone else’s, but he had trouble applying his intellect.  Instead, he was used by the company as nothing more than a walking encyclopedia who could recite complicated formulas and algorithms at a moment’s notice, yet had no idea how to use this knowledge in practice.

It is these three attributes, used in concert, which we use to evaluate someone, personally or professionally.  It is the determining factors we use to communicate with someone, socialize with them, invest trust in, and delegate responsibility to.  Managers use these elements to determine what a worker is capable of doing and assigning pertinent responsibilities.  It is also what we use to evaluate a new neighbor, or meet someone for the first time socially or professionally.  In a nutshell, it is what we use to “size people up.”

We should all be cognizant of how we are perceived by others and adjust where required to fit into the corporate or local culture, but we should also be wary of people masking their weaknesses by appearing or acting as someone they are not. I used to have a gentleman who worked for me in Customer Services who dressed to the teeth, was sharp in social etiquette, and was a pretty smart guy.  The only problem was he was a poor performer.  He talked a good game, but could never produce anything on time or to the satisfaction of our customers.  He was a  past master of facade, not substance.

Again, the point here is that people are judged by perceptions first, facts second (ask the tabloid media if you don’t believe me).  Appearances are important and should be cultivated, be it the workplace or in our private lives, but we should also know that looks can be deceiving and, as such, we should also cultivate a track record of performance and credibility.  Just remember, we are judged by all three attributes mentioned, not just one or two.  Appearances mean little if people can see through the disguise.

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When divorcing your wife, one thing you may find is that divorce really is hardest on the children.  Why?  Children are typically torn between both parents, and find themselves the middlemen in their parents’ arguments, disagreements, and anger.

If you and your wife cannot come to an agreement on how the children should be raised, who should have custody, etcetera, it is up to the judge to make this decision for you two.  What he may suggest might not be what you want to hear, but the judge is there to make decisions in the best interests of your children, not the best interests of you and your wife.

In most cases, judges are encouraged to award equal support and custody from each parent.  50/50 joint custody is what most families function best with—with both parents a part of the child’s life.  But these days, it seems as though judges are ruling in the favor of the mother—and this is the basis and the reason for fathers’ right activism.

Parenting plans will always affect things such as your child support obligations, alimony and any other decisions that are made within the court in regards to the divorce.  The less you have your children, the more likely you are to be paying child support to your ex-wife, in addition to possibly alimony or maintenance.  It’s a good idea to know your rights, arm yourself with knowledge, and know that you, like many fathers in the United States, can fight for your rights to see your children, either with joint custody or full.

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Several months ago, I began to notice the Judge Parker comic strip. I don’t know just what caught my eye. It may have been a few written words that reflected a decency that is so often missing in modern culture. Perhaps it was a certain graphic motion that implied a right response to a bad situation. Maybe it was God that set my focus on that well drawn comic script that occupies the bottom panels in our local paper.

I like to read the comics. Though many are distasteful, crude, and lacking in social merit such that I must avoid them, and though others are long-running, adventure-centered political soap boxes that I must also avoid; some provide a clean and gentle relief from daily stress. The decent ones bring forth a pleasant break from the busy workday and the crowded evening hours. They present humor related snapshots into brief moments of the average life. Judge Parker, and a similar script called Rex Morgan, is a morally guided adventure tale penned by longtime writer Woody Wilson. I only recently can to know of him.

Regardless of which storyline moved me to take an interest, I began to read Judge Parker on a daily basis. I watched as the main characters responded to various trials and temptations with what seemed a true Christian attitude. They established high standards, and they lived by them. Rather than sprouting bulling words, Mr. Wilson’s characters motivate the responses of other characters through kind but measured actions.

I began to develop a great respect for Woody Wilson as the mind and the writer behind the Judge Parker comic script. This man, I thought, surely knows the God of creation. Thus I set in my heart to write this article. Yet I was restrained. From within me, arose the voice of the Holy Spirit. “This writer,” He said, “you do not know that he is Christian. Morals are no assurance of Christian faith”.  

The voice was correct. Good morals do not make a Christian. I wrote Mr. Wilson a letter. I told him of how much I enjoyed his scripts, and of how good it was to see someone live in the world without behaving as does the world. Then I asked if he was a Christian.

Now since I failed to gain permission to use Mr. Wilson’s exact words, and due to the fact that I do not wish to over burden him with emails, I will not quote his exact response. He told me that he was not a Christian. He said that he was raised to believe in the “Golden Rule”. Thus his comic strips reflect the nature of that faith. His email response to me was very pleasant.

All religions embrace the golden rule. It is the concept of placing oneself into the footprints of another so as to respond to their needs and concerns just as we would for our own needs and concerns. It is a rule that reflects the essence of fair play.

I respect Mr. Wilson’s work. He teaches what many chose to ignore, and what many sometimes even chose to deliberately destroy. In the terms of men, and in the measure of a well mannered society, Mr. Woody Wilson does a great work.

I wrote him a second email. I thanked him for responding honestly to my letter. I also let him know that good works are not the equivalent to having gained saving grace. In every man, the good is tainted by pride, the “Golden Rule” is twisted by selfish view points, and the truth is always hampered by personal wants. I opened a door for Mr. Wilson that he may one day seek to know Jesus. For this purpose, I make myself available. But it matters not who waters the seed, but merely that the seed take a root and grow. I pray our God send yet Christian voice into the life of this kind man.

I praise Mr. Wilson for the work that he does. In a world that is shrouded in confusion, Judge Parker is a comic strip that teaches decency and moral principles. How much greater could be those truths if the author came to know the Jesus of scripture? Let us pray to that effect.

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With all the controversy in his life, American Idol’s Simon Cowell brings into play all the drama to create a new television show for British TV. And after a string of endeavors in the music industry, it appears that he is now invading the television world bit by bit.

Starting off in 2001 with Pop Idol, Cowell became a judge on its first season. Subsequently, he also became a judge on the reality talent show American Idol where his infamy as a nasty and straightforward judge grew. A couple of years later, he once again became a judge on the British talent show The X Factor. Eventually, his knowledge and flair in the entertainment scene brought him behind the scenes as he produced America’s Got Talent and Celebrity Duets.

His newest drama project comes in the form of Rock Rivals, a fictional peek behind the scenes of a television talent show, which centers on the lives of two celebrity judges on The X Factor while their marriage falls apart.

Having a “War of the Roses” kind of dispute, the show attempts to give the viewers a one of a kind entertainment experience. The program is scheduled to shoot over the summer and will be aired on ITV in fall. Sally Haynes, deputy controller of ITV, said, “The ongoing appeal for this type of talent show presents a ripe opportunity for a modern fun drama that transports us backstage into the heady and fabulous extremes of the music business.”

Unlike American Idol, Cowell would be working as a producer of the said show with Shed Productions. Being his first dramatic venture on television, Cowell is gleaming with enthusiasm. He said, “I am very excited about this show, the idea is brilliant and Shed Productions have a proven track record of making these type of shows very popular.”

Of course, with this type of undertaking, spectators can’t help but dwell on the possibility that this might entail commissioning in the Unites States in the near future, just like American Idol.

For more info about American Idol and especially about American Idol Judge Penetrates the Drama World please review http://www.buddytv.com

As we go through life, we may be inclined to judge others by their appearance and by the things we see on the exterior.  People are often judged unwittingly on looks, age, size, clothing, and other physical characteristics over which they may have little or no control because of the circumstances which have come into their lives.

Appearances can be deceiving and often do not reflect what a person is like underneath.  What really matters is what is in the heart of a person.  That does not show on first glance or just by outward appearances.  Getting to know a person is required to know the heart of that person.  Their feelings, concerns, and personality are not known at first glance. Reaching out and learning about the person quite likely will show a different opinion than a bad one received upon the first meeting.

It is so easy to make a quick and rash judgment about another person.  If someone rubs us the wrong way or seems to snub us, it is normal to immediately develop a huge dislike for that person.  There may be reasons for their actions which we cannot know or understand.  Sometimes getting to know a person will take away those feelings.  Other times we will never get to know them well enough to like them, but we are only hurting ourselves with our bad feelings toward another person.

A great, wonderful heart may be hiding within a body which is undesirable to look at without knowing the person.  Perhaps life has been difficult which has caused the person to show the wear and tear of a life on the street.  Maybe the loss of a loved one has caused such enormous pain that he has been unable to function in life, causing him to lose his job and home.  Perhaps the hardships of outside influences have caused a person to eat excessively and become obese.  Maybe he is a good and kind person inside, but the appearance of his body keeps people from getting to know him.

Several years ago I attended a convention in a large hotel.  At the same hotel at that time was another group holding a similar convention.  Theirs was an organization of people who were extremely overweight.  It was amazing to see so many people of such large sizes congregated in one spot.  It was, however, also interesting to see how cheerful they were.  They were laughing and enjoying each other and were obviously happy to be there.  They were jovial and in good spirits in the hallways and the elevators.  They were probably judged unfairly in other situations, but here they were among friends who knew them and loved them.

It is extremely difficult to know what is going on in another person’s life.  Walking in their shoes is not possible.  Understanding and compassion should be encouraged as a way of life.  Judging others unfairly happens all the time, but we should try not to be guilty of it ourselves.  We should be careful about judging others.

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Product Description
From #1 bestselling author James Patterson comes the ultimate legal thriller where the judge and jury are terrified. The verdict: run for your life. Failing to escape jury duty, aspiring actress Andie DeGrasse ends up as… More >>

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The courtroom can be a nerve-racking, anxiety-ridden place for anyone who has never dealt with the law before.  A cold, desolate room with echoing noises, tense opposing parties and a judge in which everything lies upon.  This situation can make even the most confident person crack under pressure, but no matter how intimidated you feel, it is important to get on your judge’s good side in order to have some parts of your case to your advantage.

Submit clean paperwork.  Make sure you understand the formatting required in your state and county courts in order to impress the judge that you have done your research and did not sloppily put together your legal documents without care and respect for the court systems.

Stay on task.  Don’t miss deadlines and court dates.  This can cause a judge to become frustrated and harbor a negative feeling against you for abusing the court system’s time and energy.

Show a true, faithful effort.  Show the judge that even though you are going about this Pro Se, that you’ve done your homework, researched the case and have the legal information to back up your claims and defenses. 

Know your judge.  I’m not talking about Googling your judge online, but I am talking about sitting in on a few cases that he is presiding over.  This way, you can get a feel for what he likes, doesn’t like, tolerates or hates, and this can give you an edge over your ex-wife when you finally take your own case to court.

Remember that the judge is the one that has the final say about your case and what you are proposing happens during your time in court for your divorce.  By getting on the judge’s good side, you will better your chances of being heard and recognized during the proceedings, and in the long run, that is a great benefit to have over your opposing party!

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America’s Next Top Model seems to sift through judges from cycle to cycle, with new judges coming in every cycle. In 2003, Tyra Banks had judges Janice Dickinson, Beau Quillian, and Kimora Lee Simmons. But then, Dickinson and Simmons seemed to not like each other very much, thus Simmons left the show after a season. Quillian followed shortly. Eric Nicholson was then recruited into the gang, but his stay was short, as Tyra finally found the perfect combination of people to make up her panel of judges. Since cycle 5, Tyra has teamed up with her new panel of judges, which includes Nigel Barker, J. Alexander, and Twiggy. However, it seems that the group is about to get remixed as one judge leaves and another will take the place.

The CW announced today that Twiggy won’t be back for cycle 10 of America ‘s Next Top Model, citing scheduling conflicts as the main reason behind it all. Being there since cycle 5, Twiggy will be ending her involvement with the reality series soon.

Replacing Twiggy as a judge on America ‘s Next Top Model is former supermodel Paulina Porizkova, who was twice named as one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People. Her other magazine appearances include Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. She has also appeared in several movies and is a published author. She recently competed in Dancing with the Stars, where she and her partner, Alex Mazo were the first to be eliminated.

Porizkova now returns to reality television as a judge on America ‘s Next Top Model, where she will dish out her fashion expertise. Executive Producer of America’s Next Top Model Ken Mok said of her joining the series, “We are thrilled to have Paulina as a part of this cycle’s judging panel. The show and participants will benefit a great deal from her vast modeling knowledge and expertise.”

For more resources about America’s Next Top Model or for the full story of America ‘s Next Top Model: New Judge For Cycle 10 please review http://www.buddytv.com

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