Damien Riley, author, teacher and dad, keeps an eye on popculture, the news, and humor all around us. His blog, Postcards from the FunnyFarm, covers topics including teaching, inspiration, humor, and psychology.

Damien’s mission statement for his writing has been “to publish creative and innovative content” since December of 2006. He is married to Sarah, also a teacher and blogger. Together they have 3 children.

It’s been a long time since the 70’s and we don’t hear much about women’s lib anymore. My wife called me over to look at an ad of an attractive, bikini clad woman the other day and she was covering her face.

After I agreed it was indeed a beautiful woman, the face clearly revealed it was “a man baby” (in the voice of Austin Powers).

The roles of men and women are blurred and for that matter, so are the genders. We men carry around confusion and anxiety about who we are and more importantly, who we’re supposed to be. I wanted to look at the role of men in society for this post so I sat down and outlined three traditional stereotypes to compare and contrast with 2008:

1. Tough, like Clint Eastwood: No, we’re not expected to be tough anymore. In fact, we are often criticized for being too hard and cold. In the media, men are portrayed more and more as the “touchy feely” type.

Have you seen the ads for the new Patrick Dempsey movie where he is the maid of honor in a wedding? How do we find a middle ground between Eastwood and, in this case, Dempsey?

This is something we struggle with as men these days.

2. Provider, like Bill Cosby: No, many women are the breadwinners in the home these days. This is partly true because of the woman’s movement and the doors it opened to women in the 70’s and also due to recession.

Several men I know have lost their jobs and their wives are filling the gap until something opens up. This is socially acceptable. Men may find this hard to live with though since we are so used to our traditional role as the providers.

3. Wise, like Father Knows Best: Men are seen nowadays as more work-horses than pillars of wisdom. In some ways, this is better.

Men really aren’t all that wise and there is much men are ignorant about. But we do have a lot to offer. Most people will agree after the book “Men are from Mars, Women from Venus” that men and women have something totally unique to bring to the table.

We have learned that the know-it-all dad’s days are over but we should always remember we do have something valuable to offer the world as men.

I won’t get into the issue of gay men roles vs. straight because being straight, the only way I could really analyze it would be through the media. I think its prominence in the media clearly makes the male image more blurry.

After presenting these three stereotypes, I’d like to pose one question I hope you’ll answer for me:

What the heck are men supposed to be in 2008?

By the time that you are reading this post, I will have hopefully had a safe flight to Las Vegas and will be attending the first sessions of the EMC World conference.

This trip to Las Vegas marks the fourth time that I have visited since my wife and I made our first trip together a few years back. Each of those four times has been for a work conference and my wife has not accompanied me on the trip.

Anyone that has been to Las Vegas knows that there are plenty of opportunities to be deviant.

Not only do the flashing lights of the casinos beckon, but there are strip clubs that entice many men - as well as the places like the Bunny Ranch.

When I made my first trip to Las Vegas without my wife, she had visions that I would be spending every night at the strip clubs getting myself into trouble.

While I assured my wife that my time would not be spent looking at naked women as that is not the kind of husband that I am, she still had her doubts. At least she had doubts until I shared the following reason with her, which she knows all too well.

I’m cheap!

Seriously, being a cheap person in Las Vegas means that there is not much opportunity for trouble. As anything that can get you into trouble is going to cost a fair amount of money.

Sure, I’ll place a few small bets at the sports book and might throw a few dollars into the slot machines or the video poker while having a drink at the bar. But anything more than that, forget it.

Why am I so cheap when it comes to things like this?

Plain and simple, I work hard for my money and don’t like throwing it away.

While sitting down in the casinos can be fun and exciting, you are essentially throwing away your money. Every now and then you might hear of someone winning big or have a good run yourself, but how many of those people walk away with that money?

Not many.

Just recently, Charles Barkley was in the news as he has a $400,000 gambling debt that he has not paid off. A few years back Barkley had estimated he has gambled away about $10 million!

That is throwing money away.

My wife and I have seen an episode or two of the series on HBO entitled Cathouse, which gives an inside look at the happenings at the Bunny Ranch. For those that are not aware, the Bunny Ranch is a brothel outside of Reno.

While watching this show, I learned that the, ahem, services being performed can cost a man (or woman) hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

WHAT?!?!

That is insane!

That is throwing money away.

While my wife might complain from time to time that I am a little too cheap, she also knows that I am way too cheap to be deviant in a place like Las Vegas.

Photo credit: Tom in NYC

While attending SOBCon08, I had a nice conversation with Jeff Sable from Chitika where we chatted about quite a few family activities, including the appeal of attending a minor league baseball game.

As summer is approaching, I am getting the itch to get the kids out to the ballpark to enjoy a baseball game. Given that our preference is to attend minor league baseball games, I thought I would share a few of the aspects that have led us in that direction.

Here are five reasons that minor league baseball is better than their professional counterparts:

1. Cost

It is possible for a family to attend a minor league baseball game without having to take out a second mortgage on the house. And you’ll even be able to get a hot dog or two and not feel like you are being taken to the cleaners.

Not only are the ticket prices cheaper for a minor league baseball game, but often times the parking is much cheaper and might even be free depending on the team.

If you have younger children, don’t be surprised if they say that they want to leave by about the 5th inning. It is much easier leaving early from a game that has not cost you a small fortune to attend.

2. Passion for the Game

While professional ballplayers certainly have a passion for the game, many of them are also being driven by the greed of a bigger contract. In the minor leagues, particularly the lower levels, you have an opportunity to watch young men that may have the dream of the big payday but have a real passion for playing the sport they love.

3. Close to the Action

Have you tried to get an autograph from a professional ballplayer recently? Even if you are able to get close enough to have a chance at an autograph, many players avoid coming anywhere near the fans near the dugout as they know they will be swamped. In the minor leagues, many of the players are very accommodating with autographs - as it is likely just as much a thrill for them as it is for your kids.

In addition to the players being more accessible, many minor league stadiums put you right on top of the action. However, this does require more care as you are also much closer to flying baseballs and possibly even bats.

4. Cool Team Names

Part of the appeal to the atmosphere surrounding a minor league baseball game is the team name. Minor league teams usually have very fun team names with interesting mascots that really appeal to the kids.

Here are just a few examples: Lakewood BlueClaws, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Hickory Crawdads, Casper Ghosts

5. It’s Not Just a Game, It’s an Experience

The best part of a minor league baseball game is that it is truly more than a game, it is an experience. Minor league baseball teams are really brilliant at marketing and promotion as they do a great job to make the fans part of the game, which will leave a lasting impression on your kids moreso than sitting in the nose-bleed seats to see the local professional team.

From a handful of little kids racing the team mascot around the bases to promotional items being launched into the crowd, you will be entertained in between innings throughout the game.

And when is the last time you and the kids were allowed to run the bases after a major league game?

Take Your Kids To The Ballpark

If you’ve never attended a minor league baseball game, do a search to find the team closest to your area and get the kids out to the ballpark.

It will be a great experience for the whole family!

Photo credit: jslander

Hey everyone! Welcome to our second installment of photo tips here at Sparkplugging.com.

For today’s tip, we are going to get back to basics and cover one of the most simple rule of composition: the rule of thirds. I actually like to think of it more as a suggestion, since there will be plenty of times you will take great pictures without following it.

Here are the basics. When you frame up an image, divide the frame like a tic-tac-toe board with 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines. Here’s an example:

To improve your shots, all you have to do is place your subject at the intersection of any two lines.

That’s it. Instant ‘artist’s statement’ with your photos. To enhance this even more, have your subject looking or facing in the direction of the open area. This ‘visual space’ adds even more interest to your photo.

Some cameras (including my 2005-era point-and-shoot) will display the grid pattern for me, so I don’t even have to think about where the exact intersections are! Maybe your camera has this feature as well.

Start using this technique today, and then look at other photographs and see where it’s being used there. And don’t limit yourself to horizontal/vertical shots. Angle your camera for an interesting perspective, and use the rule of thirds on top of that. Your geometry teacher will be so proud (if she remembers your name).

After you’ve used this technique for a while, completely change it up it and try something new like having your subject look away from the open area, or cutting off the bottom of heads so that only eyes peek out from the edge of the frame. After all, it wouldn’t be a ‘rule of thirds’ unless you found creative ways to break it.

Have you found creative ways to use the rule of thirds in your photographs? Let us know in the comments below! Also, feel free to suggest ideas or techniques you would like me to cover for future articles!

Eric Doggett is a photographer based in Austin, Texas. He has a site specifically for baby photography tips at ShootTheBaby.com. He also just launched BoxOfficeBaby.com, a site where you can order custom birth announcements and birthday party movie posters. You can reach him at babydaddy -at- ShootTheBaby.com.

Fresh off of receiving our own copy of this letter from our local school system, I could not help but notice this headline at USAToday.com:

Ohio dad jailed after daughter fails to get GED

Fortunately, both of our kids are doing quite well in school and I do not anticipate ever being put in a situation like this - although there are no guarantees.

Apparently a judge ordered Brian Gegner to be sure his 18-year-old daughter received her GED, as she has had a history of truancy. When she failed to obtain her GED, her father was sentenced to 180 days in jail for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

What?!?! 180 days!

In a day and age when many celebrities are living above the law, this man gets sentenced to 6 months in jail because his daughter cannot be responsible.

According to the story, the mother mentioned that they would take their daughter to school but she would skip out the other door.

Is that really the parents fault?

Unless one of the parents was able to babysit at the school, how are they supposed to prevent their daughter from cutting school? Shouldn’t the school have some responsibility in ensuring that the students cannot easily cut school?

With a motion filed to reconsider the sentencing, one would hope that someone in the judicial system comes to their senses and reverses this sentence.

What do you think about this dad being put in jail?

Should the parent be held accountable for their child’s actions?

Even when the “child” is 18-years-old?

At some point you need to hold the child accountable for their own actions, particularly when that child has reached the age of majority. Personally, I believe the message would have been much better served to hold the daughter accountable in this case as opposed to sending the dad to jail.

In this example, what lesson has the child really learned?

Men are wimps.

Or at least that is the message that came across to me when I saw a recent home security commercial.

After searching YouTube for the commercial and coming up empty, you’ll have to make due with a textual description.

The commercial shows a man in his home at the top of the staircase, looking down towards the front door. An intruder breaks the front door open and the man scurries to his bedroom, slams the door, and is on the phone with the security center.

I could be wrong but the man may have even squealed, lol.

Maybe it is just me but when I saw this commercial, I immediately thought that the home owner came across as a big wuss.

My home is my domain, well really it is my wife’s but she entertains me with the notion that I am king of the castle. If someone is threatening the safety of my home and my family, they better be prepared for the fight of their life.

Maybe I was in a beer-chugging, chest-thumping, groin-scratching mood when I saw this commercial but I envisioned my response as being completely different.

The first reaction that I see (after my wife beating me to wake me from my slumber) would be to get my children and wife into a safe place in the home. Once that was accomplished, I would instruct my wife to call 911 while I investigated and/or tried to deter the intruder.

Obviously that could spell trouble if the intruder has a gun, however I am a pretty big guy and have had my share of scrapes over the years - so I just don’t see myself hiding out in my bedroom while someone ransacks my house.

Would I react that way in a real-life situation?

Well, to be honest, I sincerely hope that I never have to find out.

Often times we don’t react in the manner in which we believe we will. For all I know, I could be just like the guy in the commercial and scurry off to my room. It is easy to be macho on paper, or the Interweb, but it is not always so easy when the chips are on the table.

Hopefully none of you have been in this position, or ever will be, either.

But if you were, how do you imagine you would react?

Photo credit: greggoconnell