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| If I were President... |
| 10.06.04 (6:48 pm) [edit] |
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If you could be president of the United States for just one day, what policy would you implement and why?
Here's what I said:
If CNN were to publicize me as the next President of the United States, it would not be long afterward that they would broadcast a new policy implementing a mandatory two-year military service for both men and women. This service could be entered upon between the dates of their high school graduation and their thirtieth birthday. By necessity, it would also give deferments or exclusions for those with extenuating circumstances or illnesses. This is not a groundbreaking idea, as a similar policy is currently operational in Israel. However, I believe this would dramatically increase the prosperity of U.S. citizens.
Every person can benefit from life experience. Meeting others outside your community and living in countries with policies and ideals different from your own enhance one’s ability to form opinions based on fact rather than ignorance. Military service can offer this and more.
Career training is also available through military service. Citizens in every field of study could receive adequate “hands-on” preparation, which would elevate the level of competence in the workforce while contributing to the country’s independence. This would also reduce the unemployment rate by giving younger families a solid source of income and secure more jobs for previous generations.
Furthermore, the inclusion of women in this policy would help boost equality, and eliminate one of the many corporate glass ceilings still in place in America.
A mandatory military service policy would strengthen the U.S. defensively, economically, technologically, and privately allowing citizens an improvement in the quality of their lives.
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| Hurricanes.... |
| 09.27.04 (9:06 am) [edit] |
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ME: 4 , HURRICANES: 0
Lisa, WE ARE NOT IN THE MOOD!
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| To Do Lists.... |
| 06.21.04 (9:39 am) [edit] |
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Why is it that unless we, meaning humanity in general, do not accomplish tasks unless we are forced too? Even tasks we enjoy do not get done most of the time. For example how many girls probably have a blanket the were knitting or quilting or such that remains undone, but you finished that baby blanket before the kid was born? And boys, how many cars or bicycles remain broken in the garage, but when the kids turn sixteen or it's time to sell because you need the money, your goals are achieved? To sum up my rabbling, how lazy can we be? The behavior I've just described has happened to me concerning this blog. However I am determined to be better. So here's a toast to "to do lists" getting done! :D
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| Tanning is a bust! |
| 04.18.04 (4:29 pm) [edit] |
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I went to the beach to go tanning today. It was such a beautiful day so my roommate and I spent almost four hours laying out. Then we drove back to college, which took about an hour. Can you even believe that I got more sun from being in the car than I did in full contact on the beach? I just don't understand. :evil:
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| Atkins Effects Economy! |
| 04.15.04 (10:50 am) [edit] |
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Pop culture fads have a dramatic outcome on the economy. The Atkins craze is one of these factors. It has been the cause for a rise in nutritional low-carb candy bars, snacks, and drinks. Some elements of the economy will soar, such as the prospering of cattle rustlers in California
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| The Dieting Craze of Pop Culture |
| 04.15.04 (10:19 am) [edit] |
Popular culture is obessesed with body image. Today the motto of the masses is, "The healthier, the better." This is why the Atkins diet is sweeping the nation. Although this diet phenomenon has been in creation since the 1950's, it has only recently become popular in the last few years. The ideology focuses around minimizing daily intake of carbohydrates. Because those are the first molecules to be burned off by the body, the elimination of these carbohydrates would allow fats and proteins to be burned more quickly. As a result of it's simplicity and validity, the Atkins diet is one of the largest factors in pop culture among both men and women of America.
How has the Atkins diet influenced pop culture? Food services everywhere from Subway to McDonalds, T.G.I.Fridays to Chili's, and even college and high school cafeterias are offering "Atkins friendly" menus to their customers. As if that wasn't enough, holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and Valentine's Day have been taken over by the "Carb-free" and "Carb-light" candy. Almost everyone knows someone on the Atkins diet, and the popularity has caused the Atkins book to become a best seller. The objective of most people is to be thin. Atkins is the methodical way to trick your mind into thinking that your body can transform into the picture perfect model on television. While many Americans find the imbalance in diet harmful to their overall health, that has not stopped millions from being consumed by pop culture's diet craze. So, do you bite on pop culture, or does it bite on you?
For more information on the Atkins diet see:
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| Reaction to the Interview of Sherman Alexie, Native American writer |
| 04.14.04 (7:34 pm) [edit] |
Sherman Alexie, the writer of the film Smoke Signals, has changed the way American culture views Native Americans. Pop culture in America focuses around racial stereotypes, which Alexie pointed out. As he noted, you would not see a sports team called the Washington Rabbis, but the Washington Red Skins is embraced by the public. We, as a society, laugh at what we do not understand or what bothers us. It is too difficult for America to face what they have done to the natives of this country. Instead of apologizing, they create images of wild savages to make fun of and justify their behavior of past genocide. Alexie has made a bold attempt to challenge the previous pop culture. The main character in Alexies film portrays a geeky Native American. While this character type may be common on every reservation, the world would never have imagined Native Americans as being such a physically weak and mentally strong person. Because of these ideas, Smoke Signals was a shock to pop cultural norms.
Alexies film Smoke Signals is significant for how it has changed American pop culture. The stereotypes are beginning to break. Pop culture is created by what is hip, cool, and in at a particular moment in time. The film shows a new era of pop culture beginning to take shape; an era that has been waiting too long to shine.
for interview see:
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| Reaction to Sojourner Truth speech |
| 04.14.04 (7:30 pm) [edit] |
Sojourner Truth was a woman born into slavery who became infamous through the telling of her story. In 1851, she made a speech pertaining to slavery and womans rights. At the time, these were two hot topics of popular culture. Truths first argument addresses race. She continues to say, Aint I a woman? when describing her traits. By doing this, she attempts to prove that being black does not disqualify her from speaking about womens issues. She is also making the point that being African American is not different in humanity than being white. Later she references God in order to associate the meaning of equality. In the speech first half of the speech, Truth demonstrates that she is equal to speak on behalf of major socio-cultural issues regardless of her race. Basically, Truth is solidifying her reason to speak.
The second half of the speech addresses the issues of womens rights. She dismisses one by one the most popular excuses made by men concerning why women should not have equal rights. She closes her speech with a significant argument about the importance of women. She refers to the biblical Eve, and how Eve was so powerful that she was able to change the world. Truth makes the logical point that the past has the possibility to be repeated. Therefore, women have the opportunity to change the world. The fight over womens rights could be one of these changes. Truths speech is a warning to men that change is coming. The pure fact that Truth, an African American woman, was able to give a profound speech on such popular, important topics is proof that these rights are a part of the new popular culture.
for the speech see:
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| Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper, 1932 |
| 04.08.04 (1:03 pm) [edit] |
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see:
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| Is God all in our heads??? |
| 04.05.04 (12:26 pm) [edit] |
Recent studies of the brain have led to a new field in science called neurotheology. It is the study of spirituality due to certain activity in the brain. People throughout time and in different parts of the world can describe religious experiences in very similar ways. Research has shown that "temporal-lobe epilepsy", which is the contact of a certain lobe in the brain, can explain the same spiritual visions that happen time and time again in thousands of people. These studies may in turn explain why there are different levels of spirituality and how hormones released in the brain during specific activities can affect your level of religious belief. There are two thoughts on this new research: believers will see ridiculous ideas and quickly cast them aside, while non-believers will see a final ray of hope that they're not crazy. Either way, can you handle the truth?
For more information, see:
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| ATTENTION WAL-MART!!! You're standing on the heart of America! |
| 04.05.04 (11:51 am) [edit] |
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One hot political debate topic at the moment is the relocation of American jobs to foreign countries and the great unemployment numbers in the US that this creates. I would like to address Wal-Mart, as an obvious example, of a corporation that has made this problem worse than it already is. I am particularly referring to the self-checkout machines that many Wal-Mart stores are now employing nationwide. While hundreds of thousands of Americans are looking for work each day, Wal-Mart has managed to further shorten the already limited supply by allowing machines to be cashier personnel for the pure reason of making more profit. This is a disgusting example of corporate America. Hello Wal-Mart! Your homebased in the USA!!! :x
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| Prostitution is "A" O.K. |
| 04.05.04 (11:40 am) [edit] |
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What is the exact reason that made prostitution illegal? It is no less immoral to pay someone a fee for giving a massage, or cutting your hair, or bagging your groceries. If you want a service, you should be able to pay to receive that service. In the same turn, if a woman perfers to make their living via sex, then more power to her. At least she has a job. The fact remains that a prostitute will make money per year than most women. She is selling a specialized skill to those who want that skill. As long as the woman has made the decision of her own free will, then she should be allowed to pursue whatever occupation she wants. This is not demeaning to women, this is impowering! It is exercising the right to an occupation that the majority of men will never be able to enter. It about time we blocked them off from fortune. Is a job as a television celebrity where looks are the basis of your status any less superficial? NO! Every woman has her price. What's wrong with getting it if it's met? :wink:
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| Do Something! |
| 04.02.04 (12:20 pm) [edit] |
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I saw something on comedy central a little while ago that, while somewhat comical, was very disturbing. And not in a good way. There was continuous scenes of people who were in desperate need of help, such as a woman tied up in the trunk of a car, a man dragging a body bag across the street, an old man who had his walker stolen from him, and a guy sitting by himself crying in the middle of a big courtyard with a huge sign that read, "Tonight I'm going to kill myself." Now, while all these events were staged, and were hilarious due to the fact of how unusual they were, the audiences of these displays had no idea that it was an act. The reason it was disturbing was not because of the actors, but the audiences. In spite of the obvious on-goings, no one did anything to help. I was instantly reminded of the old example of a woman who was rapped in broad daylight in front of a building who was watching, but because everyone in the building thought someone else would do something to assist the young woman, no help came and she died a horrible and most disgracing death. When someone needs help, then do something. For god sakes, DO SOMETHING! It is the responsibily of everyone in society to do something. :shock:
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| Only Jane Goodall would understand.... |
| 03.31.04 (5:00 pm) [edit] |
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Today I ate lunch with a pair of squirrels under this beautiful grand tree on the campus lawn. They accepted me into their environment and became giddily interactive. The beauty of the world took my breath away. All I had to do was be silent for a minutes to realize that solitude is not real. Life is amazingly constant. Do yourself a favor one day. Go outside, and be brave enough to be silent. You'll be in awe of how loud the music of life is then. :shock:
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| Down to You |
| 03.27.04 (4:23 pm) [edit] |
Romance is not just about those great kisses or vacations, etc... It's about being there everyday. Accepting the excuses, like "I'm tired", because you know that they will be there everyday. Not just understanding the word respect, but loving it. Of course every once in a while it's good to have one of those kisses that you save in a box for a rainy day, but eventually you have to understand that being in love is equivalent growing up.
Go see [u]Down to You[/u]! It's older, but good. :)
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| SICK! |
| 03.18.04 (7:29 pm) [edit] |
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I was recently very ill. Not just from the allergy season, or even a simple common cold. I was dead as a-pig-in- a-wood-house-blown-down-b y-a-big-bad-wolf sick. You can only imagine... Now, it was during these few days when I discovered one of my biggest pet peeves: someone asking you if your sick (after you cough and sneeze all over them) and when you respond yes, they proceed to tell you that they're sick too. Dear Hypochondriacs, Get a grip on reality!!! :x
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| Attention all literature amigos! |
| 03.16.04 (3:06 pm) [edit] |
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Do we disect too much into authors? We spend hours upon hours in school analzying the great authors of the past. For example, many believe that a plastic bag can easily be a gateway into the pain that a main character felt by the death of their father before they were even born. Now, go look in the mirror and watch the light bulb go off over your head as you comtemplate this one: Maybe the vase is just a vase! :idea:
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| Florida weather |
| 03.16.04 (2:52 pm) [edit] |
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Maybe I'm the only one who suffers from this problem, but it is nonetheless a problem. I live in Florida and I swear that no matter what the weather, I some how manage to wear the wrong apparel. Either it's pouring rain and I wear sandals or it's freezing cold and I wear a tank top. No matter what, I'm wrong. Perhaps since I have such a problem wearing clothes to fit the weather, could Florida wear the weather to match me one day? :idea:
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| A thought from Who's Line television show: |
| 02.26.04 (7:55 pm) [edit] |
What is the nicest thing that Jerry Springer could say to you?
"May you never be on my show." :lol:
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| the little things... |
| 02.25.04 (4:45 pm) [edit] |
I am not the person to ask if you want an advocate for the book [u]Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: It's All Small Stuff[/u]. I have quite a tendency to get stressed out or annoyed by the little things, such as charging extra at a fast food place for extra condiments or not having a specific shirt clean that I want to wear or even not remembering to carry an umbrella on a day it's supposed to rain. I admit this to be one of my major faluts, and come every New Year's Day I make a resolution to remedy myself. However, I then instantly stress out about if I'll be able to fulfill the resolution or not. All in all, I find it very laughable, and I remain amazed that I have driven myself crazy.
What I really wanted to get at here is that there is also a good side to focusing on the little things too. For example, I have found two four-leaf clovers and nearly a hundered pennies face-side up in my life. I have also saved the lives of several gracious bugs on the sidewalk, and I have a deep appreciation for good food. These things and others have given me a great deal of happiness.
In conclusion, GO SMELL A ROSE! :wink:
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| "Sorry 2004" |
| 02.20.04 (12:41 pm) [edit] |
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I have finally just heard the new song "Sorry 2004" where the singer apologizes to his girl for all the mistakes that he will undoubtly make in the upcoming year. This is an extraordinary idea! If only every guy could adopt this policy, then relationships would last much longer and women be much less upset. Think about it boys. :roll:
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| A simple act of kindness...PLEASE! |
| 02.19.04 (10:13 am) [edit] |
I was in line the other day for a milk shake. I had the biggest craving I've had in years! When I got the oppurtunity to order, a young girl behind the counter told me that they stopped making milkshakes at 11:30. I looked at the clock that reported the time as 11:29. I ended up arguing with her that they should be able to make a milkshake as the time had not passed and they didn't close for over half an hour. I finally said, "It's not even 11:30!" She told me to check the clock again. When I did I realized I had been arguing just long enough for the hand to hit the 11:30 mark. She smiled and said "next!" about as loud as she could.
Now what is the problem with a little more courtesy and pride in our work anymore? When I was working at the office for selling mall gift certificates, I would stay open an extra 5 minutes almost everyday to make sure everyone was able to get what they needed. A little kindness goes a long way.
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| The Tempest Characters |
| 02.18.04 (9:03 pm) [edit] |
Ariel is by far my favorite character. Neither man nor woman, full of magic and a light heart floating upon the air. In my mind, Ariel is the prelude character and embodiment of Tinker Bell. Ariel has it's own feelings and concerns (such as receiving it's liberty), and also is not the magic in itself, but rather at the will of the island and the island's magic. Ariel is the character that helps you cross over into the imaginary world, and is the most essential.
Miranda, though unarguably vital to the play's plot, is by far the most unwitted. She is easily impressed by anything of new substance (such as the male characters). She obeys not out of love, but more out of ignorance. As she is the only defined female character in the entire play, she gives us a clear view of how most women (particularly young women and women in love) were viewed in Shakespeare's social era. While Miranda remains therefore an important character, she nevertheless disgusts me.
If you only plan to read one of Shakepeare's plays in your lifetime, I suggest you try something a little lighter, such as [u]Twelfth Night[/u]. However, if you are interested in reaching a broader range of understanding into his life and culture, then please engage yourself in [u]The Tempest[/u].
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| The Cost of an Education....Prositution as Scholarship? |
| 02.18.04 (8:59 am) [edit] |
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The cost of receiving a higher-level education is becoming ridiculous, and it has begun to effect all of our lives. Just this morning I read in "USA Today" about the increases in tuition for college students in order to drive up standards of athletics at the school. Many of my friends that have traveled outside of their home for school are also paying astronomical amounts per year for mere tuition, the most being close to $40,000. And if the stress of not having the right degree isn't enough, there is the added pressure of paying for it. Just ask Rosie
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| Have you ever? |
| 02.13.04 (11:40 am) [edit] |
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Have you ever missed someone so much that you begin to see them everywhere? You hear their voice everywhere. All the jokes sound like jokes that one person would say. Has this person that you can't walk away from been a person your forbidden to miss? Someone that if even your closest friends knew of your heatache, they would tell you that to miss them is wrong. Have you ever missed someone so much that you begin to hate them for never leaving the depths of your mind? To top it off, you cannot figure out why you should miss them, for their leaving was the upmost greatest gift they could've given you. Finally, does the thought of never seeing them again tear at your stomach just as much as the thought of seeing them again? To this person, the least likely in the world to read this, I miss you.
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