Rolling past spring straight into summer...

May has proved to be a very busy month but I'm thinking it will not compare to June! The husband and I have spent just about every free moment planning our June excursions. These begin by meeting one of the husband's best friends in Frankfurt on the 30th of May. The husband has asked me to find something fun for us to do. Ohhh how about the Museum of German Architecture, I have been dying to go to that! To which I get a blank stare and a try again sweetie. So ... still working on that one.

June kicks of with my lovely sister, nieces, and cousin coming to spend two weeks with me. We'll be traveling around Germany and France. I'm really excited about this! I also just found out that my good friend from California will be in France the same time I am! I can't wait to catch up with them.

After the family leaves the husband and I will take off to Stockholm, Sweden for a week. After viewing a few of the Stockholm websites I must admit it looks fabulous! It was also voted the greenest city in the world for 2010. Every resident lives within 300 meters of a green space. That is insane! Perhaps we should look at moving to Stockholm?! Pictures will definitely get posted after this trip.

I recently finished reading Bridges of Madison County. That is a great book. I was sad to find out that Robert Kincaid is just a character... the author made him seem so real especially with the whole "I wrote this book because this story needs to be told blah blah blah." Or maybe I just get to engrossed with characters that I always try to make them real. Who knows.

I also finished Autobiography of a Fat Bride. Oh My Gosh that book was hilarious! I am already searching for Laurie Notaro's other books. I'm pretty sure I freaked the husband out a few times when I appeared to be rolling off the couch from laughing so hard.

Because of the lack of good television broadcasted by AFN we have pretty much stopped watching TV. Not a bad thing... just a weird thing considering how much crap we used to watch. I do watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I love that show! I wish all of America would wake up and stop feeding themselves and their children crap. The show inspired the husband and I to start eating fresh foods. I also started my own garden which luckily is still alive and actually producing really good stuff!

Well, I have ranted on enough for this week. I'm sure I'll have much more to discuss in a few days as I prepare for my company to arrive! Hope everyone has a great June - Auf Wiedersehen!

You Bad, Bad Blogger!

Well, I've been a bad blogger again... So, here goes for a massive update on what's going on. We finally had our living room furniture come in after ordering it about seven months ago. That was a major relief for me! Now I can finally have people over! I've walked in about six volksmarches which I really enjoy. I think my distance's have totaled 54 kilometers. I have a long way to go to 500 which is when you get a patch or something.

I haven't been reading that much this past month. I just joined a book club so I suppose that will change. I'm still plugging through the Watchmen. It is really good; it just furthers my assumption that I'm not really into superhero type graphic novels. The Heretic's Daughter is a great read! It's about the Salem Witch trials. I couldn't put it down. It is appalling to read about the trials and the stupidity of some people. I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This is nonfiction that deals with medicine and how it drastically changed because of one woman. The intriguing part is the woman never knew because they harvested her cells without her knowledge. I'm currently reading The Husband by Dean Koontz. So far so good; pretty much like the rest of his books.

We have not been traveling much because the husband has been having to work a lot lately. My sister, two nieces, and cousin are coming to visit the first two weeks in June. This should be a great time. I'm planning two small trips with them then we'll just do day trips the rest of the time.

I'm now on the lookout for a Modern - Classic sideboard for my living area. I know those are somewhat opposing styles but Modern in Europe is REALLY modern. Not that I don't like it because I do but it doesn't really go with the rest of the room. Also looking for a really stylish catch all tray for my coffee table. Looks like some shopping is in order!

My garden is actually growing without the assistance of my Californian neighbor's green thumb. I'm hoping it keeps growing so we can have fresh veggies this summer. I've discovered some strawberry plants growing in my yard as well. My cilantro and basil plants are huge and I've already started cooking with those. Yummy! Fresh is always better!

That is all for now... I promise to be a better blogger!

The one I left behind...

Last week I read Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. I have read all of Spark's novels and for some reason never picked this one up. I'm not sure how I missed it but somehow it got left behind. As usual Sparks cuts right to my core. I always end up crying at some point in his novels. This particular one was about finding love, appreciating the fact that it was found, and losing it. It really makes you appreciate the time you get to spend with the people you love.

So many of us forget to really appreciate those around us. I am very guilty of this. Without my husband and family I know I would not be who I am today. So, if any of them are reading this...

I love you and Thank You for Being You!!!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Recently the husband and I decided to try our first volksmarch. We went with some friends to Rothenburg ob der Tauber and participated in their annual volksmarch through the old city. This is definitely one of my top ten places to visit!! Rothenburg ob der Tauber literally translates to "Red Fortress above the Tauber." The Tauber refers to the Tauber river that runs through the town. The medieval old town is spectacular. The fortress walls that surround the city were constructed in the early 1400s and still stand today. We were able to walk along the wall and view the city from above. The majority of the homes and businesses in the old town are original as well. We actually passed one home that was constructed in 1010!


Volksmarch in German translates to "peoples march." It is a way to enjoy the outdoors and socialize with others. We participated in an 11K walk throughout and around the old city. I would highly recommend this to anyone who really wants to see every aspect of a city such as this. We walked for about 4 hours and saw everything there is to see. We saw ruins that weren't even listed on most maps!


Now a days there are volksmarches all over the world, year around. In the book I bought it even lists the ones in the states so people from home can participate too! I'm already planning our next one - hopefully in a couple of weeks in Trier. For those of you thinking of visiting Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is true Germany at it's finest!

On another note, we stayed at a beir hotel outside of the city. Beir hotels are all over Germany. They are old breweries that you can stay usually inexpensively. This particular one started brewing in the 1400s. According to my husband, the beer was excellent. He bought some to bring home with us. The rooms were all nice along with the staff. The food was phenomenal! We had dinner there and they offer a complimentary breakfast in the morning. It was all very good and over all an outstanding weekend!

sleepless nights

Monday evening I was extremely excited to bring home my latest addition to our small family. I have wanted a dog for as long as I can remember because I was raised with dogs. However, due to the lack of a proper yard and European social "laws" of keeping a dog indoors I was forced to choose a different companion.

The husband and I decided to adopt a cat; we have had one before that was not bad and actually quite easy to get along with. Randy is a completely different story. I'm not sure if it's because he is male and Zoe was female?! I could see that being a reason. Or it could be because Zoe was thought to be a much older cat and Randy is only 11 months old. Or it could be because he is the spawn of Satan... who knows!


All we do know is from the hours of 6 AM to 1AM he is a normal cat. He lounges around, wants to play, lies on your lap, etc. When the clock strikes 1, he changes to demon cat. The first night he broke two of my favorite vases (I know I should have moved them because they were on a wobbly table so that was my fault). The second night I chose to get up with him when he started his howling and head butting so that the husband could get some much needed sleep before his PT test. The third night he did a little better but I was still forced to get up with him because he wouldn't leave the husband alone and I was starting to get the feeling he was about to get more than pillows thrown at him.

Last night I decided to try the ignore his howling, head butting, biting, etc thinking this would show him who's boss. All started well; the clock struck 1 he started his crazies, husband and I tactfully ignore him. It took about an hour for the silly thing to somehow trap himself behind the husbands dresser thus making a disgruntled husband get up and move the dresser. The rest of the night was all about the same stuff. He eventually fell asleep a couple of times with us. We woke this morning and he had somehow pulled out a drawer and climbed in behind it to sleep his precious hour before we have to wake up.

As soon as day breaks he's the sweetest cat ever. He's a lot of fun and we really enjoy him. We just really need to adjust his sleep schedule if he plans on taking up residence. Needless to say this further proves the husbands and my theory that we have no business having children!!

Perspectives

I began reading graphic novels last Spring when I took a class at SJSU that dealt with graphic novels. I must admit I was skeptical at first; I had the perception that graphic novels were just fancied up comic books and I had no desire to read about super heroes. I was soon proven very wrong.

The first graphic novel I read was Pride of Baghdad. The GN describes how a zoo in Badhdad was bombed during the beginning of the war. It is told through the eyes of a lion pride. The GN is based on a true story. The story is extremely emotional and detailed. The page layout and colors used add to the overall mood of the plot. This GN changed how I felt about GN's instantly!

I have read several sense then (Maus, Maus II, Shooting Wars, etc.) all of which are very good. Particularly Maus and Maus II! Those are must reads. They are a personal description of the Holocaust. As one can only guess they are both very emotional.

Recently I have read Persepolis. Marjane Satrapi tells her story of growing up in Iran during constant war and tyrants. This GN gives a completely new perspective of Iran people. I understand that this is one persons opinions but I could not agree with her more. The idea that a woman's hair could stimulate men is preposterous! Her school teachers were absurd. With every new change of power the school system would also change to accommodate. This meant that one year she was taught something then the next year she was taught to hate it. The GN ends with Satrapi moving to Vienna and leaving her family behind.

I really enjoyed this GN. I have found that I prefer to read non-fiction in the form of Graphic Novels. The imagery adds so much to the words and really creates a page turner. I would recommend Persepolis to anyone and really encourage people to give GN's a chance. Not all are about superheros!

Destiny, Fate, & Death

I finished Skylight Confessions about a week ago and am still debating on how I felt about the book. This novel, by Alice Hoffman, was indeed a page turner and at times a tear jerker. The story is extremely emotional which is odd because the majority of the characters have/show no emotions. The lack of emotions of the characters seems to draw the reader in, enabling you to react to situations in your own way.

Death seemed to appear through out the entire novel. Once finished I was certain that I didn't enjoy the book because all but two characters died. However, now that I think back I am beginning to see the book in a different light. Fate is fate. You can create your own destiny and this destiny relies on the choices you make.

This post is pretty general because I am still debating on how I really feel about this book. Perhaps a re-read will adhere to a better analysis.

Relentlessly Captivated

After re-reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series again, and again, I decided it was time to move on from Jamie and Claire for the time being... that is until she comes out with the graphic novel and next book. Recently my sister mailed me Dean Koontz's Relentless so I decided to pick that one up this week. I actually have several of Koontz books but have yet to read them. I must admit, this was a great addition to my small but growing library.

Yet again crime, mystery, and a little bit of love remains to be my favorite combination! I was engrossed from the very beginning. It is always interesting to switch from reading a female perspective to a males. I particularly enjoyed Milo, the small genius child character in the book. His personality is so unique and I can't help thinking, if I ever do choose to have children I really hope they're just like Milo!

The fact that this novel is one that "could" happen in our day and time is somewhat scary. I'm always curious about underground organizations and I feel it is always healthy to question our government. But alas, it is still just fiction.

Back to Blogging

I originally created this blog as part of a summer course at SJSU a couple of years ago. Recently I have decided I should start this up again as a creative outlet. If I have any readers I hope I do not bore you to death and you find some interest in what I post. I would like to add that all of the previous posts were done because they were assignments for the class I was in; they do not interest me in particular. I have not quite decided exactly what I'll rant about ... most likely books, music, products, architecture and design. Those are my interests and hobbies. Oh and I must add travel since I've been doing a lot more of that lately. If I have any readers.. stay tuned! There will be more to come! :)

Wal-Mart vs Sheryl Crow

I have known for a long time that Wal-Mart did not carry certain CD’s that they felt were inappropriate or held the title, “Parental Advisory.” Wal-Mart’s credo is “saving people money so they can live better.” Wal-Mart values itself on being family oriented and providing values for all your home needs. Wal-Mart is the second largest distributer of music in the United States. When a power such as this does not sell CD’s because of their lyrics, it becomes a controversial topic.

Sheryl Crow released an album in 1996 that Wal-Mart refused to sell because of the following lyrics:
“Watch out sister
Watch out brother
Watch our children as they kill each other
With a gun they bought at the Wal-Mart discount stores.”

This particular incident I do not agree with Wal-Mart. The CD is not bad and the message of the song is not what it appears at first. However, I do agree that they should have a choice with what they sell. If I owned a major company, I would carefully choose my products so that my values were not compromised. Also, the majority of the CD’s that have the Parental Advisory label already have released edited versions for the radio stations. They are the same copies that Wal-Mart receives.

Everyone has a choice as to what they want to listen to or what they want to sell. I support Wal-Marts right to choose what kind of music they sell just as I exercise my right to not buy music there.

Guess Who's Coming Dinner

Racism is an issue that America has faced for decades and Kramer’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” really shows how silly the whole issue of skin color is. This film is a classic film that depicts how life in the 1960’s really was.

It is interesting to note that at the time of the film interracial marriage was still illegal in seventeen states in the USA. The film starts out by introducing the new couple Joey Drayton (Katherine Houghton) and Dr. John Wade Prentice (Sidney Poitier). Of course, Dr. Prentice is black, very well educated, and virtually a perfect except for his skin color. Kramer leaves no reason to dislike Dr. Prentice for the very purpose of pointing out racism. The turmoil begins when the couple meets Miss Drayton’s parents. Both are shocked but react slightly different.

It is also intriguing that the black maid hired by the Drayton’s is also hostile toward Dr. Prentice. African Americans at the time had discrimination problems among themselves also. His parents, who flew in to have dinner with the Drayton’s were not so content with the idea of an interracial marriage either. It was very uncommon in that time.

Once all the families have met they must decide whether they agree to the marriage of the couple or not. If they agree, they will be married but if not then Dr. Prentice will leave. This decision is the climax of the movie and definitely puts the audience on the edge of their seats.

The over all quality of the film is typical of its time. The acting is ho-hum and the comedy is a little corny. However, the over all message of the film still carries through and is the reason the film is a classic. The message will always be relevant until the country finally wakes up and realizes that racism is stupid. This film was one of the greats of its time and no doubt worth watching today.

Hulu

I was recently exposed to Hulu, a website designed to showcase past TV programs and movies. I must say that I am impressed. I think this is a great idea for networks to jump on board with. It is much easier for people to watch older episodes of their favorite shows and movies. I was skeptical at first but it really is pretty neat.

There are some things that I do not like about Hulu. I must clarify this is not against Hulu itself, more so in general. I do not enjoy watching movies or TV shows on my computer. It hurts my eyes to stare at my computer screen for that long. I could probably sit through a TV show but not a movie. I know some will say that there are bigger screens and other devices I could use. This is all I have now and I do not want to invest the money in it right now. Another concern of mine is my computer stopping sometimes to rebuff or process something. It happens frequently with YouTube and videos from CNN also. This is probably because my computer is cheap and not the best in the world. However, it does not change the fact that it is really annoying to be watching something and my computer stops to “think” about it.

Other than those two downsides, I think Hulu is a really good thing. I do feel that TV is losing its edge and it is really nice to watch a program with minimal commercial breaks. Hulu is free which is a major plus for its viewers. Once most networks jump on board with this it could really change the way we watch our programs. It is going to be interesting to see if how all this changes over the next decade.

Tim Robbins and the Death of Television

After watching Tim Robbins speech or rather listening to it, I must admit that it did remind me of the speech given by Edward Murrow. They are basically saying the same thing- Please stop showing crap television! I really like the fact that Tim Robbins gave this speech at the National Broadcasters Association because those are the people that needed to hear it.

I do not care for reality TV and I think the television community has gone overboard with it. The only reality TV show that I consume is American Idol and I must say that I only catch it when it’s on. I do watch Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader… I am not sure if that is a reality show or game show… I’m going with game.

Most of the programs listed today are crap. Survivor is so unbelievable to me. I tried to watch it once and I can not believe that they are doing what they do. I think it is all staged and it makes the contestants look really bad. Recently, Fox started a new reality show called Moment of Truth. I am not surprised that it did not last because it was terrible. It broke up marriages, tore apart families, and humiliated people just so they could make a few thousand.

Television needs to re-vamp their listings and go back to what they know is good. It might be more expensive to produce but it is better for society. But… they didn’t listen to Murrow just like they probably won’t listen to Robbins. So if television goes down the toilet… they have no one to blame but themselves.

Water For Elephants

Social classes are ways that our society groups individuals according to our standards of living or income. In the book, Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen writes about one person’s life, Jacob Jankowski, and the way social classes have shaped him. Two different phases of Jacob’s life are discussed: his past and his present. Both chapters of his life depict social classes and there effects on people. Social classes exist because society creates them; depending on the ways people deal with them, they can have good and bad effects.

Jacob Jankowski was born into a middle class family, on his way to become a veterinarian with an Ivy League education. When his parents died he lost everything and found himself working for a circus. His social class status immediately dropped to the lowest class. There were two levels of social classes on the circus train: the performers and the workers. Jacob was immediately classified as a worker because he did not have any money or any belongings. Camel, another roustabout (worker) on the train, was able to secure Jacob a job with the rest of them.

Once the leaders of the circus, Uncle Al and August, found out that Jacob was a veterinarian his social class stepped up a notch. He was allowed to share sleeping quarters with Walter Kinko, a performer. Walter still thought of Jacob as a roustabout and did not like the thought of them sharing rooms. Jacob was also allowed to eat in the performer’s tent and carry on regular conversations with the performers. When Jacob fell in love with Augusts’ wife, turmoil began between Jacob and August. This relationship made him drop back to low class.

Jacob falling in love with Marlena was a major turning point in the novel. It was uncommon for a middle class woman or performer to have a relationship with a working class man. This relationship made heads turn in both classes on and off the train. Jacob was constantly warned about the consequences but he was already in too deep. When they found out that Marlena was pregnant, they knew they had to escape and find somewhere to go. This was when it really set in that he was working class and no one was really able to help them.

The performers and the workers always experienced a kind of friction between them. Jacob had to work his way up the classes on the circus train. This made him appreciate the lower classes on the train and remain friendly with them. Jacob knew that performers did not interact with roustabouts but because he was once one of them, he knew them for who they were; not by their class level. This established a certain quality in Jacob that helped shape his future. Jacob had a better understanding of social classes than most people.

It is also interesting when it comes to payday that only the performers get regularly paid. The workers get “redlighted” and the majority of the time they would go for up to four weeks with out pay. When payday came around for Jacob, he did not get paid because of his class level. This was intriguing because being the circus vet, he was above the roustabouts but somehow not at the same level as the performers. It was almost as if he were in an entire class of his own.

In the present time of Gruen’s novel, Jacob is in a nursing home waiting for the circus to come to town. It is interesting to observe the social classes that exist in the nursing home as well. The nurses and doctors represent the middle class or superior class while the patients represent the under class. The nurses tend to treat the patients like children and usually do not allow them to make decisions for themselves.

Several instances occur where Jacob gets very aggravated with the nurses not allowing him to do what he wanted to do. When another patient was telling lies about carrying water for elephants, Jacob called him out on it because he knew he was lying. This prompted the nurses to immediately remove him from the table and take him back to his room. The nurses punished him like he was a child and did not allow him to even explain himself. Many times Jacob would try to walk down the hallway to peer out the window and a nurse would instantly bring him his wheelchair because they did not think he could walk on his own.

Rosemary, Jacob’s favorite nurse, appears to be what Jacob was in his past. She is the middle-man between the two classes. Rosemary always smoothes things over between the other nurses and Jacob in order to keep the peace. She also treats Jacob like an adult instead of a child and allows him to do things his way. She even snuck food to his room that he was normally not allowed to have in order to make him more comfortable. It is very disappointing to learn that Rosemary will soon be leaving and Jacob will be left with the other nurses. I think this is why he left with the circus in the end; he knew she would not be there and did not feel he had much to go back to.

Social classes are rarely a good aspect of communities. They create prejudice and hostility between people who do not know each other’s situation. In Jacob’s situation, working his way up the social classes reshaped his life and made him a better person. If everyone worked their way up and were not simply born into wealth, perhaps more people would appreciate the working class and blue collar people. Other people who remain in the lower class or are always in the upper class never learn to appreciate the value of other people. Social classes will always exist because society will always have the millionaires and the burger flippers. Whether this is good or bad is determined by how a person views the other classes and their individual worth.

Green Washing

I am an interior design student here at San Jose State University and have recently decided that I want to practice green design after I graduate. I am already a Build It Green member and working on my LEED certification. One thing that every organization and green designer has told me repeatedly is to watch out for “green washing.” Since being green became popular, every company has “gone green.” However, most of the companies are not actually green. Just because you sell bamboo flooring does not make you green. I have learned to ask many questions. What do you use to install the bamboo flooring? What chemicals are used when making the flooring? Formaldehyde? (GROSS! But is typically used!) Most importantly, where did it come from and how is your business green?

If you do a quick Google search on ‘green marketing,’ these are the types of sites that will come up: J. Ottman Consulting and Marketing Green. Both sites demonstrate that green marketing can boost your sales and recommend that companies market green. However, just because you are marketing green does not mean your green!

With all the new “green” products in the stores now and the over-all green movement, people are starting to become more skeptical. It is like a couple of years ago when everything was low-fat. Eat a chocolate bar, it’s low-fat so it has to be good for you. The public is starting to be able to tell the difference between the real green products and the imposters.

Another Rant on Censorship

We recently discussed in class about the ALA and the idea of banning books from the public. I think it is preposterous to think that the government has the right to decide what we get to read. Isn’t this against the idea of free speech and press? I have always enjoyed reading and I think I have a clear understanding of what type of reading I prefer. I do not need the government telling me what type of book or that the content of a book is too bad for me.

While visiting the ALA website I noticed a quote from Judy Blume that stated: “It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.” I think this quote really sums up what banning books does to the writers of books. Eventually, writer’s are only going to write what they know will not be censored because they do not want their book to be banned. Will the books even be good then?

The list of most frequently challenged books on the ALA website literally made me laugh. Goose Bumps by R.L. Stein are on the list. I read all the Goose Bumps when I was young and I do not remember anything bad about them. They are mysteries, not gory or bad in any way.

After we discussed banning books in class on Monday I came across this article on CNN about Rome banning the filming of ‘Angels and Demons.’ They were not allowed to film because the movie (and I quote directly from the article) “does not conform to our views.” It is a fictional movie, not in any way intended to be a true story. However, because the fictional story does not conform to their views, it is now allowed.

If I want to read a book, I will read it. I do not choose to read pornographic material or other ‘bad’ books by my standards. It should be up to the reader or viewer to decide what they read or watch, not up to the government.

Death of the Newspaper! OH NO!

When we recently discussed newspapers and how they’re near extinction I got to thinking of when the last time I actually read a newspaper. I can not, for the life of me, remember when I last picked up a newspaper. I read cnn.com everyday online, then I read Drudge Report (which may not be an underground blog anymore but his headlines and stories are usually one’s that I want to read). I know that may Dad reads the newspaper everyday and my grandparents but the husband and I really have no use for one because we just read news online now.

I was discussing this with the husband last night and we were trying to figure out when they will stop printing newspapers. I see no need for them considering they put all their stories on line. I realize that they can not completely stop printing them because there are older people who still depend on them.

To understand the topic a little better I called my Grandma up to see what she thought about it. She was appalled that I would even consider getting rid of the newspaper. After all, how was she supposed to hear about what was going on? I did not even bring up the fact that it is all online now because that would require me to teach it to her. I have been teaching her how to use email for the past two years and I know anything else would just completely confuse her.

I decided to call my Dad to see what he thought about no more newspaper. He did not have much of an opinion on the matter because for some odd reason he reads both. He says that he receives the paper daily and reads it cover to cover. Then, he goes to work and gets online and skims the articles there too; just in case he missed anything. So- apparently my Dad REALLY cares about what’s going on in news!

After talking to the people who actually read the paper, I talked to people my age who I know do not read the paper. Most of my friends stated that they read cnn.com daily or frequently to catch up on national and global news. We came to a consensus that local news is kind of boring and we just really don’t care. If there is something going on that is really important here, like a wildfire or something, I’ll watch the news program on TV. More often then not, if the news is that big, it will be on one of the news cites that I read online.

I do think that the newspaper is going extinct and I think sooner than later they will have to stop printing it because of cost and lack of subscribers. So, take note, my prediction is the newspaper will stop being printed on Jan 10, 2020. (For the record, I just pulled that number out of my ass. But I’m feeling lucky.)

Watch out! Your neighbor's a terrorist.

Good Night & Good Luck was released on October 14, 2005. While recently watching it, I could not help but realize that there are several reasons a movie like this would be released at such a time. Its ideas and story line match much of what is going on today.

The plot is a true story about a CBS news reporter, Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly. They have a show on CBS titled, "See it Now." Murrow and Friendly tackle controversial topics that typically would not be seen on television at the time. They eventually start overturning dirt on the Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy was an anti-communist who tried to accuse everyone of communist’s affiliation. He was ruining many American's lives and thanks to Murrow, McCarthy lost popularity and everyone turned against him.

In the 1950's everyone was scared of communists because of the war and no one wanted to be accused of being a communists. If you had ever sympathized with communists or even read their newspaper, you were profiled and watched because you were a threat to National Security.

After 9/11, anyone who wore a towel around there head was a terrorists. Also, if you sympathized with Iraq or Afghanistan in any way, you are a terrorists. This is ridiculous because you can not judge an entire population based on a small group that went bad. Recently Rachael Ray was accused of being a terrorist because of a scarf she wore! I have seen the ad, and I must admit that I had no clue that it resembled anything. I do not know the Arab attire or whatever it was rather I just thought it was a cute scarf. I hope I do not put something on and am accused of terrorism... I guess we need to start researching our clothes before we purchase them?!? Wow- shopping just lost its appeal.

American Censorship

Recently Yazmany Arboleda attempted to showcase a pair of art exhibitions in Manhattan titled, “The Assassination of Hillary Clinton” and “The Assassination of Barack Obama.” The police in that area almost immediately closed the exhibition on the basis of censorship. The Secret Service were also present and held Mr. Arboleda for questioning most of the day and did not allow him to answer questions from reporters for some time.

This is American Censorship at its worst. This is completely going against the freedom of speech which is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. After viewing the content personally on the artist’s websites, it is quite obvious that the police closed the exhibition on the basis of the title alone and not the content of the galleries. Mr. Arboleda stated that the art was supposed to portray character assassination by the media and the word ‘assassination’ should not be taken literally. The content for both exhibitions, Obama and Clinton, could be described as provocative and perhaps a bit lewd. But in my opinion the two worst offenses were a description as Hillary Clinton as, "The Antidote to Niggeritis” and a sprawling picture of a gargantuan black penis at the Obama gallery intended to reference some of the common stereotypes associated with black males. All things considered, this is not terribly shocking material. It is not uncommon, and is a form of art.

Mr. Arboleda may have been toeing the line on what is considered acceptable among the American public by using a few edgy words and showing a giant penis. But can you not go to your neighborhood video store and rent videos that are much more graphic and use coarser language than what was presented by Mr. Arboleda? These videos are not censored and are readily available for purchase. So why would Mr. Arboleda’s art exhibit be censored and closed when it is only showing what is already available for people see everyday if they so choose? This is just another ridiculous example of the American government trying to tell its citizens how to live their lives. It should not have been censored and the government needs to focus on more important things.

Millennials: A Broad Generalization

On May 25, 2007 Morley Safer reported “The Millennials are Coming” on 60 Minutes on CBS. Safer reported that Millennials are people born between 1980 and 1995 (The "Millennials" Are Coming. 2007) . They are lazy, self absorbed and taking over the work force (The "Millennials" Are Coming. 2007) . It is said that they are this way because of hovering parents constantly taking care of them and promising them perfection. I was born in 1986; does this make me a Millennial?

Part of Safer’s description of Millennials holds true to me but some of it is completely wrong. The fact that Millennials have never punched a time clock is absurd (The "Millennials" Are Coming. 2007) . Many of my friends and I have all worked. I was raised at an early age to begin working and the only way I could obtain the things that I wanted was to work for it.
Also, Safer talked about college graduates moving back in with their parents after graduation (The "Millennials" Are Coming. 2007) . I would not dream of moving in with my parents after I graduate. I moved out three months after my high school graduation and enjoy my independence.

Another discussion that Safer brought up was not settling for an undesired job. I do agree with this aspect (The "Millennials" Are Coming. 2007) . After graduation, I will enter the workforce and hopefully find the perfect job for the time being. However, I am not naïve and know that the perfect job will more than likely not be my first. It might take several jobs to find the one that fits me best and I am okay with that. I would rather do it now then later when I am more settled.

Hovering parents is a hot topic when discussing Millennials. Almost everyone agrees that obsessive parents are a key aspect of the millennial generation (Winograd & Hais, 2008). I will admit, my parents did do some hovering in middle school and high school. However, after I graduated I was on my own to make my own decisions and handle issues the way I see fit.

The millennials is the largest generation in U.S. history and very diverse. They are active in politics and have set records for voting this year alone (Brownstein, 2000). Politics are very important to me and I take voting very serious. I do not consider myself a republican or democrat but listen to all the speeches and make my decision based of that.

Am I a Millennial? I think I am but I also think that the definition of a Millennial is skewed and broad. My definition of a Millennial: Someone born between 1980 and 1995, who works hard, uses the latest technology, is active in politics, and is not afraid to constantly try to find the perfect fit for themselves.

References
Textor, K. (Producer), & . (2007). The "Millennials" Are Coming. [Video/DVD] CBS.
Brownstein, A. (2000). The Next Great Generation? Chronicle of Higher Education, 47(7), A71. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=3669377&loginpage=login.asp&site=ehost-live
Winograd, M., & Hais, M. D. (2008, Feb 2, 2008). The boomers had their day. Make way for the millennials. [Electronic version]. Washington Post, pp. B01. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020102826.html