The blog chronicles the life of Sean Dustman, a Corpsman of the Marines, who has been sent to Iraq four times already. He is from Arizona, and has taken the role of mechanic, soldier, cook, remodeler of homes, and photographer. At the moment, he is stationed in San Diego waiting to be deployed. He prides himself in being able to manipulate and fix electronics and other machines. Of worthy note, he sometimes refers to himself as the “glue that holds people together.”
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Doc in the Box
American Hajji
The blog I read was published by Amber Todd, a 47 year old female, interested in goth culture, tattoos, and "being a pagan". I was kind of weirded out by her interests especially at her age, but I guess everyone has their individual preferences. When I read her blog there were only four entries. I thought that when people blogged it was suppose to be a daily or maybe weekly task. I read her first post and I had no idea what she was talking about, there were pronouns and nouns missing so I was lost in a sea of fragmented sentences and random thoughts. What I did get from her first entry was something about a freshman orientation, I have no idea what this is referring to. After reading her second entry, I think she may be from Wisconsin, but again that is a little snippet of information I picked up from her entire entry. When I read the blog, I feel like there are things missing, Like the blog picks up in the middle of an entry. I didn't like thisblog at all, I was lost, confused, and quite frankly, annoyed with the lack of structure.
Sgt Stryler
From all the posts that I read from this blog, the tone of the authors was definately against the War in Iraq. At the same time , posts made me sort of emotional. Especially the post "Any Soldier," it explained how so many soldiers didn't get their letters from their family. Their were soldiers who didn't get any sort of mail, like encouragement form friends and family members. This part made feel so sypathetic. All these soldiers fighting for our country, and they get no encouragement from their loved ones. Author of the posts was also sort of sypathetic towards the soldiers. There were also lots of concerns on what type of impact is war going to put on the soldiers. Basically, their were many concerns on the soldiers and how are they affected from the war in Iraq.
blog 8
i choose to read the blog called "Kurdo's world". this blog site is associated with bloging about life in kurdistan. many of the articles i came across were from poeple from iraq or had freinds in iraq. the general subjects of the posts i read was about the elections that they had. many people posted if and what they voted for. the tone of the posts were varried. one post had a sympathetic tone where they author was trying to tell a story of how the kurdish man could not vote. other posts were about how people were cheating in the voting process. reading this blog made me realize how big and diverse this world is, there is a whole other wolrd in the middle east, much diffrent from the one we know here. i felt that the life over there is definatly not one for me, while i was reading these blogs.
Where is Raed?
For the blog that was assigned, we had to choose the blog closest to your last name which led me to a blog titled "Where is Raed?" The blog began in 2002 and was last updated in 2004. My first impression of the blog was that it was very dark and gloomy. Having a black background and dark blue lettering making it rather hard to read.
After taking a closer look at some of the posts I found that the author of these posts "Salam" used a lot of different links in his posts allowing the reader to go to different websites that gave similar opinions or discussing the same topics he is. At different points in time "Raed" also responds. Salam gives the impression that he is locked up somewhere and gives inputs on the war, discussing things that occur to him on different days. He seems like him and his family are rather close to the war.
Looking even closer, it seems that he films different events. and titled the blog where is Raed? because that is one of the people he keeps in touch with. At one point in the blog "Raed" posts:
He continues on discussing his footage in the next three paragraphs.
This blog is definitely a very different look on the war putting a new perspective and seeing it through this person's eyes.
After taking a closer look at some of the posts I found that the author of these posts "Salam" used a lot of different links in his posts allowing the reader to go to different websites that gave similar opinions or discussing the same topics he is. At different points in time "Raed" also responds. Salam gives the impression that he is locked up somewhere and gives inputs on the war, discussing things that occur to him on different days. He seems like him and his family are rather close to the war.
Looking even closer, it seems that he films different events. and titled the blog where is Raed? because that is one of the people he keeps in touch with. At one point in the blog "Raed" posts:
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
salam i was trying to call your phones all the day long, i hope u didnt die in the karbala explosions
I'm coming back to baghdad next week
Saturday, March 06, 2004
I am sorry, please accept my apologies for not updating. My mind doesn't seem to be able to multi-task any more, I am in filming mode, and with a certain person here with a whip in her hand, I can't even get a chance to check my emails. Karbala was one of these things I will never ever forget in my whole life, I don't care what you think of the rituals that are practiced, the fact is that the atmosphere was beautiful. Peacful and so much passion and devotion, it brings tears to your eyes. I have seen things that left me baffled for hours. I, my mother and my cousin were out of the center of the city, running, by the third mortar. it was the last two that did the damage and it happened near the shrine of Abbas not al-Hussein where we were staying......He continues on discussing his footage in the next three paragraphs.
This blog is definitely a very different look on the war putting a new perspective and seeing it through this person's eyes.
Just Another Soldier
With this blog Just Another Soldier the topics of the blogs really depend on whats going on at that time. Like when its Halloween he shows his friend who won the costume competition. When its very cold out side he takes some pictures and tells how they handle the cold. And when he was bored he shows what his friend Ray is like. Like Ray made a sock full of sand and named it "Socky" made it its own uniform and says he keeps his hand steady with it and also him kissing his sniper rifle "Melissa". The tone of this blog I would say is generally all around depending on the mood he is in that day. Sometimes he is happy, sad, indifferent , or angry. I would characterize the author as the follower of the group. Reading this it seems he is never the one doing the wild and crazy things that his good friend Ray has done. The author seems to be the one that sits in the background and is unseen because of the attention his friend gets. While reading this blog it made me feel a bit indifferent. It had some funny things well sections I found funny and some dull parts that I just wanted to skip over.
Healing Iraq Blog
The post that I read tells about the feelings of Iraqi people. It shows how they have lost, lost joy, and lost the will to fight. They use examples from news articles, strong pictures, and also use examples from the normal everyday person to support their cases. I would highly recommend reading it because it opens your eyes.
For example, one post gives comments about Saddam's Verdict. "Although I am happy that Saddam is going to be executed, I think it's not going to change the real mess in Iraq." Another post is about a news story from Channel 4 that describes Iraq being the Lost Generation. "Nearly half of Iraq's population is under 21. It follows the lives of the insurgent, the soldier, the doctor, the militiaman, the prisoner, the salesman, and the disabled. All of them young Iraqis who have lost hope and feel they have no future."
I feel that this post opened by eyes because we are only given one side of the story. This is the other side that you don't really hear about because it will change your opinion. And that is not what they want. This blog makes you feel bad for them because the people in Iraq are a lot worse off than most of us in the United States. A couple stupid people who made a couple stupid decisions have changed these peoples lives forever.
For example, one post gives comments about Saddam's Verdict. "Although I am happy that Saddam is going to be executed, I think it's not going to change the real mess in Iraq." Another post is about a news story from Channel 4 that describes Iraq being the Lost Generation. "Nearly half of Iraq's population is under 21. It follows the lives of the insurgent, the soldier, the doctor, the militiaman, the prisoner, the salesman, and the disabled. All of them young Iraqis who have lost hope and feel they have no future."
I feel that this post opened by eyes because we are only given one side of the story. This is the other side that you don't really hear about because it will change your opinion. And that is not what they want. This blog makes you feel bad for them because the people in Iraq are a lot worse off than most of us in the United States. A couple stupid people who made a couple stupid decisions have changed these peoples lives forever.
Friday, May 16, 2008
In Response to Divorce in Albania
After reading Divorce in Albania blog #56 and analyzing it I came to many conclusions. The blog concerns itself with the history of divorce in Albania and the problems that occurred. The tone was one of sadness. The author was feministic and had a feel of disgusted hindsight. The blog made me feel content that times where divorce wasn’t allowed and women were allowed to be beaten are over in Albania.
Postcolonial Iraq
The last time that someone wrote a blog on this site was March 18, 2007, where the author only posted to it once a month.
The author addresses such topics as
The author's style of writing is very articulate and scholarly; Jelloul, the author of the posts, clearly has some opinion on the matter, but after reading what he had to say, I can't say that I'm certain what it is.
This blog left me confusing and wondering why Jelloul even wrote in it; at the very top of the blog is says that this blog is about "a postcolonial Iraq watch dedicated to genuine Iraqi self-determination; a post-fundamentalist and post-liberal watch for consociational patriotism and a confessionalism beyond religious as well as secular sectarianism." Honestly, I don't even understand what that means. This blog is defiantly meant for someone that follows both Iraq and is scholarly.
The author addresses such topics as
- Farsakh Comment on Future Vision
- The Future Vision Of The Palestinian-Arabs In Israel
- Consociational Hezbollah
- Israel's Arab community and the bi-national state
- Iraqis Seek to Stem Sectarian Violence
The author's style of writing is very articulate and scholarly; Jelloul, the author of the posts, clearly has some opinion on the matter, but after reading what he had to say, I can't say that I'm certain what it is.
This blog left me confusing and wondering why Jelloul even wrote in it; at the very top of the blog is says that this blog is about "a postcolonial Iraq watch dedicated to genuine Iraqi self-determination; a post-fundamentalist and post-liberal watch for consociational patriotism and a confessionalism beyond religious as well as secular sectarianism." Honestly, I don't even understand what that means. This blog is defiantly meant for someone that follows both Iraq and is scholarly.
Foxhole Philospher
The Foxhole Philosopher is a blog by David Benson and from his standpoint he addresses media coverage, and the Iraqi society, as well as some day to day accounts. The blog is really laid back, and what and how he writes is fluent and very well done.
After reading a good amount of entries. I started to notice how he talked about how the problem with media coverage and who understands what. He says that the problem is not a problem of presence but of absence. The absence of media coverage is the problem. If their was more journalists in Iraq then people could understand more of what is actually happening, but at this point only the soldiers really understand.
To clarify a little more on what I just said, I must talk about the second part of this discussion, so that I can tie the two together. Unlike america, where honorable is honesty. Honorable in Iraq the exact opposite. Lieing is honor in Iraq. If something goes wrong, you never tell the truth, or if somebody does something wrong, you never point them out. Iraqi's are manipulators in interviews. This soldier goes on to say that he has found Iraqi's telling americans what they think we want to hear. In 10 minute interviews they say what they think the media wants to hear, and not what the truth is.
Despite the United States being very selfish he admits, he says that he has never seen a more selfcentered culture before in his life. The soldier talks about how Iraqi's see people die right on the same street as them and don't even both to help, or ask why it happened or what they will do next. All they are worried about is how the american security, or troops will affect them.
This selfishness is the key to the downfall of a culture, and even know this has not happened yet in the United States, it only takes one generation to do so and we could collapse and start ruining ourselves. He explains that giving and charity and such are things that have kept the United States going. He mentions maybe morals and economics are things that should be stressed in high school.
I would describe the author of this blog as being very educated and knowledgable. You can see it in his wonderful writing of this blog. It's pretty insightful. I see this man as someone who knows what he is talking about because he is there. Maybe we should listen to it.
I was really involved and focused when I read this blog. I was laid back and relaxed and was able to take in everything. It made me see things like I might not have saw them before because I don't have a lot knowledge on the subject. He has been there and done it. I felt like a student eager to learn more. I was after more and more. I felt like I wanted to hear another story.
After reading a good amount of entries. I started to notice how he talked about how the problem with media coverage and who understands what. He says that the problem is not a problem of presence but of absence. The absence of media coverage is the problem. If their was more journalists in Iraq then people could understand more of what is actually happening, but at this point only the soldiers really understand.
To clarify a little more on what I just said, I must talk about the second part of this discussion, so that I can tie the two together. Unlike america, where honorable is honesty. Honorable in Iraq the exact opposite. Lieing is honor in Iraq. If something goes wrong, you never tell the truth, or if somebody does something wrong, you never point them out. Iraqi's are manipulators in interviews. This soldier goes on to say that he has found Iraqi's telling americans what they think we want to hear. In 10 minute interviews they say what they think the media wants to hear, and not what the truth is.
Despite the United States being very selfish he admits, he says that he has never seen a more selfcentered culture before in his life. The soldier talks about how Iraqi's see people die right on the same street as them and don't even both to help, or ask why it happened or what they will do next. All they are worried about is how the american security, or troops will affect them.
This selfishness is the key to the downfall of a culture, and even know this has not happened yet in the United States, it only takes one generation to do so and we could collapse and start ruining ourselves. He explains that giving and charity and such are things that have kept the United States going. He mentions maybe morals and economics are things that should be stressed in high school.
I would describe the author of this blog as being very educated and knowledgable. You can see it in his wonderful writing of this blog. It's pretty insightful. I see this man as someone who knows what he is talking about because he is there. Maybe we should listen to it.
I was really involved and focused when I read this blog. I was laid back and relaxed and was able to take in everything. It made me see things like I might not have saw them before because I don't have a lot knowledge on the subject. He has been there and done it. I felt like a student eager to learn more. I was after more and more. I felt like I wanted to hear another story.
A Minute Longer
This blog tells the first-hand tale of an Iraqi soldier. The accounts from this soldier, Will, is quite unique in that although he is participating in a very serious war - he maintains a sarcasm about his daily routine cleaning his equipement. Even referring to his equipment as "crappy" and saying that his job is to put the taxpayers dollars to use and keep his army equipment looking like it's worth something. In his second post he utilizes parentheses to enclose the word "(again)" when describing his task in the war to throughly clean his "crappy" gear as well as his other meanial tasks - but he adds this time that it is something necessary to prevent the soldiers from bringing foreign insects back to the states; he says that for that reason he will continue to scrub the heck out of his equipment.
His blog takes a turn when he returns home to Wisconsin and lets his readers in on his plan to get drunk and his succeeding blog where he proclaims that he still may be hung over. This Will is definetely a unique character and as his blog states it is a way for him to keep from going insane while over in Iraq. Will adds a comedic view to what I and other people think of war - he maintains the seriousness of the war, especially in his last blog where he talks about how he wishes he was over there (once he returns home) - but he also does not lack comedy when he makes light of the fact that the Iraqi people just need to give in because the US is killing more of them than they are killing Americans (he tells them to not listen to their God and look at the example of the Somali's when thousands of them died and only 24 American soldiers were killed). Will's humor lets me see a different side of the soldiers in the Iraqi war and clues me into the crazy things that runs through their minds.
His blog takes a turn when he returns home to Wisconsin and lets his readers in on his plan to get drunk and his succeeding blog where he proclaims that he still may be hung over. This Will is definetely a unique character and as his blog states it is a way for him to keep from going insane while over in Iraq. Will adds a comedic view to what I and other people think of war - he maintains the seriousness of the war, especially in his last blog where he talks about how he wishes he was over there (once he returns home) - but he also does not lack comedy when he makes light of the fact that the Iraqi people just need to give in because the US is killing more of them than they are killing Americans (he tells them to not listen to their God and look at the example of the Somali's when thousands of them died and only 24 American soldiers were killed). Will's humor lets me see a different side of the soldiers in the Iraqi war and clues me into the crazy things that runs through their minds.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Command Post
Upon first arrival to the Command Post, I was somewhat overwhelmed with the amount of information on the website. When I looked further into it, I realized it was a combination of blogs that were updated daily. It has several different sections. The first section is label 'Top War on Terror Headlines.' This section has several different sections such as Osama Bin Laden, Home Land Threats, and Breaking News. The next section is labeled 'Top Global Recon Headlines.' Under this section are various sections that describe various natural disasters. The next blog is 'Top Iraqi Headlines.' Under this section there are topics such as Home Front, Good News, and Terrorism. The last section was labeled 'Top Politics & Elections Headlines.' This has political news from Iraq, the United States, and Germany. Each blog gave off different tones. For instance, some just reported the facts in a nonchalant manner, while others for instance with the article about Zachary Moussaoui that showed the authors hate for him. Reading these articles also had different effects on me. Some of the articles about natural disaster shocked me. There are so many things that are going on that I have no idea about. Articles such as the sentencing of Moussaoui made me happy to see that bad people get what they deserve. Overall, I enjoyed reading the blogs and it opened my eyes on certain situations.
A Star from Mosul
In the blog A Star from Mosul, it describes the present-day life of a college student living in Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul. The blogger was born in Baghdad (Iraq’s largest city) but she then moved to Mosul. She is studying communication engineering at the University of Mosul. On her blog she writes about her everyday life, which has differences from the everyday life of a college student in America. The blogs are usually concerned with the author’s school work, social and family life, and the effects she deals with from the war in Iraq. She is confined to her house and most of the time there is a curfew in effect. The author states since living in the midst of this war she has “…grown rather accustomed to bad news, the good news are the ones that affect [her] most.” She also goes on to say that “It's true that I get depressed quite often but I find myself a most optimistic person. The full half of the glass is all I look at most of the time, always ignoring the presence of the ever-devastating empty half.” The author’s tone throughout the posts is depressing at times but yet she finds ways to look at the situation in a positive way. I would characterize the author as an aware college student that is stuck in a unsecure place of war. The war has affected her mind set and even her schoolwork. The curfews that are constantly changing have made it hard for author because she cannot plan ahead. This blog makes me realize the things Iraqi’s students my age have to deal with on a regular basis. The author is faced with constant reminders of this war and I admire her optimism through this depressing time for her family and nation. While we as a nation are also involved, the war is not taking place on our soil or in front of our eyes. This blog overall makes me more aware and conscious of the people that are living in the middle of this ongoing war.
http://astarfrommosul.blogspot.com/
http://astarfrommosul.blogspot.com/
Will
Minute Longer is a blog that correlates with the first letter of my last name, but also seemed interesting. This blog is composed of letter s written by a soldier in Iraq named Will. Each new entry is posted about a week after its previous one. While readers probably enjoy his tales because he can tell about the fighting first hand, he also gains a lot from writing this blog. He even explained that he “struggled to maintain sanity in an insane world.” Through this blog he was able to open up and release some of his repressed feelings. His sincerity is touching and enables the audience to empathetically indentify with him.
Will is an extremely likable author. He writes in a way that allows the reader to see him as an average American guy. In one entry, he complains about a hangover he has and whines about being a lightweight. In some entries one can detect he is slightly frustrated with his condition and resentful about what he is doing. For instance, he repeatedly uses the phrase “again” when describing the tasks he is undertaking. He wrote, “I am (again) in sandy Kuwait. I am (again) washing government equipment.” This shows that he not exactly happy with his jobs as a soldier.
After reading the blog, I found myself really liking Will as an individual. While it was hard to listen to him complain about the conditions in Iraq, I could only find myself feeling sorry for him and others like him. He ends each of his letters by saying I Love You All. This makes the reader feel like he is in fact fighting this war for the love of his country and fellow American citizens. Through this blog Will is able to keep in touch with people from home and allow them to be apart of his journey as a soldier.
http://www.rooba.net/will/
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Barrackpore
I found this name to be interesting and after some research I found out that Barrackpore is an old and famous administrative territory of India. It was a British controlled military center and was a scene for rebellions against the British during the 1800s. Barrackpore got its name from the English word "barracks." It got this name because of it being a British military center. The region is located 25 km from Calcutta and is 115 km from the border with Bangladesh.
Just like in White Teeth, Barrackpore in real life is talked about in terms of fighting and military actions.
Just like in White Teeth, Barrackpore in real life is talked about in terms of fighting and military actions.
PeaceBlogs
PeaceBlogs is an absolute joke. It represents liberal America. PeaceBlogs is " Devoted to making connections between bloggers who oppose the war against Iraq."
PeaceBlogs has 2200 blogs from 77 countries. Just skimming over the descriptions of the blogs in North America did not make me happy. Many of the blogs openly admitted there liberal stance and they hatred for America. Most of the blogs would not open when I clicked on them. I think this can be because no one reads or cares what these liberal bloggers have to say because this website contains 2200 of them.
I was not happy as I was expecting something completely different than these blogs that I witnessed.
I went to 5 blogs that actually worked. These 5 blogs have not been updated in 3 or 4 years. I dont know what kind of website that PeaceBlogs is operating but they need to stop linking to broken links, and blogs that have not been used in years.
What a joke of a website.
PeaceBlogs has 2200 blogs from 77 countries. Just skimming over the descriptions of the blogs in North America did not make me happy. Many of the blogs openly admitted there liberal stance and they hatred for America. Most of the blogs would not open when I clicked on them. I think this can be because no one reads or cares what these liberal bloggers have to say because this website contains 2200 of them.
I was not happy as I was expecting something completely different than these blogs that I witnessed.
I went to 5 blogs that actually worked. These 5 blogs have not been updated in 3 or 4 years. I dont know what kind of website that PeaceBlogs is operating but they need to stop linking to broken links, and blogs that have not been used in years.
What a joke of a website.
Sgt. Stryker's Daily Briefing
The blogs for Srgt. Stryker were all about the Iraqi war. He talks about the letters sent to the soldiers, recruiting, movies coming out about the war and many other things. The tone is solemn at times because it talks about the war and people in it, but then it talks about interesting things like dogs being sent to Iraq to aid in finding explosives. The blog has a lot of info in it so it can be cool to read but then he talks about the War and I really hate hearing about somewhere we need to leave from.
Raggawhat?
While reading Chapter Nine of "White Teeth," there was mention of Millat's "gang" or "crew." They called themselves Raggastani's. I found this interesting because I had never heard this name at any point in my life and I like to think I'm quite well versed on notorious gangs. After doing some research, I found out that Raggastani is not a gang, rather, it is a deviation and play on words. If you noticed throughout these four chapters, Millat begins to act more and more like a Carribean native. He may even be imitating a Jamaican person. He talks in their slang and uses a lot of their mannerisms. Irie even comments on how he speaks, exclaiming "That is not your voice" and she keeps telling him how ridiculous he sounds. When I began to dig deeper, I found out that Ragga refers to a specific type of music. Basically, dance hall electric reggae. As absolutely ridiculous as I find that, it is real. The movement of music began in Jamaica and has slowly spread out. There are no famous Ragga songs or singers that I can mention, so I will just go on. From this, I gathered that Raggastani was basically just a conjunction of the word Ragga and the term Pakistani. Although Millat is from Bangladesh, I learned that they received their independence from Pakistan. Thus, I can see why Millat would refer to himself as a Raggastani. Basically, the characteristics of Raggastani's, from what I gathered, are darker skinned kids from either Indian, Pakistani, Bangaldeshi, etc. decent and that all of them acted like a Jamaican. Although it might seem odd, we have tons of groups like this in our society. We call white kids who act black "Wiggers," so it is not unusual for kids to adopt the idioms and mannerisms of another culture. The only question I have left is why Millat's group chose the Carribean culture as the one they wanted to emulate? It could be from all the pot, but other than that, there wasn't a great proliferation of Carribean natives in England, so why he chose them I have no rational explanation.
Dr. Marc-Pierre Perret
As we all remember from chapter 5 Archie and Samad had a little experience with Dr. Marc-Pierre Perret, or as the town called him Dr. Sick.
The Russian troops came into this town to capture this doctor and bring him to Poland to face criminal charges with appropriate authorities. I wanted to find out if this doctor actually existed and if similar doctors faced criminal charges for human rights violations.
I could not find a "Dr. Marc-Pierre Perret" to have existed in real life. But, I did find many instances of loyal Nazi doctors performing experiments on alive humans during WWII.
The information is rather disgusting and I wish that I did not research into this topic.
If you want to read on about what kind of experiments the Nazi doctors did on Jews and other prisoners you can read on, but it is disgusting.
Under the direction of Dr. Wirths experiments were done on the human body.
Tests were done where prisoners were locked in a tub of ice to see how fast they would die. Inmates were also put naked into a cage in the middle of winter to see at what temperature the human body would stop working.
Jews were given only sea water to see if sea water was able to hydrate a human body. Inmates were licking moped floors in an attempt to get fresh water.
Many inmates at Auschwitz had radiation experiments performed without knowledge. This woudl leave thousands of inmates sterile without knowing what had happened.
Experiments with poisons, mustard gas, malaria, and flying prisoners to extremely high altitudes without a pressure suit were all performed.
Following this the Nuremberg codes of medical ethics were created to prevent prisoners of war from being human experiments.
The Russian troops came into this town to capture this doctor and bring him to Poland to face criminal charges with appropriate authorities. I wanted to find out if this doctor actually existed and if similar doctors faced criminal charges for human rights violations.
I could not find a "Dr. Marc-Pierre Perret" to have existed in real life. But, I did find many instances of loyal Nazi doctors performing experiments on alive humans during WWII.
The information is rather disgusting and I wish that I did not research into this topic.
If you want to read on about what kind of experiments the Nazi doctors did on Jews and other prisoners you can read on, but it is disgusting.
Under the direction of Dr. Wirths experiments were done on the human body.
Tests were done where prisoners were locked in a tub of ice to see how fast they would die. Inmates were also put naked into a cage in the middle of winter to see at what temperature the human body would stop working.
Jews were given only sea water to see if sea water was able to hydrate a human body. Inmates were licking moped floors in an attempt to get fresh water.
Many inmates at Auschwitz had radiation experiments performed without knowledge. This woudl leave thousands of inmates sterile without knowing what had happened.
Experiments with poisons, mustard gas, malaria, and flying prisoners to extremely high altitudes without a pressure suit were all performed.
Following this the Nuremberg codes of medical ethics were created to prevent prisoners of war from being human experiments.
Archie the Stoner
Archie’s character development throughout the book has been a roller coaster. He is randomly dominant, then submissive, witty, then stupid. He has become a lot calmer, I find, and think it is due to his marriage to Clara. Not just the marriage, but the different aspects of Jamaican culture, specifically smoking marijuana. There have been many references to their tokage: Archie’s arthritis being significantly better, Clara whistling “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley, cooking food. Weed is definitely more an Archie drug because it is not one that intensifies thought like Samad’s old drug of choice: morphine/ (white powder?). His speech is now more relaxed, and in his conversations with Samad he has more confidence and ease. He has gained more confidence from his new marriage and gained a better attitude through smoking ganja.
Sod's and Murphy Laws
A simple law of something happens to me, for me. For instance if someone was to have made some toast with butter that it would fall on the butter side on the floor. The law is very simple but it is an adage that has been used in America since the 1950's. The law has two view points. One side is that everything will happen and it will be bad the other one has the point that if you plan ahead for this law that you can slow it down or not even have the problem arise. Many people can attest that something went horribly wrong for them in some event. Planing is required for the law to be slowed down and stopped. The law can also be viewed as a philosophy that whens something goes wrong that it happens in life.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
To Hell With Your Induced Creativity
Something that I see a lot of music majors and people that have to write scripts and stories say that they need drugs (usually pot, acid, and related others) to be creative. They tell me that it opens up their mind and it puts the words into their mouths. And it's not like they're making this up as an excuse to get high, they truly believe that they would be lost and stupified without this magic substances. This has to be some form of laziness or ignorance. That's like saying you need adderal/speed/coke to get your work done. You don't need a goddamn thing. The main problem I have is not that I think that this is going to ruin their lives. No, I know a lot of people that use responsibly and have great lives. What I have a problem with is that instead of having discipline and working a little extra to produce something sober, they give up and reach for the bottle. It's just looking for the easy button, the quickest and painless way out. This only breeds weak people.
Cigars in the Sand
Cigars in the Sand, one of the Iraqi War Blogs, is written by Ryan, a border security advisor in Iraq. Before going to Iraq, he was the Deputy Counsel for the Homeland Security Council in the White House. This blog spans December 2004 to April 2005. In this blog, Ryan mainly posts bits of news that various news websites wrote (Wall Street Journal, Yahoo, etc.), or quotes that various people have said (Hillary Clinton, Winston Churchill, etc.) and gives the reader his inside take on them, whether he agrees, disagrees, or has something to add that you won't see printed. There are also some posts, especially at the beginning, where he uses the blog much as a diary to tell the reader about his day to day life in Iraq and post some pictures. The tone is very informal and friendly, and Ryan seems like a honest, trustworthy, and very informed author. The blog is very interesting to read because if you read something in the news, you have no idea if the article is biased in any way, but here, Ryan has inside information from Iraq, and he basically tells it like it is. He completely rips apart some articles and quotes, and he uses factual information to back it up because he is a lawyer by training, so he knows how to convincingly argue his point.
Here is the link to the blog: http://cigarsinthesand.blogspot.com/
Here is the link to the blog: http://cigarsinthesand.blogspot.com/
Week 7 Kurdo's World blog review
Since I could not get into the "L" blog, for unknown technical reasons, I chose a "K" one instead. It's called Kurdo's World, and it's apparently about life in Kurdistan, which is a place I never knew existed. Thanks to good ol' Wikipedia, I found out that Kurdistan is largely inhabited by the Kurd people (go figure), and it covers parts of Eastern Turkey and the northern parts of Iran and Iraq. Kurdistan is also the only region of Iraq that has gained official international recognition as an autonomous federal state. But back to the blog itself...All of the posts are at least 2 years old, dating way back to late 2005, and most of them have to do with the first ever Iraqi national elections. Also, some of the posts talk about the trial of Saddam Hussein, so one can tell that it's been a while since someone has updated this blog. But one thing that caught my eye and which I thought was pretty funny was when someone posted that the Saddam trial was unfair, not to Saddam- but to his victims, because the broadcast of the trial had a 30-minute looped delay, so they couldn't watch his downfall on live TV. Other than Saddam's trial and the Iraqi National Elections, there really isn't much else said. But surprisingly, the tone of this blog is pretty sarcastic and filled with dry humor. From what I got out of it, the authors seems to be from Kurdistan themselves, and have a pretty good sense of humor for all the terrible shit that's going on right in their own backyard. This makes me feel pretty good, considering how the people directly effected by this war can still laugh about it. What I also thought was pretty cool was how the elections actually went down. Apparently, after each person voted, they would get their thumbs dipped in purple ink so they would be not be allowed to vote again; distinguishing themselves from the ones who hadn't voted. But one author said that the ink would wash right off, so a lot of people would go back 2, 3, or even 4 times to cast their votes. Since voting is my right, I guess I can't appreciate the want to vote so bad that it would make a person go back 3 or 4 times. Sometimes I think of voting as a hindrance to the goings-on in my daily routine. Shows how spoiled us Americans are, ay?
Week 6: Culture Myths
The russian culture has a lot of myths and supertitions associated with it. However, about half of the populaton either very strongly belives in them, or thinks superstition are the most absurd thing ever imagined to fool the gullible. When you go on a long trip somewhere, everyone has to sit down for a few minutes before you leave or else you will have bad luck. you shouldnt open umbrellas under a roof or whistle in the house. You shouldnt talk about something good happening before it does, you may jinx yourself or others..but if you do you saysomething, then you HAVE to say "tfu, tfu, tfu" as if you're spitting over your left shoulder. The people i know in my culture are very wary of how they talk to people or about people. They are very tectful...unless someone does something disrespectful, in which case, even the most polite russians can erupt.
Also, if your ears are red or they burn..someone is talking about you.
Also, if your ears are red or they burn..someone is talking about you.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Them Line Mountain Boys
In my high school, Line Mountain, we are known for our wrestling program. We have the most banners for things won in our gymnasium. When you drive up our school hill to get there you always see the sign with the years we won state championships in the 90's. I was apart of the wrestling team for 4 years and helped bring it back to where it was in the late 90's. It fell apart in 2000 until I got their in 2003 along with my classmates and other teammates who started to bring it back.
I think it was myself, or one of my teammates who first had a short saying, "It's them Line Mountain BoYz". This from a song we heard, we put in our name, and then we took off with it. Everyone in our community knows we were good, and do well and work hard. But what they don't know about is this saying we have on our team, and I think one that kept our team together, as we stepped back into the state championship stage we were once in for the past 4 years now. Behind this saying it is understood to our team that we are just country boys, homegrown, average not very big at all, but we bring heart to the table everytime. We like to make a bang and show people what we have. Its this myth kind of saying and mentality that people don't know about thats in out team, and in the practice room. I still say it to my teammates even now that I am out of college and they no exactly what I mean. So like the golfers pointed out the penalties, we brought out this small line to one another around the team, like we are one unit. And this probably came to be through the known idea that Line Mountain works hard and go after what we want.
I think it was myself, or one of my teammates who first had a short saying, "It's them Line Mountain BoYz". This from a song we heard, we put in our name, and then we took off with it. Everyone in our community knows we were good, and do well and work hard. But what they don't know about is this saying we have on our team, and I think one that kept our team together, as we stepped back into the state championship stage we were once in for the past 4 years now. Behind this saying it is understood to our team that we are just country boys, homegrown, average not very big at all, but we bring heart to the table everytime. We like to make a bang and show people what we have. Its this myth kind of saying and mentality that people don't know about thats in out team, and in the practice room. I still say it to my teammates even now that I am out of college and they no exactly what I mean. So like the golfers pointed out the penalties, we brought out this small line to one another around the team, like we are one unit. And this probably came to be through the known idea that Line Mountain works hard and go after what we want.
All Boys Schools
I went to an all boys school in India.People usually think its not a lot of fun to be in an all boys
school but believe me, an all boys environment is so much better than having girls around. The brotherhood which existed among everybody in my class was amazing. We would pull off the most dangerous of pranks without being caught.If we were ever questioned about the pranks,everybody kept quiet and made sure the guy who pulled off the prank never got caught.What usually used to happen was that all the students used to get punished and since the number was large,the magnitude of the punishment used to be small. Everybody also made sure that there wasn't any bad blood among students. There was a healthy atmosphere academically too and the bright students always helped the weaker ones. If any student ever got into a fight with anyone from any other school, the whole school used to go and fight on his side.I personally enjoyed that a lot. Every student also made sure that nobody did anything that would give the school a bad name. Studying in an all boys school was the best thing that ever happened to me and is a unique experience. I wish I could go back to high school.
school but believe me, an all boys environment is so much better than having girls around. The brotherhood which existed among everybody in my class was amazing. We would pull off the most dangerous of pranks without being caught.If we were ever questioned about the pranks,everybody kept quiet and made sure the guy who pulled off the prank never got caught.What usually used to happen was that all the students used to get punished and since the number was large,the magnitude of the punishment used to be small. Everybody also made sure that there wasn't any bad blood among students. There was a healthy atmosphere academically too and the bright students always helped the weaker ones. If any student ever got into a fight with anyone from any other school, the whole school used to go and fight on his side.I personally enjoyed that a lot. Every student also made sure that nobody did anything that would give the school a bad name. Studying in an all boys school was the best thing that ever happened to me and is a unique experience. I wish I could go back to high school.
High School
I went to an all girl catholic high school, and everytime I tell someone that, they always seem to stare at me funny. When I ask them about it, they tell me that they always heard that these type of girls were stuck up, and acted like they were better than everyone else.
I don't really understand why people always think this. Sure, there are some girls who do act like that, but people like that are going to be in every school, no matter what type it is. My school wasn't really small, but not really too big either, so I knew a lot of the girls. Most of the people I did know acted normal. I actually can't really say that many of them thought they were better than anyone else, and this isn't comparing them just to other girls in school, but to everyone else as well. A lot of the girls were actually really involved in helping other people, but didn't look down on them as they did it. I can't really say that I think like that either.
So thinking that all girl catholic high schools are stuck up is not really something that is true.
I don't really understand why people always think this. Sure, there are some girls who do act like that, but people like that are going to be in every school, no matter what type it is. My school wasn't really small, but not really too big either, so I knew a lot of the girls. Most of the people I did know acted normal. I actually can't really say that many of them thought they were better than anyone else, and this isn't comparing them just to other girls in school, but to everyone else as well. A lot of the girls were actually really involved in helping other people, but didn't look down on them as they did it. I can't really say that I think like that either.
So thinking that all girl catholic high schools are stuck up is not really something that is true.
The Dragon of Krakow
In my home country of Poland, there is a popular legend about a dragon that lived in a cave along the Vistula River. According to this legend, the Wawel Dragon frequently attacked nearby villages near the Vistula and could only be appeased by bringing a young girl once a month for him to eat. The king said this could not continue forever and offered his daughter's hand to whoever destroyed the dragon. Many brave knights were unable to defeat the dragon and fell to his mercy.
One day, a young apprentice told the king he would be the one to rid the village of this monster. He stuffed a lamb with sulfur and left it outside the cave for the dragon to eat. After eating the lamb, the dragon had a fiery burn in his stomach that would not evade him. He raced to the Vistula River and drank some water but the burn continued. He kept on drinking and drinking until he drank half of the river and finally exploded. The king kept his word and the young apprentice married the king's daughter.
Wawel is actually a castle in Krakow near the Vistula. The legend is told to many young children but remains known to people of all ages. The city of Krakow erected a fire-breathing statue of the dragon on castle grounds and it (along with the castle) remains a popular tourist attraction.
One day, a young apprentice told the king he would be the one to rid the village of this monster. He stuffed a lamb with sulfur and left it outside the cave for the dragon to eat. After eating the lamb, the dragon had a fiery burn in his stomach that would not evade him. He raced to the Vistula River and drank some water but the burn continued. He kept on drinking and drinking until he drank half of the river and finally exploded. The king kept his word and the young apprentice married the king's daughter.
Wawel is actually a castle in Krakow near the Vistula. The legend is told to many young children but remains known to people of all ages. The city of Krakow erected a fire-breathing statue of the dragon on castle grounds and it (along with the castle) remains a popular tourist attraction.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Changing clothes
Sri Lankan culture is based on a considerable number of myths which have been continuing from the ancient times. These are the beliefs and thoughts of the people who lived in early days. This one myth which can be annoying at times is changing clothes before any graceful occasion or an event. For an example, you have an exam today and you choose some dress to wear, but once you wear it you realize that you don't want to wear it and go so you change it. If you do this, according to the myth, it brings you bad luck on your exam. If it is an interview, you will not get through. This is one type of myth Sri Lankans believe in. I wanted to try this out so i did it once before an exam. I ended up getting an average mark but it wasn't that bad. It's yet to be decided whether this is true or not.
You work for your parents?
I have worked for my mother at her bakery for the past 3 years. I have enjoyed working at the bakery and I have enjoyed working in the comfortable work environment.
If I tell people that I work for my mom it is assumed that, I dont really work and that I am overpaid for my labor. I work as hard or harder than other employees at the bakery and I am paid the same as other employees.
The belief that working for your parents leads to an unproductive employee may make sense in certain citations. If your parent is the owner of a business and you work for your parent than being fired would be near impossible. Your parent would also want to take care of you by increasing your hourly pay.
I would not enjoy working for my mother if i knew that I was being over paid and I was not performing work at a high level. It would be embarrassing to work for my mother because I have some sort of advantage in being paid more and have top priority. I try and make my mother proud whenever I am working by keeping up a fast pace and followin directions to get ready
If I tell people that I work for my mom it is assumed that, I dont really work and that I am overpaid for my labor. I work as hard or harder than other employees at the bakery and I am paid the same as other employees.
The belief that working for your parents leads to an unproductive employee may make sense in certain citations. If your parent is the owner of a business and you work for your parent than being fired would be near impossible. Your parent would also want to take care of you by increasing your hourly pay.
I would not enjoy working for my mother if i knew that I was being over paid and I was not performing work at a high level. It would be embarrassing to work for my mother because I have some sort of advantage in being paid more and have top priority. I try and make my mother proud whenever I am working by keeping up a fast pace and followin directions to get ready
MYTH
Indian Myth:
In the Indian culture, there are several myths. The most famous myth was the black cat bad luck. For example, a black cat crossing an individual’s path is considered bad luck. If I am walking on the road, and a black cat crosses my path, I would take the opposite route. If I took the same path, then I am on the risk of being hurt or even died. For example, my mother would never let my brother and I cross the same path that the black cat crossed. In addition, many Indian people in a car would not even take the route if a black cat crossed that road. I remember the day when my parents came to drop me off to Drexel when a black cat crossed the road. My dad waited for another car to pass the road before we took the same route back to Drexel.
In the Indian culture, there are several myths. The most famous myth was the black cat bad luck. For example, a black cat crossing an individual’s path is considered bad luck. If I am walking on the road, and a black cat crosses my path, I would take the opposite route. If I took the same path, then I am on the risk of being hurt or even died. For example, my mother would never let my brother and I cross the same path that the black cat crossed. In addition, many Indian people in a car would not even take the route if a black cat crossed that road. I remember the day when my parents came to drop me off to Drexel when a black cat crossed the road. My dad waited for another car to pass the road before we took the same route back to Drexel.
Spoiled or Not?
It is a common belief that if a teenager is driving a nice car, then his parents bought it for him. This it a total myth and it is an injustice to the kids who actually work for the things that they want to buy. My friend, who will remain nameless, drives a Lexus. It is a very nice car and he absolutely loves it. Most people think that he is a spoiled rich kid who gets everything handed to him, when it is totally not true. This kid is probably the hardest worker at his age that i have ever met. Even though his parents have money, he has to buy everything. He paid for his car in full and he knows that it is hard to convince people that it is true. Unlike spoiled rich kids who get things handed to them, he is out working to get what he wants. He appreciates what he buys a lot more than others too. It is a shame that his efforts for his belongings are not seen and he is viewed in a different manner.
Asians= Good at Math?
Being an asian girl, I love doing math problems, do all my homework on time, and start on my papers two weeks ahead of time. Being that I am writing this post half an hour before it is due, we all know that this is NOT true. Yes, I try my best in school, get good grades, and I am asian, but it is NOT 'BECAUSE" I'm asian. It really upsets me when I hear the myth or the stereotype that asians are naturally smart. In my case, I was never the smart girl. I really struggled in school because I hated math. However, I loved to write(don't judge my writings on the post, it's just posts), but of course, asians aren't supposed to be good at writing, right? It really upset me a lot in school when I wouldn't do well in school. Friends would make fun of me, asking, "You're asian! You're supposed to be born with math skills!" People would expect me to do well, and when I would try hard and not get the grade I wanted, I got really disappointed. Also, the times when I DID do well, people would not look at is as a great accomplishment as I would have, for they would just say, "You are supposed to do good, you're asian.." It would just be expected of me, and it is definately a huge part of my life that I struggled with. I've always had to prove myself that I can be that smart person, not that smart asian.
Jersey
A lot of people have this idea about people from Jersey, i don't know exactly what it is... but i know exactly what they're talking about. See, my high school is full of dumb people. People who make drama out of little things, and people who just have this obscure idea that they're supposed to be treated like kings. It's true what you think about Jersey people, at least for the most part. But imagine kids like me, growing up around all this dumb crap. I am the person i am today because i had to put up with all of it. I think that makes me stronger in a way.
So fact is, not everyone from Jersey, is like everyone from Jersey (if that makes any sense) There are really cool people that come from this place. It is unfortunate that i had to grow up in such an environment, but through this i had a large understand of how people work, how they think. I became the person i am today because i observed this intense environment and understand people the way i do because of it. So coming from jersey isn't that bad, the weather is nice when it can be, and things smell good. Plus it's only some towns in jersey that stink. Where my cousins grew up (only a fourteen minute drive from me) their town was way cooler. They had REAL gay guys and everything. I loved hanging out there...
By the way you can't catch an STD called "the Jerz." That just doesn't exist.
So fact is, not everyone from Jersey, is like everyone from Jersey (if that makes any sense) There are really cool people that come from this place. It is unfortunate that i had to grow up in such an environment, but through this i had a large understand of how people work, how they think. I became the person i am today because i observed this intense environment and understand people the way i do because of it. So coming from jersey isn't that bad, the weather is nice when it can be, and things smell good. Plus it's only some towns in jersey that stink. Where my cousins grew up (only a fourteen minute drive from me) their town was way cooler. They had REAL gay guys and everything. I loved hanging out there...
By the way you can't catch an STD called "the Jerz." That just doesn't exist.
Superstitious Fans
If you are fan of some sort, whether it be sports or events or plays, superstition goes a long way in this country. Have you ever been watching a game where some idiot says "we got this" and then your team ends up losing? Or been at a big event where you hear someone say "I hope it doesn't rain" and then the downpour begins?
Well for those of us that have had these frustrating experiences, we like to think it's superstition. Not everyone believes in this, but it certainly does happen a lot more than you would think. The funny thing is that you can't help but blame the loud mouth that happened to make the remark. You want nothing more but to tear their heads off most of the time. There is this common belief that if "you don't say it, it won't happen". Does that even make any sense? I mean if I just kept it to myself and thought it might happen, would it still happen?
This is something that many people get in arguments about or even live their lives in fear of it. So many times an obscure remark is made and then miraculously it happens. Does superstition really have a hold on people's lives?
The answer is yes, and the effect is crazy. There are some people that are so superstitious that it's almost sickening. It really lies in a lot of our minds that the impossible won't happen if it's not mentioned, or if something is done the right way. Obviously this is just ridiculous, but it has an effect on our society in an everyday basis. Superstition plays a big role in a lot of our society's lives and will forever follow with fans.
Well for those of us that have had these frustrating experiences, we like to think it's superstition. Not everyone believes in this, but it certainly does happen a lot more than you would think. The funny thing is that you can't help but blame the loud mouth that happened to make the remark. You want nothing more but to tear their heads off most of the time. There is this common belief that if "you don't say it, it won't happen". Does that even make any sense? I mean if I just kept it to myself and thought it might happen, would it still happen?
This is something that many people get in arguments about or even live their lives in fear of it. So many times an obscure remark is made and then miraculously it happens. Does superstition really have a hold on people's lives?
The answer is yes, and the effect is crazy. There are some people that are so superstitious that it's almost sickening. It really lies in a lot of our minds that the impossible won't happen if it's not mentioned, or if something is done the right way. Obviously this is just ridiculous, but it has an effect on our society in an everyday basis. Superstition plays a big role in a lot of our society's lives and will forever follow with fans.
Doctors Not as Wealthy
My father is a physician and many people make the assumption that because he is a doctor, that he has an abundance of wealth. The truth is, he would be more wealthy if he was not being cheated out of some money from insurance companies. Insurance cuts a huge portion of my father's income down because these companies refuse to pay for certain people's medical bills causing the amount received by him to be increasingly lower than it should be. I respect my dad for all of the things he has to deal with at the work place because for how hard he works, maybe he should be making that portion of the money that insurance takes out. The assumption that all doctors are rich and wealthy are not so valid, because for the amount of schooling my dad endured, I feel he should be making more money then he actually is.
The DaVinci Code
In high school, a professor from the Art Institute came to my painting class to talk to us about college. She started off her talk by asking “So, how many of you don’t get good grades?” She went on to talk about people who are artistic think differently than most people and as a result do not do well in school. This personally makes me angry. This woman is not the only person who thinks this about the stereotype. Artists even stereotype themselves claiming that they are not as smart as others. I think it is dumb to cut yourself short and assume that just because you’re talented at one thing, you cannot be good at other things as well.
I feel that this is a copout. Artistic people have grown to accept this stereotype because it gives them an excuse to slack off in areas of school that they are not interested in. I think that you need to be intelligent to be a good artist. You need to know what appeals to people and how to apply it to your art. Not anyone can do this easily. I am not sure where or when this stereotype came about, but I think it’s time for people to stop accepting it and start showing people what they know.
I feel that this is a copout. Artistic people have grown to accept this stereotype because it gives them an excuse to slack off in areas of school that they are not interested in. I think that you need to be intelligent to be a good artist. You need to know what appeals to people and how to apply it to your art. Not anyone can do this easily. I am not sure where or when this stereotype came about, but I think it’s time for people to stop accepting it and start showing people what they know.
Can We Start Again?
Being a part of the hardcore (punk) community for quite sometime, I have seen many terrible things happen to many good people. Mainly, the trend in violence in the scene is said to be only increasing as time slowly passes. A show that I just recently went to, for example, a quite large man intentionally windmill punched a small girl in the eye. After the incident, the girl came out of the mosh pit with tears streaming down her face with blood flowing everywhere. This is only one of the countless injuries I have seen over the past few years and honestly have to agree with the myth that hardcore is becomingly increasingly violent over time.
It wasn't always like this, however. In the eighties, when hardcore was just beginning to become a "scene," going to shows was a cathartic experience. People would mosh and dance with the sole intention of having a good, safe time. If someone fell down, a total stranger would almost immediately help them back to their feet. Hardcore was a community of complete strangers being a large family for a few hours. Hardcore was about friendship, and not being afraid lying on a stretcher at the night's end. It was about being open minded and having a good fucking time.
Perhaps this upheaval in violence is reflected in the genre's new "sound." For one, most modern hardcore bands have a much more metal vide to them. I have seen that most hardcore bands have forgotten their punk roots and how are mixing metal into the scene to form a genre called "metalcore." This genre offers much deeper chords with louder screaming and undistinguishable, often violent lyrics.
I can only hope that one day hardcore will go back to what in truly is about. Perhaps Bane best represents this hope in their song "Can We Start Again":
Can we start again?
Go back to what in meant back then?
Open minds and open hearts
The things that set us apart
Feng Shui
Feng Shui is something that is something that I had grown up with although my parents were not avid enthusiasts. Decisions about the location of our house, the placing of our furniture all had a little to do with the concept of Feng Shui.
For all who don't know what feng shui is. The idea is based off of a few ideas such as Qi which in itself is "energy" and things such as the orientation of a structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment from the slope of the land to the vegetation and soil quality. All are taken into consideration for serious enthusiasts. Another is polarity or in simpler terms, ying and yang.
When first looking at the concept of feng shui it seems absurd, something that is impractical and has no reasoning or scientific basis to it. But when in reality feng shui is something that will affect so many different aspects of your life. Such as my house currently which has gone through some thinking to where the location was to be and where different parts of the house has furniture located. It creates a flow when you walk into the house creating a feeling of calmness which is tpart of what feng shui is about.
For all who don't know what feng shui is. The idea is based off of a few ideas such as Qi which in itself is "energy" and things such as the orientation of a structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment from the slope of the land to the vegetation and soil quality. All are taken into consideration for serious enthusiasts. Another is polarity or in simpler terms, ying and yang.
When first looking at the concept of feng shui it seems absurd, something that is impractical and has no reasoning or scientific basis to it. But when in reality feng shui is something that will affect so many different aspects of your life. Such as my house currently which has gone through some thinking to where the location was to be and where different parts of the house has furniture located. It creates a flow when you walk into the house creating a feeling of calmness which is tpart of what feng shui is about.
Mythical creatures
It seems every time I go to the Philippines I get sick. I don't know for what reason, but I just end up usually for a week with like flu symptoms and a high fever. One time I was really sick, and my nose was bleeding heavily (I was already on medicine and placed in "quarantine" in my grandfather's house). They eventually called a family friend and they brought some sort of herb and burned it around my bed (no i was not possessed), but my sickness left immediately. My mom would later tell me that I had been jumping on 'lakay', the old man of the mount, a spirit that takes the form of a mound of dirt that will mysteriously appear and disappear at as he travels. Apparently, by not asking him if I could jump on him this gave him the right to get me sick. Go figure. Now for the Philippines, the majority being Christian, it is ironically a very superstitious and mythologically based culture. They believe that natural disasters (mudslides etc.) are caused by someone upsetting the spirits that dwell in the area. The large inactive volcano that is visible from where my parents' lived in the Philippines is said to be the home to one such spirit. The story goes on to say that if someone is gets lost while journeying near the mountain, a beautiful lady will come and give you water and food and help direct you to your destination. There are stories like these that sound like the European fairytales and there are stories that frankly, scare me so bad that I hate sleeping alone when I go to the Philippines. The myths and the stories (which i can't judge to be false or true) give people in the Philippines reason to think about their actions (especially kids) , regardless of which higher power they believe is responsible for the repercussions. Finally, it reinforces the mystique and attitude of Filipino culture, which without these stories and mythology would be unable to answer.
Jewish = Money myth
Ever since I can remember, I've always heard the phrase "Oh, he is jewish, he has tons of money." Granted my dad is a dentist and my mom is a nurse anesthetist, so they do well. The fact that they do well has nothing to do with them being Jewish. It really bothers me to hear the word Jew linked to money. Another way Jews are linked to money is the fact that they appear to be cheap. I've seen kids throw pennies at Jewish kids to see if they would pick it up because they are Jewish and cheap. I think that the fact of Jews being successful and having money has nothing to do with the fact that they are Jewish, which in turn makes them cheap and rich. I think it has to do with the values that Judaism installs that makes Jews successful. Maybe i'm wrong though, maybe jews are richer, just because there jewish. But if that is true, I would like to know why.
I'M A DOT HEAD!
Ha if you didn't get it from my title, I'm Indian and one of the most famous beliefs here is that all Indian people wear dots on their heads. While it's true that we do wear dots, it's not something worn everyday by men. The red dot, bindi, is normally worn on special occasions such as marriages or religious occasions. Women traditionally, after marriage, wear them everyday. I've been asked many questions throughout my life about it's significance. Is it blood? Do you have to wear it everyday? Will your millions of 8 armed gods strike you with lightning if you don't wear it? Yes, believe it or not, but I've gotten them all.
It seems there are many misconceptions about India. Also another popular misconception is that cows are treated as gods. While cows are holy, they're treated not holier than cows here. Actually, cows here get treated better than there. There are small villages in India where they are literally worshiped. Some of you may have seen the Ripley's Believe it or Not where the people in the village drink cow urine and bathe with it. Yea, that's definitely not me, or the vast majority of India. Those are small secluded villages doing their own thing. This is not at all a common practice.
It seems there are many misconceptions about India. Also another popular misconception is that cows are treated as gods. While cows are holy, they're treated not holier than cows here. Actually, cows here get treated better than there. There are small villages in India where they are literally worshiped. Some of you may have seen the Ripley's Believe it or Not where the people in the village drink cow urine and bathe with it. Yea, that's definitely not me, or the vast majority of India. Those are small secluded villages doing their own thing. This is not at all a common practice.
The Curse of William Penn
No professional Philadelphia sports team has won a championship since 1983. There is a myth explaining why we haven’t won since then. It’s called the curse of William Penn. In 1987 One Liberty Place was built higher than City Hall, which is where the statue of William Penn stands. There was a gentleman’s agreement stating that no building in Philadelphia could exceed the height of the statue of William Penn. Before One Liberty Place was built, Philadelphia sports teams were among some of the best. The Phillies won the World Series in 1980. The Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975. The Eagles were in Super Bowl XV but lost. And lastly the Sixers won the championship in 1983 against the Lakers, making that the last championship Philadelphia has seen.
Since then, in my life time I have been let down by Philly sports teams multiple times. I have witnessed the Sixers lose to the Lakers in the final round of the championship. Also, the Eagles have let Philly fans down for about six consecutive years. This year the Phillies were supposed to shock us with wins. However, they have disappointed us once again with multiple losses so far. The Flyers were crushed in the Stanley Cup a few years ago and are currently fighting their way to make it to that round once again. We will soon be able to have another reason to justify this curse if the Flyers lose to Pittsburgh during this week. Hopefully this will not be the case and we will make it to the Stanley Cup and win. I would hate to truly believe in the curse because I want to be able to believe in Philadelphia sports teams.
Since then, in my life time I have been let down by Philly sports teams multiple times. I have witnessed the Sixers lose to the Lakers in the final round of the championship. Also, the Eagles have let Philly fans down for about six consecutive years. This year the Phillies were supposed to shock us with wins. However, they have disappointed us once again with multiple losses so far. The Flyers were crushed in the Stanley Cup a few years ago and are currently fighting their way to make it to that round once again. We will soon be able to have another reason to justify this curse if the Flyers lose to Pittsburgh during this week. Hopefully this will not be the case and we will make it to the Stanley Cup and win. I would hate to truly believe in the curse because I want to be able to believe in Philadelphia sports teams.
Which parent to go to?
I chose to write about the myth that males are stricter when raising
their children than females because the mother is usually the more
loving and caring one. I don’t feel that this is correct because
personally win my family my mother is the more strict parent and my
father is the one that is more there to make you happy. However this
is a nice touch because typically the fathers are there to play sports
with or get money from. I think this is partially because in the past
the father has been the bread winner of the family and they have the
money. On the other hand my mother is the major bread winner in my
family but I can’t get money from either of them. I think culturally
there is a sense that the male is stronger and can get the child to do
whatever is needed. This is very ironic because in most of the
families that I am friends with the mother is the one that will take
charge and make the child do their chores or go to bed. On that note
the father is the “chill” one they don’t really care what happens as
long as they aren’t getting yelled at. This is a major misconception
that is often overlooked. In reality it depends on the family and
there is no way one can tell who is the more overbearing and who is
less strict
their children than females because the mother is usually the more
loving and caring one. I don’t feel that this is correct because
personally win my family my mother is the more strict parent and my
father is the one that is more there to make you happy. However this
is a nice touch because typically the fathers are there to play sports
with or get money from. I think this is partially because in the past
the father has been the bread winner of the family and they have the
money. On the other hand my mother is the major bread winner in my
family but I can’t get money from either of them. I think culturally
there is a sense that the male is stronger and can get the child to do
whatever is needed. This is very ironic because in most of the
families that I am friends with the mother is the one that will take
charge and make the child do their chores or go to bed. On that note
the father is the “chill” one they don’t really care what happens as
long as they aren’t getting yelled at. This is a major misconception
that is often overlooked. In reality it depends on the family and
there is no way one can tell who is the more overbearing and who is
less strict
Sraight Edge
One subculture that I've always been interested in, but not a part of, is the straightedge culture. The most basic rules to being straightedge is abstaining from alcohol and drug use, and recreational sex, meaning anything outside of a close relationship. Some go even as far as not ingesting drugs as acceptable as caffeine and over the counter painkillers. The initial reaction to people who live like this is might be to label them as losers, or boring, uninteresting people. Some of them are actually the craziest, most intellectual, hardcore, or otherwise most interesting people you will ever meet. I think that this just goes to show that alcohol should not be held nearly as high as it is in our society.
However, I think a lot of people who call themselves straightedge, instead of looking at is simply a personal choice, do hold themselves higher than others who partake in alcohol/drug use/ recreational sex, or some combination of the three. I don't really have any direct experience in the straightedge culture aside from having a couple of friends who consider themselves straightedge, but it seems that there is a division between these pseudo-elitist straightedge kids and real straight-edge kids who do it out of respect for their bodies instead of trying to be different, unique, hip, or whatever you want to call it.
The most interesting aspect of this culture, I think, is that instead of being based around doing something, it is based around NOT doing something. But that something is such a basic part of out society is so accepted that removing oneself from it becomes a subculture in itself. Also interesting is that there are people that are members of this subculture who I don't even think realize they are members of it or the depth of it, because being straightedge is only one aspect of some subcultures. For example, the track star who doesn't do drugs or drink to advance his performance in his sport - I believe sports, especially track, to be subcultures themselves - is straightedge but might not identify himself as such, but rather as a runner. The devout Buddhist, who believes that alcohol, drugs, and lust only get in the way of developing, nurturing and understanding the human mind, identifies more closely with his devotion to his religion than his abstinence from intoxicants that get in the way. Maybe what I'm trying to say with all of this is that being straightedge shouldn't be the defining characteristic of one's identity, but rather a supplement to it, a means to advance it.
On an ending note, another strange thing I've found with the straightedge culture, and I'm not sure if this is completely uniform amongst them, is the acceptance of tattoos. It seems like tattoos poison your body more than a lot of things that straightedge people oppose, yet many of them have tattoos, some even displaying the sign of straightedge, a big X. To me, this seems ridiculously hypocritical. Tattoos put you at risk for infection, hepatitis, and all sorts of other diseases. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way in disagreeance with tattoos, but it seems awfully ironic to get ink injected underneath your skin as a means of displaying your refusal to partake in alcohol and drug ("poison") use.
By the way, if anyone reads this who is straight-edge, I would really appreciate some feedback. Or even if you're not.
However, I think a lot of people who call themselves straightedge, instead of looking at is simply a personal choice, do hold themselves higher than others who partake in alcohol/drug use/ recreational sex, or some combination of the three. I don't really have any direct experience in the straightedge culture aside from having a couple of friends who consider themselves straightedge, but it seems that there is a division between these pseudo-elitist straightedge kids and real straight-edge kids who do it out of respect for their bodies instead of trying to be different, unique, hip, or whatever you want to call it.
The most interesting aspect of this culture, I think, is that instead of being based around doing something, it is based around NOT doing something. But that something is such a basic part of out society is so accepted that removing oneself from it becomes a subculture in itself. Also interesting is that there are people that are members of this subculture who I don't even think realize they are members of it or the depth of it, because being straightedge is only one aspect of some subcultures. For example, the track star who doesn't do drugs or drink to advance his performance in his sport - I believe sports, especially track, to be subcultures themselves - is straightedge but might not identify himself as such, but rather as a runner. The devout Buddhist, who believes that alcohol, drugs, and lust only get in the way of developing, nurturing and understanding the human mind, identifies more closely with his devotion to his religion than his abstinence from intoxicants that get in the way. Maybe what I'm trying to say with all of this is that being straightedge shouldn't be the defining characteristic of one's identity, but rather a supplement to it, a means to advance it.
On an ending note, another strange thing I've found with the straightedge culture, and I'm not sure if this is completely uniform amongst them, is the acceptance of tattoos. It seems like tattoos poison your body more than a lot of things that straightedge people oppose, yet many of them have tattoos, some even displaying the sign of straightedge, a big X. To me, this seems ridiculously hypocritical. Tattoos put you at risk for infection, hepatitis, and all sorts of other diseases. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way in disagreeance with tattoos, but it seems awfully ironic to get ink injected underneath your skin as a means of displaying your refusal to partake in alcohol and drug ("poison") use.
By the way, if anyone reads this who is straight-edge, I would really appreciate some feedback. Or even if you're not.
Misfortune
It is a strong myth in my family that we are incredibly unlucky. It seems to hold rather true, expect in war, everyone whos been in war in my family has lived, but thats more so on the other side of my family than the one considered unlucky.
I am the first person in my family to go to college. Most of my family has either been to jail numerous times or grew up during the depression or some sort of horrible time or place. Its more so that Murphy's Law takes full effect and likes to mess with us. It may not be entirely dooming but incredibly unfortunate. We are all hardworking and work to overcome this but no matter what it reappears. Unfortunely enough, but sometimes entertaining, we tend to get nutcase women. Many people can relate to this, it is rather universal. An uncle of mine has been married 20 years but has had more wars with her than the Middle East has had throughout time. This also shows that no matter what happens that we are hardworking and are strongly commited to what we do have.
I am the first person in my family to go to college. Most of my family has either been to jail numerous times or grew up during the depression or some sort of horrible time or place. Its more so that Murphy's Law takes full effect and likes to mess with us. It may not be entirely dooming but incredibly unfortunate. We are all hardworking and work to overcome this but no matter what it reappears. Unfortunely enough, but sometimes entertaining, we tend to get nutcase women. Many people can relate to this, it is rather universal. An uncle of mine has been married 20 years but has had more wars with her than the Middle East has had throughout time. This also shows that no matter what happens that we are hardworking and are strongly commited to what we do have.
respect your books..MYTH
I am aware of a few myths but one that i believe strongly is the one about books. Ever since i was little i was told that we must respect our books like they were gold. When i say respect i mean not throwing them on the floor, wrinkling the pages, and being careless with them. But the worst thing you can do is touch the book with your feet. I was told that if i were to ever touch a book with my feet i should touch the book and do a small prayer apologizing for touching in such a manner. Touching books with your feet is the biggest disrespectful thing one can do. The myth was that if you touched the book with your feet you would loose the knowledge that you learned from that book and bad luck with come upon you in the future. But I always see my friends throw, kick and even rip pages out of books. Even though i don't say anything when they do something like that, but every time i accidentally touch the book with my feet i feel like i must apologize. Maybe cause iv been doing it for long and i cant just give it up. And i know that a person will not loose their knowledge when touching a book with their feet but i just feel like books are something that should be kept with great care.
Dracula
A popular myth about Romania, the country where I am from, is that of Dracula. This myth originated in the Middle Ages, when Western European travelers reported the cruel, sadistic acts committed by Vlad the Impaler, a medieval leader notorious for the fact that he used to torture an impale his enemies. Bram Stoker, the author of the "Dracula" novel, based his main character on Vlad the Impaler, but the medieval figure's traits were distorted to the point where he would become a fierce, blood-sucking monster. The novel and the series of films based on it made Romania, and its region Transylvania (where Dracula is supposed to live), famous worldwide. Many people thought, and still think, that vampires actually exist in Transylvania, but the local authorities were far from being offended by this erroneous claim; instead, they developed a thriving tourism industry centered on the myth of Dracula, erecting a "Hotel Dracula", organizing special tour guides and creating various types of Dracula merchandise, from coffee mugs and T-shirts to life-size puppets.
Although this myth should put my country in a bad light, it actually helped boost the tourism and economy. Moreover, foreigners become more curious about Romania, and by visiting it, they get to learn about its real values. As for Romanians, they all know that they are not the descendants of vampires, but they enjoy the attention received from all over the world.
Although this myth should put my country in a bad light, it actually helped boost the tourism and economy. Moreover, foreigners become more curious about Romania, and by visiting it, they get to learn about its real values. As for Romanians, they all know that they are not the descendants of vampires, but they enjoy the attention received from all over the world.
Engineering Myth
There is a myth out there on todays campus, actually i dont know if you really should call it a myth, it is more like a stereotype. That is that engineering students don't know how to have fun, all they know how tom do is study. While this may be true of some people it isn't of all the engineers i know. Of course engineers take a lot of courses more than most of the other majors, that means we have to study for more tests so we can't go out every night like business majors or communication majors who i know that go out four or fives times a week. Engineers still, when we have the time off, when we don't have a test the next day we still know how to have fun, whatever type of fun you want to have. Actually some of the bigger partiers including four or five that live down the hall from me have gone out any given night of the week even if they had an eight o'clock english class the next morning and they would still be hung over if not drunk when they got to class. The myth that engineers can't have fun holds true for some people but i am sure that the same rules apply to a portion of all majors. But to say that an entire group doesn't know how to have fun is just idiotic. Because i know that enginners know how to have a lot of fun and can always find a good time.
Superstition
My mom believes quite strongly that if her purse is put on the floor that all her money will be spent fast, but by constantly keeping it off of the floor she can save her money with ease and not have to worry. She is very serious about this and gets upset when I mess around with her by putting it close to the floor in a joking manner. Her purse never touches the floor of anything or anything considered a floor, not anywhere in the house, car, restaurants et cetera, et cetera. When other girls come over or are around she makes sure to extend the her warnings for their bags as well. Its funny when my girlfriend comes over because she always puts her purse on the floor and they'll look at each other and laugh, Mom will roll her eyes and girlfriend will ask still laughing "what?".
La Vieja
This is't truely a myth, it's just something my grandmother and sme of my aunts use to scare young children. They tell them that la vieja, old lady, is going to come and take them awayif they don't behave. Of course this only works and the smaller children, up to age like 4 or 5. Eat all your food or the vieja is coming to get you, Behave or la vieja is going to get you, etc. There is also the threat the rando animal that's going to come and get you for the same reasons. This little kid my aunt takes care of is afraid of all kinds of animals because his afraid has told him whatever he does wrong it going to take him away. Today my cat was sitting on the couch, when he saw it he became paralyzed and I was forced to take my cat outside. All can say is scaring the kids get them to behave, but it makes them afraid of any and everything.
Small Towns
I am from a very small town and there are many myths about people from small towns. Some of these myths are true but most of them are false. One myth that my town contributes to is that people from small, secluded towns are generally dumb and some are considered rednecks. This could be considered as partially true. Driving through my town you will run into many odd characters. The majority of these people lived there their whole lives. Not all of them can be considered dumb, some are very intelligent. Because the town is so small there aren't many jobs available other than low end minimum wage jobs. The majority of the people there that have college degrees work in neighboring towns and aren't seen by people passing through. Many people that I bring to my hometown say that everyone they see are rednecks. And without giving it a closer look I can see why they believe this. The fact is that there are several 'rednecks' in my town but it has a lot more to offer than that. Just because a lot of the people you initially see in a small town do not come off as intelligent doesn't mean that people from small towns aren't as smart as people from larger communites.
Playoff Hockey
It is believed that growing a beard for the NHL playoffs will help you win. I don't know if this is classified as a myth, but to a hockey fan such as myself, I see it as one. It started back in the 1980's with a simple thought of one team to not shave until they were eliminated from the playoffs. However, they never were. They won the Stanley Cup and all looked like werewolfs by the end of the series. Silly, maybe, but at least for them it worked. Since them many players believe in doing the same thing. Right now you can turn on a game and see a bunch of hairy faces. There are also many myths that sports fans follow. Some of them include: not washing a jersey, wearing same thing when a team wins, keeping things the same, or even lucky underwear. Does it work, probably not, but it is fun to get caught in the action. Call me superstitous, but I am not washing my jersey until the Flyers are eliminated.
It started as this Vampire game
I recall this special that I believe was featured on the Discovery channel some time ago. It told the story of this manic adolescent boy that began this vampire game with some friends of his - the game was to hunt for human souls and devour their blood. However, this game turned deadly when the ringleader began feeding into his own game and influencing the other members to believe that blood had become a neccessity of life for them; they were now somehow different than the typical human - they were indeed vampires; full-blooded vampires - afraid of the light and drawn to the scent of human blood. Any means that would come between their sectarian group or cult, needed to be destroyed - nothing was to breech their 'spiritual bond'. Unfortunately, when the parents of the ringleaders girlfriend objected to her leaving with him, the vampiric-mythology the ringleader had formed amongst his cult permitted the girl to accept her boyfriend's bludgeoning of her mother and father, succeeded by him sucking their blood. As a result of her conditioning to respect the 'sanctity' of their vampiric relationship, a kind of nationalistic pride, she neglected to act and could only look on as her parents were brutally murdered for objecting when it seemed she faced an imminent danger.
What an utter shame it is to see the mythologizing of one young man brainwash an entire crew of people - even convincing a member that his brute force towards the one's that cared for her the most was somehow deserved. O the power words can inspire...
What an utter shame it is to see the mythologizing of one young man brainwash an entire crew of people - even convincing a member that his brute force towards the one's that cared for her the most was somehow deserved. O the power words can inspire...
blog: 7
Basketball players seem to be more of ganster type image. They all are so physical and egoistic. Whenever I watch any ball game, mostly a player disagrees with the foul that refree has called upon. Mostly, all the players have tatoos all over their body. They seem to think of themselves as really physically strong and no one can mess with them. Like when ever a team is out of playoff contention at the end of the regular season, that particular team's best player(s) don't play the remaining games. I seriously hate when this happens. Either they just don't play, or pretend to get injured. I means players suppose to play for fun and love of the game....right?
Long Island Girls
Being from Long Island, New York, I have to live with the myth that all Long Island girls are rich and spoiled. I can honestly say that being from the south shore where I live, you will meet some the most down to earth people. I come from a community that lives off the beach, and no one really cares much about designer clothes or expensive things. We just want to go to the beach and enjoy life. It is true that there are some girls that fit this stereo type, however, flaunting their money and driving around in expensive cars, but it really all depends on the location that they are from. But it is certainly not true that ALL girls should be classified as "Japs" just because they live on Long Island.
The self-mythologizing of GUIDOS
So I grew up in the Jersey sub-urbs of NYC, I can see the city from where I live. And of course, you're gonna have the stereotypical "Guidos" Now, let me define a guido. They're not always Italian... Now a days, the majority (at least in jersey) they're half Irish... They won't typically admit it, but they are. And they'll have their gold chains with the bull horn or the crucifix, or both on the same chain. They'll probably have a fitted hat they wear (even over their spiked gelled/waxed hair), or a tee with something italian on it, but my favorite, are the mini italian flags they have on their cars. Someone says Italian, and all of a sudden they have roots back to Sicily, and red sauce vs white sause and bla bla bla. But they forget and pretend they're not half irish, and the full blooded italians will call the half italians out on this. The stereotypical guido from the sopranos.. they exist, they are half balding or receeding hair-lined overweight late 40's cigar smokers. No, they're not all in the mafia, but they like to think they are.
So anyway, the young guidos today like to show their Italian pride by broadcasting it everywhere, like they are a superior race... Irish and Puerto Ricans do the same thing, but not in an arrogant condescending way. So we got the gold chain necklaces, Of course you have the Black Spiked hair. The clubber ones wear the light wash, sand blasted jeans with mirror tinted shades that have no protection from gthe sun, so they can wear them inside. Some go as far as the sweatbands on the head and arms, and if you are a hardcore clubber, you keep on the wristband you got from a 17 and under club you went to 2 weeks prior. and sometimes they roll the bottom of their jeans up and blast the same Cascada that's been playing on Z100 every night for the past 8 years liek it's brand new from their Acura RSX. Most guidos just like to be loud, yea they go tanning, they go to the gym, probably use steroids, (majority of my friends do or did) and talk with an imitation of a brooklyn or long-island accent... You don't pick either of those up in jersey. And they have every techno and rap Remix of every song ever made.
If you haven't seen this video called "My New Haircut" .... Check it out, it's really not that far from the reality..
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M
Side Note: Please do not think I am trying to dishonor or disgrace any other race, every race has a reason to be proud of their heritage. I'm just picking of Guidos, Not Italians.
So anyway, the young guidos today like to show their Italian pride by broadcasting it everywhere, like they are a superior race... Irish and Puerto Ricans do the same thing, but not in an arrogant condescending way. So we got the gold chain necklaces, Of course you have the Black Spiked hair. The clubber ones wear the light wash, sand blasted jeans with mirror tinted shades that have no protection from gthe sun, so they can wear them inside. Some go as far as the sweatbands on the head and arms, and if you are a hardcore clubber, you keep on the wristband you got from a 17 and under club you went to 2 weeks prior. and sometimes they roll the bottom of their jeans up and blast the same Cascada that's been playing on Z100 every night for the past 8 years liek it's brand new from their Acura RSX. Most guidos just like to be loud, yea they go tanning, they go to the gym, probably use steroids, (majority of my friends do or did) and talk with an imitation of a brooklyn or long-island accent... You don't pick either of those up in jersey. And they have every techno and rap Remix of every song ever made.
If you haven't seen this video called "My New Haircut" .... Check it out, it's really not that far from the reality..
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M
Side Note: Please do not think I am trying to dishonor or disgrace any other race, every race has a reason to be proud of their heritage. I'm just picking of Guidos, Not Italians.
White Skin
In my culture, Filipinos consider those who are with lighter and fair skin to be more wealthy and beautiful than those with darker skin. My parents who were born and raised in the Philippines try to influence my sister and I not to get dark or go tanning before we go to the Philippines or meet their traditional friends because the color of our skin represents a kind of status. Most Filipinos have dark skin but those with lighter skin are looked upon with a high regard. This is because if you have lighter skin is thought that you don't have to do much work, or in other words don't have to do hard labor. However, if you do have dark skin that means that you or your family are the workers our in the field, and they have dark skin because of it being burnt by the sun. Therefore, the lighter the skin the higher your status. There are even soaps and lotions that are popular in the Philippines that are used to "lighten" your skin. I think it kind of ironic that while people in the Philippines are trying to not get tan and try to get light skin, white American's are hitting the tanning booths to get a nice golden bronze complexion.
Driving in NJ
One commonly held belief in NJ is that visitors from Pennsylvania are terrible drivers. Most frequently, people get frustrated when Pennsylvanians drive on or under the speed limit or sit in the left lane on highways (left lane D...s). Likewise, people from NJ are notorious for tailgating, passing illegally over the double line, cutting you off, and flipping you off. Being from NJ, it can be pretty frustrating to drive with either of these kinds of people, and there are a LOT of them. I can't say these stereotypes aren't entirely untrue, because they happen so frequently, especially in the summer when lots of people come to visit. I live near Ocean City, a popular visitor destination, and traffic gets heavy on our not-big-enough roads. All the time, it seems that someone, slow from PA or a jerk from NJ, is there to make driving a royal pain.
The Evil Eyes
There are many myths that surround the Italian culture that i have grown up knowing., the most prominent myth that I know and believe in is the evil eyes. The evil eyes are a kind of curse given to a person in which they don't like. In turn the person who has had them wished upon them have a stream of bad luck which doesn't go away until it is taken off by another person. A person who does this is supposed to go through a sort of ritual supposedly on Christmans Eve. Now the way that the evil eyes are taken off of a person is if that person gives a piece of jewlely or something that is worn by then and give it to the person who is now able to take them off. From there they perform a ritual and then take of the evil eyes. This is only one of the myths of how the evil eyes work. This goes to show how superstitous the Italian culture can be, and this is 1 of many myths that we have as a culture.
Giving up on a fairytale
I believe that love is enough, or (like the song) love is all you need, is a myth. I've seen so many people be in love and break up for different reasons. I was led to believe that love was enough and that if you really love someone you fight to make it work no matter what. I feel like people give up way too easily anymore. They think that it's suppose to make everything better and it doesn't. When you're in love you still need other things and can feel bad. Love doesn't fix everything. I think another problem is that people expect too much from love and that it's going to be easy to keep love. Love is never easy, life is never easy. People have gotten lazy and forgotten why they even try in the first place, which is really sad. If you forget why you tried you stop trying and things fall apart. You see it in movies all the time. When people really love each other but some stupid things gets in the way and they "can't be together" when in actuality if they tried they could make it work. They just have to believe in it and be willing to work for it and realize that it's worth it. I do think that being in love is one of the greatest things ever and that's why people think that it's all you need but I think that people take that way too literally. Obviously you will still need to eat and stuff like that, so you can't just expect things to come to you. I think that people create the 'reasons' that they can't be together in their heads because they don't want to try anymore. I think that it's possible for people to fall out of love but I think that those people just let it happen. I don't know if I'm really explaining this right but I think that it's mostly people giving up and thinking that they can't do anything about it.
A Floating Tire
One myth, that is really more of a stereotype that I have to put up with is the assumption that since I am Cuban my family came over on a floating tire. This is false, we came over on a raft. I'm joking of course but ever since the whole Elio Gonzales incident Cubans have had to deal with this myth for a while. My family came over on one of the last planes before Castro closed off Cuba. My family worked hard to get up the money to purchase a plane ticket during those rough times and deserves the proper respect. On a side not my uncle actually did have to flee Cuba on a BOAT because Castro learned about a regime he was starting.
Big Boys Don't Cry
Now, I don't know the man code or anything, but I feel that this is an unwritten rule, that boys//men should not cry. It seems to me that there has always been a belief that boys//men do not and should not cry. During the last nineteen years of my life, very rarely have I ever seen a guy cry; one of the more recent times that I saw an adult man cry was at my grandparent's fiftieth wedding anniversary due to the overwhelming emotion of the situation.
I suppose the purpose of this unwritten rule dates back to way before our time-- I'd guess probably the beginning of time. I believe that this rule came about because a man is considered to be the head of the household, and if he was seen crying, he would be considered to be weak. In my opinion, I think that it is unfortunate that some guys choose to follow this unwritten rule because the end result of keeping your emotion bottled up inside isn't very pretty. On the other hand, I'm not saying to go around bawling your eyes out like a girl all the time, but sometimes a cry does the soul good.
I suppose the purpose of this unwritten rule dates back to way before our time-- I'd guess probably the beginning of time. I believe that this rule came about because a man is considered to be the head of the household, and if he was seen crying, he would be considered to be weak. In my opinion, I think that it is unfortunate that some guys choose to follow this unwritten rule because the end result of keeping your emotion bottled up inside isn't very pretty. On the other hand, I'm not saying to go around bawling your eyes out like a girl all the time, but sometimes a cry does the soul good.
American students are stupid
One myth that I always hear is that American students are less prepared academically then students in other countries. I am not saying we are prepared the best but we are defiantly not the worst out of all the countries. I feel we are very well prepared and feel it is even very competitive being an American student. Yes, there are certain countries that have higher standards then what we have set here in America. Even in China they go to school all year around. Though that doesn't mean we our less prepared because we are in school for less time. America prepares us very well in our academics and learning to express our own opinions in class without being shunned upon. However, depending on the school you attend you may or may not feel you are getting as high of an education as someone else.
A Vicious Circle
All throughout human history, jingoism has existed and lead to the creation of heroes and mythologized figures. Every culture has famous individuals that the rest of the country looks up to and in nearly every instance, that famous individual is only relevant to that area, culture, or race. As the famous Winston Churchill quote states, "History is written by the victors." This is an interesting quote because it explains how many individuals are able to be raised upon a platform. In the case of American History, George Washington is almost a divine figure. His name is associated with freedom and rebellion (the good sense of the word). However, in English culture, I doubt he is seen as a hero and a person who needs to be idolized. Mythologization is mostly subjective. There are some people who transcend cultures, like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Albert Einstein, but even men and women like these are not seen favorably by everyone. Just as languages and culture differ from place to place, so do the individuals those people idolize and mythologize. History is a vicious circle of glorified and hated heroes and villains which are all relevant to a particular group of people. As long as divergent thinking exists, humans will always glorify and demonize certain people. It's all in human nature and it's all about nationalism and jingoism. It's how countries rally their people behind a cause and it's also how people remember the rebels. It's history.
Jersey Devil
One myth that has always been apart of growing up and if you from
The Foxhole Blogger
David Benson’s live blog from Iraq, The Foxhole Blogger, investigates the theories of war in Iraq than many people think about, here at home. He uses small witticisms to get his point across and to summarize all he has just written. I was really surprised at first reading his posts as Benson seems not really take sides for long. Most recently, he mentioned how soldiers are affected by coming to war, similar to the article we read in Rolling Stone, The Troubled Homecoming Of The Marlboro Marine. Benson wrote, “When soldiers o they leave behind a world that keeps going on without them”. I was moved by the way he portrayed the situation. I don’t think we realize how much the soldiers are really offering up by fighting. I know I would never have the strength to leave my home and fight with the prospect of losing my life at any moment. These men and women are courageous and brave.
Benson also talks a great deal about the Iraqi civilians, which I think is a great insight to something many of us are unfamiliar with. The author mentions that Iraqis have not conformed to the Western ways that we are accustomed to, but know how to fake it for reporters. He also talks about how Iraq is not suffering because of President Bush, but because of their own selfishness. The expression, “all for one and one for all” is nonexistent there. More commonly, each man is out for himself. It is too dangerous to care for the greater good as too few people follow this. The selfishness of the Iraqi people contributes more to their downfall than the constant fighting between soldiers.
Benson has a wonderful way of enlightening readers about the foreign issues in the Middle East that we have never really been introduced to. Somewhat quirky, this blog examines a different side of affairs that many people want to learn about – culture and lifestyles.
Benson also talks a great deal about the Iraqi civilians, which I think is a great insight to something many of us are unfamiliar with. The author mentions that Iraqis have not conformed to the Western ways that we are accustomed to, but know how to fake it for reporters. He also talks about how Iraq is not suffering because of President Bush, but because of their own selfishness. The expression, “all for one and one for all” is nonexistent there. More commonly, each man is out for himself. It is too dangerous to care for the greater good as too few people follow this. The selfishness of the Iraqi people contributes more to their downfall than the constant fighting between soldiers.
Benson has a wonderful way of enlightening readers about the foreign issues in the Middle East that we have never really been introduced to. Somewhat quirky, this blog examines a different side of affairs that many people want to learn about – culture and lifestyles.
"ehh...vodka"
Being born in the former Soviet Union, I have seen many myths that propagate about Russians (I'm not even Russian, I'm Ukrainian, but people seem to think that those are the same thing). Among others, I have seen people joke that all Russians drink a lot and don't get drunk, are Commie spies, and enjoy/are unaffected by the cold (because it is cold in Russia). One of my friends has this bit that he does where he talks in a fake and very thick Russian accent and says whatever Russian/Russian-sounding words he knows mixed with broken English. This is a typical portion, "ehh...vodka...ehh...Hunt for Red October." Basically people only know about Russians what they see in the movies (where Russians are often the bad guys) and the few actual Russians that they may know don't do much to dispel the myths, so they carry on.
Possession of The Body
There was always a myth that people feared in the village I came from in China. In fact, it was not a myth at all. The villagers which included me feared the season of Spring not because of allergies but simply because of a person. This person has a weird disease, not sure what and not sure why it came to her. She was in her old age, around sixties and lived alone. Actually, ignore my ignorance of the origin of her disease. After her son died she became very miserable, her sanity was lost but weirdly only during Spring, other seasons of the year she was mentally capable. Spring is the season we feared, school kids were all terrorized by her. She would walk to my sister's school's back field and pick a flower and stab it into her tightly tied yet messy hair. She would walk around the village and harrass the villagers. I can once recall her being outside my house three in the morning dragging pots and pans and banging it while moaning with that resonated from building to building lit by full moon in the clear dark sky. It was rumored that her periodic insanity is caused by the spirit from the other world. Coincidentally, it is around Spring when the spirit door opens to our mortal world.
Divorce in Albania
Twenty years ago, in my country divorce was a myth! Well, not actually a myth but a taboo. It happens in the entire world that people get married and then realize that they made a mistake, this leading to divorces. In Albania this was “forbidden”. People weren’t allowed to make mistakes. Even though, for example, a woman was beaten by her husband every day, she didn’t have the right to ask for divorce, she had to stay loyal to the “agreement” they made.
Getting divorced had always worse consequences for women. She would have been seen in a different way from everybody that knew her. The fact that she got divorced would lead to people thinking that she is a b…., and that is WRONG! And what is worst, she would find it really, really difficult to find another husband (at least a normal one), only because of the wrong opinion of the people.
Now, times have changed and people have changed. Divorce now is a normal thing, and it have helped many people repair their mistakes, because, yes, now people can make mistakes. Making mistakes is part of being human, and everybody needs a second chance in life.
If We are United, We are Strong
One of the most famous myths back home involves a mother and her five sons. As legend goes that a single mother raised her five sons all by herself and made them lords. Despite her hard work all of her sons didn’t get together well and they fought against each other every single day. In order to show her sons the importance of unity she brought all them together and handed each one of them a single arrow and asked them to break it in half. The boys were able to do this without any problems and ease. Then she gave them a bundle of five arrows tied together and once again asked them to break it. After many tries none of the boys were able to break the bundle of arrows. After this, the mother told them if they continue fighting each other and stay divided they can be easily broken just like a single arrow. Yet if they stay united like the bundle of arrows then no one would be able to break them. As a result all her of sons united and formed a nation. Legend has it that nation became an empire that conquered many. This myth can easily be connected to the war in Iraq and the state the United States in right now. Rather than being divided into two groups that support and fight against the war in Iraq the public should be united under one purpose. If they are united for a single purpose then they can easily influence the government and make changes like pulling all the American troops out of Iraq. Therefore I feel that we all should learn from this myth in order to accomplish what is best.
Our Generation
One myth that I always hear that drives me crazy is that our generation is lazy and not hard working. The other day I attended this event where the speaker pretty much put down us and our entire generation. He was much much older then anyone in the room, so he clearly intended to make us feel bad. He explained that our generation does not care about what is going on in the world and that he is afraid to know that this generation will soon be running the country. Well, I believe that this is a myth. I think that our generation is always seen as lazy and not hard working, but these people do not see all of the incredibly hard working people of our generation. They choose to see what they want to see, and ignore all of those who truly are working hard to make the world better. I mean, it is our generation who is really helping to push the "green" issue and trying to save the environment from the buildup of harmful things OTHER generations put in our environment. Other generations are so quick to put us down but we are really helping to make a difference.
Who’s Cheering for the Cheerleaders?
One of biggest myths during high school was that girls who were cheerleaders were snobby and conceited. Many often associate the status of being a cheerleader with being one of the popular or pretty girls. They are considered to be that group of girls that have everything they could possibly want, whether that is perfect hair or captain of the football team. Sure, high school has its share of clicks, but none are more infamous and despised than the cheerleaders. Even movies in recent years have added to the myth of cheerleaders as being stupid, conceited girls. Movies, like Bring it On and Sugar and Spice, continue to reinforce the myth into the minds of youths. Unfortunately, I think this myth hurts many girls who take up cheerleading. My cousin, for instance, was a cheerleader, and I know that she wasn’t anything like the cheerleaders portrayed in movies or like many believed. She genuinely enjoyed cheerleading for the fun and excitement of doing it, not for the notoriety or popularity. In fact, some people even shunned her because they already have preconceived notions that she thought highly of herself. It is a shame that cheerleading has gained this type of stereotype for reasons such as this.
Clearly the cause of obesity is...high school?
Obesity is no myth, however, the origins of its sources are.
My junior and senior years of high school, I was fortunate enough to be a witness to one of the most ridiculous attempts to form a revolution…in the history of my high school, possibly even the world – I’ll even go out on a limb and go as far as to say the universe. The obesity epidemic was starting to arise at that point in time, and many critics were speculating that it was all because of the children – the lazy children who sat around, eating, playing video games, going to school…doing what any sensible person may consider normal routine.
Our high school did not want to be accountable for this myth – obesity’s derivate was the education system.
So, our school board had two [genius] ideas in order to combat the problem. The board figured attacking the enemy in a dual-sided formation would be most effective. And…I’d be lying if I said it was.
First the school board attacked gym class. “Clearly the children aren’t receiving substantial physical activity, during a forty minute period of…physical activity.” That argument makes all too much sense in my opinion. But being a member in the lowest prong of the pyramid – the educational system pyramid – what good would my input have done? The school board developed this myth that the gym teachers weren’t challenging the students enough during the periods of laborious [ideally fun] activities. How ironic, considering they eliminated the Presidential Fitness testing, as it created hostility among students, and hurt the feelings of those who couldn’t do well in the challenge. I guess they compromised, for they created a single day, of the four days we were required to participate in gym and called it “Workout Wednesday”.
The plan fell apart within the first few weeks of the trial period. Maybe if they had selected another day, or another problem to combat…it would have worked. Obesity did not decrease the slightest and attitudes of students shifted to a negative and anti-physical activity/pro-health regime. Thanks a lot school board – that was strike one.
The school board also attacked our school store – one of the most profitable components of the high school’s system. So the board decided to remove all the fatty culprits: candy, pretzels, water, vitamin water, rice crispy treats, donuts, water, apples, tasty cakes, water, and pencils…all of this being said, I am implying that everything in the entire school store was removed. Once all was removed from the school store – the most obvious cause of obesity throughout America, the school board revised the entire cafeteria food calendar. Vegetables [dipped in a mildly light coat of grease] were offered to the students as an alternative option for French fries. The students rebelled and didn’t accept the new offerings…strike two for the school board.
No further strikes have been reported, so I'm assuming the school board is still at bat. Perhaps the board should reevaluate what is myth and what is fact more thoroughly next time....
My junior and senior years of high school, I was fortunate enough to be a witness to one of the most ridiculous attempts to form a revolution…in the history of my high school, possibly even the world – I’ll even go out on a limb and go as far as to say the universe. The obesity epidemic was starting to arise at that point in time, and many critics were speculating that it was all because of the children – the lazy children who sat around, eating, playing video games, going to school…doing what any sensible person may consider normal routine.
Our high school did not want to be accountable for this myth – obesity’s derivate was the education system.
So, our school board had two [genius] ideas in order to combat the problem. The board figured attacking the enemy in a dual-sided formation would be most effective. And…I’d be lying if I said it was.
First the school board attacked gym class. “Clearly the children aren’t receiving substantial physical activity, during a forty minute period of…physical activity.” That argument makes all too much sense in my opinion. But being a member in the lowest prong of the pyramid – the educational system pyramid – what good would my input have done? The school board developed this myth that the gym teachers weren’t challenging the students enough during the periods of laborious [ideally fun] activities. How ironic, considering they eliminated the Presidential Fitness testing, as it created hostility among students, and hurt the feelings of those who couldn’t do well in the challenge. I guess they compromised, for they created a single day, of the four days we were required to participate in gym and called it “Workout Wednesday”.
The plan fell apart within the first few weeks of the trial period. Maybe if they had selected another day, or another problem to combat…it would have worked. Obesity did not decrease the slightest and attitudes of students shifted to a negative and anti-physical activity/pro-health regime. Thanks a lot school board – that was strike one.
The school board also attacked our school store – one of the most profitable components of the high school’s system. So the board decided to remove all the fatty culprits: candy, pretzels, water, vitamin water, rice crispy treats, donuts, water, apples, tasty cakes, water, and pencils…all of this being said, I am implying that everything in the entire school store was removed. Once all was removed from the school store – the most obvious cause of obesity throughout America, the school board revised the entire cafeteria food calendar. Vegetables [dipped in a mildly light coat of grease] were offered to the students as an alternative option for French fries. The students rebelled and didn’t accept the new offerings…strike two for the school board.
No further strikes have been reported, so I'm assuming the school board is still at bat. Perhaps the board should reevaluate what is myth and what is fact more thoroughly next time....
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