"Why didn't he say goodbye? I gave myself a bruise. Why didn't he say "I love you"?" (Foer 207)
This quote is after Oskar listened to a message that his dad had left when the twin towers were hit. Oskar wonders why his dad didn't say goodbye and why he doesn't say I love you. He also wonders why his dad left be hind this strange key. This is something that happens to many of us; we lose a loved one and we begin to wonder why they did certain things or why they ended up where they did. We will never be able to understand why people do the things they do. We can't explain someone else's life because we don't know what was going on inside their head at all times. I think that many of us read to much into things. For example, Oskar keeps reading into his dad's messages and trying to find hidden meanings. This isn't going to help us get over the lose of a loved one, it is just going to drag us down. I think that people try to figure out the life and actions of a loved one because they don't want to let them go. I think that people are afraid that if they aren't constantly thinking about them, that they will forget all of the memories that they shared together. But, I think that if people just remembered the good times that were without mystery or question, then they will remember the person in a better light. I do not think that it is good to question yourself about why a person does this because you will never know of you are right, so you might as well leave it alone and remember the good times.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Outside Reading #5
“I didn’t understand why I needed help, because it seemed to me that you should wear heavy boots when your dad dies, and if you aren’t wearing heavy boots, then you need help” (Foer 200).
This quote really made me think. I mean what is a healthy way to grieve? Is it disrespectful to move on or is it healthy to grieve for a long time? This is a hard question to answer, and I think that it all depends upon the person and their situation. Grieving is a natural thing and we use it to deal with our feelings and emotions. If we don’t grieve or even just sort through our emotions, those feelings are going to come around and affect us later on in life. But, on the other hand, if we spend too much time grieving and our life just stops, that isn’t healthy either because we could fall into depression or just fall behind on life. It is healthy to grieve, but not for a long period of time. I know that when a loved one dies, you feel like you are never going to get over their death. It is hard to know how to move on with your life. But, you must move on. Just sitting in the same place in your life and not moving forward is not going to help anything because all you will be thinking about are your feelings. When you are going on with daily activities, you begin to think about other things. This is not to say that you don’t have those feeling on your mind, but the daily tasks just distract you. And, eventually you will be back to a normal life.
This quote really made me think. I mean what is a healthy way to grieve? Is it disrespectful to move on or is it healthy to grieve for a long time? This is a hard question to answer, and I think that it all depends upon the person and their situation. Grieving is a natural thing and we use it to deal with our feelings and emotions. If we don’t grieve or even just sort through our emotions, those feelings are going to come around and affect us later on in life. But, on the other hand, if we spend too much time grieving and our life just stops, that isn’t healthy either because we could fall into depression or just fall behind on life. It is healthy to grieve, but not for a long period of time. I know that when a loved one dies, you feel like you are never going to get over their death. It is hard to know how to move on with your life. But, you must move on. Just sitting in the same place in your life and not moving forward is not going to help anything because all you will be thinking about are your feelings. When you are going on with daily activities, you begin to think about other things. This is not to say that you don’t have those feeling on your mind, but the daily tasks just distract you. And, eventually you will be back to a normal life.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Outside Reading #4
"Dad was just someone who ran a family jewelry business. Just an ordinary dad. But I wished so much, then, that he had been Great. I wished he'd been famous, famous like a movie star, which is what he deserved. I wished Mr. Black had written about him, and risked his life to tell the world about him, and had reminders of him around his apartment" (Foer 159-160).
For many people, their goal in life is to be remembered or to be famous. But, their are very few of us that reach that high glory of becoming so famous that we will be written about in history books or have movies made about our lives. But, reaching that high glory of being famous around the world, does not mean that we are not important. We will always be remembered by the people that love and care for us. I think that this is more important than being liked by a large number of the present population and the people to come. We should realize that we are famous. We may not be famous across a country or the world, but within or lives, we are famous. Our families will always remember us, and that is what being famous is; being remembered by people. It may not be a large number of people, but the number of people that will remember you is not important. The important thing is that we stand out and achieve for ourselves and the people around us. We want to be remembered for doing good things. Would you rather be famous to many people, like Hitler, for killing millions, or be famous, to a few people, for treating people with respect?
For many people, their goal in life is to be remembered or to be famous. But, their are very few of us that reach that high glory of becoming so famous that we will be written about in history books or have movies made about our lives. But, reaching that high glory of being famous around the world, does not mean that we are not important. We will always be remembered by the people that love and care for us. I think that this is more important than being liked by a large number of the present population and the people to come. We should realize that we are famous. We may not be famous across a country or the world, but within or lives, we are famous. Our families will always remember us, and that is what being famous is; being remembered by people. It may not be a large number of people, but the number of people that will remember you is not important. The important thing is that we stand out and achieve for ourselves and the people around us. We want to be remembered for doing good things. Would you rather be famous to many people, like Hitler, for killing millions, or be famous, to a few people, for treating people with respect?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Blog Post #4
The twins sang a duet on bicycles, while showing off their biceps. One was bi-polar, while the other slipped in ethanol, after smelling Carbon Dioxide
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Outside Reading #3
“I like to see people reunited, maybe that’s a silly thing, but what can I say, I like to see people run to each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can’t tell fast enough, the ears that aren’t big enough, the eyes that can’t take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone, I sit on the side with a coffee and write in my daybook, I examine the flight schedules that I’ve already memorized, I observe, I write, I try not to remember the life that I didn’t want to lose but lost and have to remember, being here fills my heart with so much joy, even if that joy isn’t mine” (Foer 109).
This quote talks about how the joy and happiness from others can make you happy. Sometimes, it is like a chain reaction. If one person is in a good mood, they might put another person in a good mood, and then that person might put someone else in a good mood, and the cycle goes on and on. Many people think that they only get joy out of something good that happens to them, but they also feed off of the joy of others. When you see a team win a championship or a student get an “A” on a test, you are happy not only for them, but their happiness brings joy to you. I am not saying that this happens to everyone, but I think that people feed off of each other’s emotions. This can be a good or bad thing, but I think that the emotions of the people around you, affect your mood and feelings.
This quote talks about how the joy and happiness from others can make you happy. Sometimes, it is like a chain reaction. If one person is in a good mood, they might put another person in a good mood, and then that person might put someone else in a good mood, and the cycle goes on and on. Many people think that they only get joy out of something good that happens to them, but they also feed off of the joy of others. When you see a team win a championship or a student get an “A” on a test, you are happy not only for them, but their happiness brings joy to you. I am not saying that this happens to everyone, but I think that people feed off of each other’s emotions. This can be a good or bad thing, but I think that the emotions of the people around you, affect your mood and feelings.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Blog #3
The trio of triplets were triathletes, who rode tricycles. They won third place, which received a tripod with a tricolored triceratops. The triplets also played baseball. The trio hit tree triples and got three triple plays. In the end, the triplet trio won a triangular tripod for third place.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Outside Reading #2
“Even if it was relatively insignificant, it was something and I needed to do something, like sharks who die if they don’t swim, which I know” (Foer 87). This quote is in a section of the book when the characters are talking about how anything you do changes history, no matter how small the change may be. I think this quote is important because many people feel that if they aren’t changing the world, then they aren’t doing anything important, but that is not true. Everything that we do makes a difference. For example, if your family recycles, you are helping the planet. You aren’t completely changing the earth because not everyone recycles, but you are still doing something to help. I think that this quote really makes people think about their life and their goals. I feel that if everyone knew that everything that they did had an impact on history that more people would strive to do bigger and better things. Another quote that supports this is, “If you hadn’t don’t it, human history would have been one way…””Uh-huh?” ”But you did do t, so…” I stood one my bed, pointed my fingers at the fake stars, and screamed: “I changes the course of human history” (Foer 86). The example in the book was about how if you moved one grain of sand in the Sahara Desert, would it really make a difference? Well, how will we ever know? We don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t moved that grain of sand. Foer does a good job of getting into the deeper questions that people have about life, throughout this book.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Blog #2
The car flies through the mountain
the fresh smell of the trees dances through the window
the sun slides from beneath a cloud
while seven little birds run through the sky
the laughter of the kids fills peoples' ears for miles
hikers are walking through the forest smiling
a rabbit jumps and hops like a stone skipped across a lake
the sweet taste of nature sung in a book.
the fresh smell of the trees dances through the window
the sun slides from beneath a cloud
while seven little birds run through the sky
the laughter of the kids fills peoples' ears for miles
hikers are walking through the forest smiling
a rabbit jumps and hops like a stone skipped across a lake
the sweet taste of nature sung in a book.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Outside Reading #1
“It wasn’t a mistake! It was a message to me” (Foer 10).
This quote represents the things in life that happen for a reason. Throughout life things happen, but we just assume that they are mistakes and don’t have any meaning. I feel like this book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close does an excellent job of showing hoe everything in life has a meaning and a purpose. When we look at ordinary things in life, like a bird or leaf, we just pass on by because they are so typical. But, maybe those ordinary things have a hidden meaning. Maybe that song that you have been struggling to write is hidden beneath a bench in Central Park, or the speech you have been trying to write is tucked away in the newspaper. We get ideas from so many places, but when we are looking for something specific, we look in the more unusual places, when that something that we have been looking for is right out in front of us.
This quote also shows that people help in mysterious ways. The ways that people help may be so hidden and strange that we may not realize the help until we really look at the situation. Some people help in mysterious ways because they do not want to be recognized personally for their contribution. Which is understandable because help isn’t about you it is about the person receiving the help and the impact it is going to have on their life. Other people help in mysterious ways because they want people to work for what they want. They want to help people, but not just by telling them easy to understand advice, but by making them look deeper into life and what surrounds them. This way, the person being helped gets more out of the advice or guidance because they have to think about it and ponder the meaning of what is being given to them.
This quote represents the things in life that happen for a reason. Throughout life things happen, but we just assume that they are mistakes and don’t have any meaning. I feel like this book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close does an excellent job of showing hoe everything in life has a meaning and a purpose. When we look at ordinary things in life, like a bird or leaf, we just pass on by because they are so typical. But, maybe those ordinary things have a hidden meaning. Maybe that song that you have been struggling to write is hidden beneath a bench in Central Park, or the speech you have been trying to write is tucked away in the newspaper. We get ideas from so many places, but when we are looking for something specific, we look in the more unusual places, when that something that we have been looking for is right out in front of us.
This quote also shows that people help in mysterious ways. The ways that people help may be so hidden and strange that we may not realize the help until we really look at the situation. Some people help in mysterious ways because they do not want to be recognized personally for their contribution. Which is understandable because help isn’t about you it is about the person receiving the help and the impact it is going to have on their life. Other people help in mysterious ways because they want people to work for what they want. They want to help people, but not just by telling them easy to understand advice, but by making them look deeper into life and what surrounds them. This way, the person being helped gets more out of the advice or guidance because they have to think about it and ponder the meaning of what is being given to them.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
blog post #1
Candy poem:
So much depends
upon
a lightly covered
delicacy
with the aroma
of tempting sugar
the shimmering aluminium
crinkling as it is unfolded
one whiff of the chocolate delight
sends my brain into a mode of tranquility
Spring Poem:
So much of spring depends
upon
the chatter of birds
in the air
the blanket of the
peaceful blue sky
a forest of bare trees
waiting to bloom
So much depends
upon
a lightly covered
delicacy
with the aroma
of tempting sugar
the shimmering aluminium
crinkling as it is unfolded
one whiff of the chocolate delight
sends my brain into a mode of tranquility
Spring Poem:
So much of spring depends
upon
the chatter of birds
in the air
the blanket of the
peaceful blue sky
a forest of bare trees
waiting to bloom
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Overcoming The Odds
I read an article about a kid that overcame a tumor.
The story is about Mathew. He was diagnosed with having a tumor in his abdomen just before starting kindergarten. At first his parents thought it was just the flu, but when he started craving foods even though he felt sick and his stomach was swelled they decided to take him into the emergency room. He took medicine to make the tumor smaller, but some of it was still there, so he had to have surgery to remove the rest. After the surgery he had to have a stem cell transplant, which was done by University of Minnesota Children's Hospital Fairview. it worked. The tumor was gone and Mathew is now an eleven year old boy who takes part in acting and sports. He is also thinking about a future in medicine. I think that this story is amazing and not just because he survived. It was really great to hear that he was always optimistic. He never let anyone tell him that he wouldn't survive. As it said in the article "he did not even consider death as a possibility when he was going through his treatment." I think that when someone is in a hard situation like this, their reaction and outlook on it, really show who that person is.
"Mathew O. An inquisitive mind." KS95 for Kids (2009)
The story is about Mathew. He was diagnosed with having a tumor in his abdomen just before starting kindergarten. At first his parents thought it was just the flu, but when he started craving foods even though he felt sick and his stomach was swelled they decided to take him into the emergency room. He took medicine to make the tumor smaller, but some of it was still there, so he had to have surgery to remove the rest. After the surgery he had to have a stem cell transplant, which was done by University of Minnesota Children's Hospital Fairview. it worked. The tumor was gone and Mathew is now an eleven year old boy who takes part in acting and sports. He is also thinking about a future in medicine. I think that this story is amazing and not just because he survived. It was really great to hear that he was always optimistic. He never let anyone tell him that he wouldn't survive. As it said in the article "he did not even consider death as a possibility when he was going through his treatment." I think that when someone is in a hard situation like this, their reaction and outlook on it, really show who that person is.
"Mathew O. An inquisitive mind." KS95 for Kids (2009)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thinking Map
Here are the causes and effects we need on our final thinking map...
Causes:
-corrupt Sudanese government
-people of Darfur are being discriminated against and neglected
-People of Darfur are not getting their fair share of resources
-Khartoum has a militia that is attacking Darfur
Effects:
-hundreds of thousands of people have died
-The population is getting so low, that there are very few people left in Darfur
-Aid workers from other countries who go to help are getting kidnapped and killed (eventually they weren't allowed into Darfur at all)
-The President of Sudan has criminal charges being filed against him and he will most likely have to resign (corrupt government)
-women and children are raped
-lot of malnutrition, which also kills many people
Causes:
-corrupt Sudanese government
-people of Darfur are being discriminated against and neglected
-People of Darfur are not getting their fair share of resources
-Khartoum has a militia that is attacking Darfur
Effects:
-hundreds of thousands of people have died
-The population is getting so low, that there are very few people left in Darfur
-Aid workers from other countries who go to help are getting kidnapped and killed (eventually they weren't allowed into Darfur at all)
-The President of Sudan has criminal charges being filed against him and he will most likely have to resign (corrupt government)
-women and children are raped
-lot of malnutrition, which also kills many people
Research post #3
I found a very interesting article that talks about how the war is not onyl affecting the people in Darfur, but also the people that try to help.
In the article it tells the story of how aid workers were kidnapped. The people werre not kidnapped by the governemnt, but by angry citizens. Sudan't government says that they have talked with the kidnappers and that they are discussing ransoms for the release of the aid workers.
-this show sthat not only is the governemnt dangerous to the people, but so are the people. This war has driven people to act to the extreme. War has a very negative affect on people and this situation shows that.
Otterman, Sharon. "Contqact Made With Aid Workers Kidnapped In Darfur." New York Times (2009):
In the article it tells the story of how aid workers were kidnapped. The people werre not kidnapped by the governemnt, but by angry citizens. Sudan't government says that they have talked with the kidnappers and that they are discussing ransoms for the release of the aid workers.
-this show sthat not only is the governemnt dangerous to the people, but so are the people. This war has driven people to act to the extreme. War has a very negative affect on people and this situation shows that.
Otterman, Sharon. "Contqact Made With Aid Workers Kidnapped In Darfur." New York Times (2009):
Research Post #2
I read another article about the conflict in Darfur.
The article talks about how the President of Darfur, has commited serious crimes. For example he expelled ten humanitariam groups from Darfur and called for their arrest. I think that this show how the corrupt govenment causecd this conlict to begin and to last for this long.
The government in Darfur isn't helping the situation at all. The President, Omar al-Bashir, is denying all accusations against him and isn't doing anything to stop the genocide grom happening.
The war in Darfur started in 2003, when African tribes rebelled against the government becasue they were being discriminataed and neglected.
-the government in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, is mostly Arab.
-"janjaweed Arab militia they support of murdering civilians and preying on them in refugee camps"
-The Arab malitia is adding to the killing. The people in Darfur are in a bad place because they have the military and the governemnt against them, which makes it difficult to defend themselves and to try and stop the war.
The International Crime Court was ordered to investigate Darfur in 2005. They did and that is how the charges against the President came about, but Sudan doesn't accept the court's juristiction.
Corder, Mike. "Wanted For War Crimes: Sudan's President." Reno Gazette-Journal (2009):
The article talks about how the President of Darfur, has commited serious crimes. For example he expelled ten humanitariam groups from Darfur and called for their arrest. I think that this show how the corrupt govenment causecd this conlict to begin and to last for this long.
The government in Darfur isn't helping the situation at all. The President, Omar al-Bashir, is denying all accusations against him and isn't doing anything to stop the genocide grom happening.
The war in Darfur started in 2003, when African tribes rebelled against the government becasue they were being discriminataed and neglected.
-the government in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, is mostly Arab.
-"janjaweed Arab militia they support of murdering civilians and preying on them in refugee camps"
-The Arab malitia is adding to the killing. The people in Darfur are in a bad place because they have the military and the governemnt against them, which makes it difficult to defend themselves and to try and stop the war.
The International Crime Court was ordered to investigate Darfur in 2005. They did and that is how the charges against the President came about, but Sudan doesn't accept the court's juristiction.
Corder, Mike. "Wanted For War Crimes: Sudan's President." Reno Gazette-Journal (2009):
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Love
I saw this story on the news that was very touching.
The story is about how two men, Ace Bourke and John Rendall, decide to by a baby lion. They got the lion at a department store. They raised Christian, the lion, in the apartment in England. They raised him like he was another pet or child. When Christian got to be too big to live in their apartment, the two men decided to release him into the wild. But, first they had him trained so that he could survive in the wild. After one year of Christian being in the wild, Ace and John, wanted to be reunited with him. As the two men stand waiting for Christian, he arrives and at first is slow to respond. As soon as he knew who the two men were, he immediately went up and hugged them. Imagine having a 500 pound lion come running at you and them hug you. I would be terrified. It was like Christina hadn't been apart from Ace and John. He acted as if he was still living with them. I thought that this story was very touching. It is amazing to see that some bonds, although they might be strange, can last for so long. Most people who don't see someone for a year or so, never speak to the person again, so it was interesting to see that a wild beast and two men could keep that bond. Some bonds can never be broken and this story shows exactly that. I think that it would have been hard to release Christian into the wild because he was like a family member. It was obviously for the best and it worked out, but I could never imagine doing that. Christian hasn't been seen since the reunion, but many think that he migrated to where the game was easier to come by and Christian was he biggest lion that many had ever seen, so if a poacher had killed him, we would have heard him bragging. This is a heart warming story and it is nice to know that some relationships never end.
Celizic, Mike. "Christian the lion's owners recall final farewell." Today Show (2009)
The story is about how two men, Ace Bourke and John Rendall, decide to by a baby lion. They got the lion at a department store. They raised Christian, the lion, in the apartment in England. They raised him like he was another pet or child. When Christian got to be too big to live in their apartment, the two men decided to release him into the wild. But, first they had him trained so that he could survive in the wild. After one year of Christian being in the wild, Ace and John, wanted to be reunited with him. As the two men stand waiting for Christian, he arrives and at first is slow to respond. As soon as he knew who the two men were, he immediately went up and hugged them. Imagine having a 500 pound lion come running at you and them hug you. I would be terrified. It was like Christina hadn't been apart from Ace and John. He acted as if he was still living with them. I thought that this story was very touching. It is amazing to see that some bonds, although they might be strange, can last for so long. Most people who don't see someone for a year or so, never speak to the person again, so it was interesting to see that a wild beast and two men could keep that bond. Some bonds can never be broken and this story shows exactly that. I think that it would have been hard to release Christian into the wild because he was like a family member. It was obviously for the best and it worked out, but I could never imagine doing that. Christian hasn't been seen since the reunion, but many think that he migrated to where the game was easier to come by and Christian was he biggest lion that many had ever seen, so if a poacher had killed him, we would have heard him bragging. This is a heart warming story and it is nice to know that some relationships never end.
Celizic, Mike. "Christian the lion's owners recall final farewell." Today Show (2009)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Research Post #1
I read an article on the conflict in Darfur.
While I was reading the article I figured out some of the causes and effects of the conflict.
Causes:
- Sudan government pushing the African tribes to the side
-Khartoum denying the tribes resources
-Khartoum armed Arab tribes, which caused the African tribes to become more aware of them being pushed aside
-2003: three African tribes began an insurgency against the government, demanding a more equal distribution of resources
-Khartoum thought that the best way to deal with this issue was to wipe out the African tribes from rural Darfur
Effects:
-countryside was attacked more than the cities (adult men killed and women and girls raped-small kids and elderly people sometimes killed, but usually were allowed to flee)
-The estimation of the death toll is in the hundreds of thousands, but it is not exact
-the worst of the killing is over, because there aren't that many people left in the rural parts of Darfur
This is just some of the information that I got from the article. It is very helpful.
-Here is the citations for the article:
Kristof, Nicholas. "Answering Your Darfur Questions." New York Times. (2009)
While I was reading the article I figured out some of the causes and effects of the conflict.
Causes:
- Sudan government pushing the African tribes to the side
-Khartoum denying the tribes resources
-Khartoum armed Arab tribes, which caused the African tribes to become more aware of them being pushed aside
-2003: three African tribes began an insurgency against the government, demanding a more equal distribution of resources
-Khartoum thought that the best way to deal with this issue was to wipe out the African tribes from rural Darfur
Effects:
-countryside was attacked more than the cities (adult men killed and women and girls raped-small kids and elderly people sometimes killed, but usually were allowed to flee)
-The estimation of the death toll is in the hundreds of thousands, but it is not exact
-the worst of the killing is over, because there aren't that many people left in the rural parts of Darfur
This is just some of the information that I got from the article. It is very helpful.
-Here is the citations for the article:
Kristof, Nicholas. "Answering Your Darfur Questions." New York Times. (2009)
War
I read an article about the war in Iraq.
The article talks about how American intelligence agencies think that the war is increasing the threat of terrorist attacks on the United States. The article states that the war is causing a new generation of Islamic radicalism. I guess I can see how people would come to this conclusion because it isn't like we are a well liked country in many parts of the world right now. This is mostly because of our current status in war activity, but I think that there is another side to this argument. Threats of terrorist attacks may be getting more frequent, but who says that this wouldn't have happened if we didn't go to war. If we didn't go to war, many more attacks like 9/11 could have happened. Just because we went to war, doesn't mean that it caused more terrorist groups to form. No one knows what would have happened if we wouldn't have gone to war, but I think that we would be having the same problems that we are having now. Sometimes when someone tries to fix a problem; things only get worse, but if you don't do anything to solve the problem; more problems are going to build of of that original issue.
Mazzetti, Mark. "Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threats." New York Times. (2006
The article talks about how American intelligence agencies think that the war is increasing the threat of terrorist attacks on the United States. The article states that the war is causing a new generation of Islamic radicalism. I guess I can see how people would come to this conclusion because it isn't like we are a well liked country in many parts of the world right now. This is mostly because of our current status in war activity, but I think that there is another side to this argument. Threats of terrorist attacks may be getting more frequent, but who says that this wouldn't have happened if we didn't go to war. If we didn't go to war, many more attacks like 9/11 could have happened. Just because we went to war, doesn't mean that it caused more terrorist groups to form. No one knows what would have happened if we wouldn't have gone to war, but I think that we would be having the same problems that we are having now. Sometimes when someone tries to fix a problem; things only get worse, but if you don't do anything to solve the problem; more problems are going to build of of that original issue.
Mazzetti, Mark. "Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threats." New York Times. (2006
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Imperialism
I read an article about cultural imperialism.
The article talked about how much the American culture has on the rest of the world. The article gives examples of Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, and American rock music in other parts of the world. The United States has a big influence on the rest of the world because of the power that it holds. The U.S. has been a very successful country, even though it may not seem that way right now, but it has gained credibility from that success. This country has broken free from Britain, lived through the Civil War(along with other wars), and survived the Great Depression. Because this country has so many stories of success, many other countries listen to us. Our culture is always changing and those aspects of our culture that are extraordinary or are popular, make their way to other parts of the world. I think that it is interesting how the American culture has influenced other cultures. Other countries have many different rituals and aspects to their culture, but they still make room for the ideas and inventions of the United States. I hope that our culture doesn't influence other countries too much because then everyone might start to blend together. We have different countries because people have different cultures and if everyone has the same culture, the world would not function correctly.
To the Editor, "Smiling Through the Cultural Imperialism." New York Times. (1989
The article talked about how much the American culture has on the rest of the world. The article gives examples of Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, and American rock music in other parts of the world. The United States has a big influence on the rest of the world because of the power that it holds. The U.S. has been a very successful country, even though it may not seem that way right now, but it has gained credibility from that success. This country has broken free from Britain, lived through the Civil War(along with other wars), and survived the Great Depression. Because this country has so many stories of success, many other countries listen to us. Our culture is always changing and those aspects of our culture that are extraordinary or are popular, make their way to other parts of the world. I think that it is interesting how the American culture has influenced other cultures. Other countries have many different rituals and aspects to their culture, but they still make room for the ideas and inventions of the United States. I hope that our culture doesn't influence other countries too much because then everyone might start to blend together. We have different countries because people have different cultures and if everyone has the same culture, the world would not function correctly.
To the Editor, "Smiling Through the Cultural Imperialism." New York Times. (1989
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Global Issue
Today I read an article about global warming.
In the article it talked about how recently there has been a rise in global emissions and a decline in energy efficiency. It also talks about how the caps on the pollution of greenhouse gases are not going to help. well they are, but many say that the positive effects will come too late. The economist, Jeffrey D. Sachs, thinks that if we try to restrain emissions without a new set of technologies, we will hurt our economy. With as bad as the economy is right now, I don't think our country can take that risk. If the stock market takes another big hit, who knows what could happen. With the car companies already on edge, I don't think that we need to add this on to our plate. Sachs says that what we need to to develop a radically advanced low-carbon technology. This may work, but the funding would have to come from the government. That only means one thing. Higher taxes and our president promised no tax raises for anyone making less than $250,000 per year. That would mean raising taxes even more for that 5% of people that do earn more then $250,000 per year. Global warming is a big issue, even though it might seem that in Minnesota with our 40 below days that global warming isn't happening. This is going to take a long time to figure out a solution, but we don't have that much time until it is too late.
Revkin, Andrew D.. "A Shift in the Debate Over Global Warming." New York Times. (2008)
In the article it talked about how recently there has been a rise in global emissions and a decline in energy efficiency. It also talks about how the caps on the pollution of greenhouse gases are not going to help. well they are, but many say that the positive effects will come too late. The economist, Jeffrey D. Sachs, thinks that if we try to restrain emissions without a new set of technologies, we will hurt our economy. With as bad as the economy is right now, I don't think our country can take that risk. If the stock market takes another big hit, who knows what could happen. With the car companies already on edge, I don't think that we need to add this on to our plate. Sachs says that what we need to to develop a radically advanced low-carbon technology. This may work, but the funding would have to come from the government. That only means one thing. Higher taxes and our president promised no tax raises for anyone making less than $250,000 per year. That would mean raising taxes even more for that 5% of people that do earn more then $250,000 per year. Global warming is a big issue, even though it might seem that in Minnesota with our 40 below days that global warming isn't happening. This is going to take a long time to figure out a solution, but we don't have that much time until it is too late.
Revkin, Andrew D.. "A Shift in the Debate Over Global Warming." New York Times. (2008)
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Holiday
I read an article about Halloween today.
The article was about how recently kids have not been trick-or-treating. Instead they have been trunk-or-treating. The kids go around to peoples cars instead of going around to houses. Suburban communities are starting to do this. The parents are really happy about this because it takes way the risk factor of trick-or-treating. The kids are getting candy in a safe place like a church parking lot or somewhere their parents ca watch them. This way the kids don't have to deal with older kids playing tricks or people that could want to hurt them. I think that this is an interesting idea. It is definitely safer for younger children and it is helpful because little kids get tires from walking around. If they are just walking around a parking lot, they won get as tired and of they do t get tired the can just get in their car and go home. This way of trick-or-treating is very beneficial to little kids and their parents because it is much safer and more convenient for everyone.
Santos, Fernanda. "Trunk or Treat! Halloween Tailgating Grows." New York Times. (2006
The article was about how recently kids have not been trick-or-treating. Instead they have been trunk-or-treating. The kids go around to peoples cars instead of going around to houses. Suburban communities are starting to do this. The parents are really happy about this because it takes way the risk factor of trick-or-treating. The kids are getting candy in a safe place like a church parking lot or somewhere their parents ca watch them. This way the kids don't have to deal with older kids playing tricks or people that could want to hurt them. I think that this is an interesting idea. It is definitely safer for younger children and it is helpful because little kids get tires from walking around. If they are just walking around a parking lot, they won get as tired and of they do t get tired the can just get in their car and go home. This way of trick-or-treating is very beneficial to little kids and their parents because it is much safer and more convenient for everyone.
Santos, Fernanda. "Trunk or Treat! Halloween Tailgating Grows." New York Times. (2006
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