"The Divided States of America"

The Civil War helped shape part of American culture through the abolition of slavery. It seperated the North and the South into two very seperate worlds with a strong opposition for each other. This created stereotypes and hatred toward each side. After years of fighting in prejudice, the Union slid out with a fortunate victory. This close battle still leaves America questioning, what would have happened if the Union had not pulled through to win the victory over the Confederacy?

The idea of slavery to this day is atrocious. The inequality of men because of race or sex is unimaginable with how society has transformed today, but if the Confederacy had won the Civil War, slavery would be a harsh reality. Slaveholders would have control of many slave trades, and the cotton industry, along with many others, would be prosperous. The owners of these trades would be filthy rich and greedy. Powerful white men would likely flock to the South to invest in their own cotton or tobacco tycoons and make fortunes. Millions of African slave boats would ship out weekly. A laborious cycle of production and service would be maintained, not to mention the questionable moral issues.

America may not be America if the South had won the Civil War. The land would still be split into the Confederacy and the Union, not the United States. How many states would there even be? Would Texas belong to Mexico? Think of all the hatred and propoganda each side would have against each other. The North and the South will likely be bitter towards each other after the war, similar to the hatred shared between Muslims and Jews. The South could even force slavery upon the North or enslave Northerners themselves with the power they had after winning the war. Would there truly be freedom in America?

It would be impossible to imagine the capability slaveholders would have these days. The new technology and techniques of the ages would enhance their production. The question is, would many of these technological advances have been possible without the help of African Americans? So much of American culture and discovery has been influenced by African Americans. They play a major role in our music, movie, food, inventing, engineering, and sports industries. They influence the American lifestyle with their own diverse culture. African Americans have given this country a history different from any other country in this world. The United States is the first to have an African American president, an achievement otherwise impossible except for the victory in the Civil War.

If the South had won the Civil War, the world would be a much different place. Whether it would have been for the better or not is never for sure, but things happen for a reason. The equal society created among us today was the way it is supposed to be. It is always a reassuring thought to know that no matter how scary it is to think of how things could have been, that it is not the way they are.

Music: An American Fascination

Whenever you switch on your television, or go to the movies, or sometimes even just walk down the street, something is always there. Whether it's the subject of a certain thing, or just providing ambiance to an otherwise quiet subject, music is a constant medium to daily life. Commercials play and you hear a catchy jingle behind the advertising of the product featured. At the movies, various musical numbers provide emotional cues to scenes of sadness, happiness, or anything in between. Even just driving in the car, most of the programs on the radio feature music instead of news shows.

Why is this though? Why do we, as a culture, enjoy music so much? There are many answers to this question. On a purely scientific standpoint, music has been proven to change your mood (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1428802/how_music_affects_your_mood.html). By listening to classical music, you can feel more calm, relaxed, and productive. On the other side of the spectrum though, people who listen to country music regularly have a higher chance of depression and suicide when compared to people who don't.

From a purely cultural standpoint though, it's all up to personal interpretation. Types of music that is popular changes with age and area, so no concrete statement can be said about what music is better. In the southern United States, jazz and country are more popular in the south, while rap and rock tend to have a larger audience in the northern regions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_United_States). You can see music's affect on how we perceive the people of each region though. When you think of someone from the south, what do you think? Most people would say something about country music. When you think of someone from any large city, a lot of the time people would assume they listen to rap or rock music.

Why can something like music affect the various way we think about people? As I stated before, music can affect your mood, so why would it be unheard of to affect your social ideas too? It wouldn't be all that hard to believe. Simple ideas about how people from a different area act would probably be easier to change then how you actually feel about something.

Another thing is, music can be a medium between different cultures. The way we hear a musical number is the same as anyone in the entire world hears it, despite living in different areas or cultures. In this way, you can see how music can connect people. It can bring us all together, help us see eye to eye, and show us that despite differences, everyone is the same when it comes to the simplest of things, music.

Marilyn Monroe.. Most Famous Woman?

America is the best country in the world in my opinion, but what makes a great country? I believe that the American people are the reason why America has succeeded. Marilyn Monroe was without a doubt the biggest celebrity in the 1950's, but I also believe she is the most famous woman of the century. She was an amazing person in many ways, she could sing, act, & was undoubtedly beautiful. Her life had ups & downs but in the end, she was an inspiration to many men & women.
Marilyn Monroe's childhood was not an easy one. She was born to a mentally unsteady mother, not knowing who her father was. Later on, her mother was committed to an insane asylum and Marilyn was thrown into the foster kid life. Bouncing around from foster parents to foster parents, she married a neighbor young man when her last pair of foster parents were going to move away.

Shortly after Marilyn's husband, who she called Daddy, went away to serve in the military, she started working odd jobs. Once, a photographer came and took pictures of working women, he said she was a "photographer's dream". After, he sent other photographers her way and helped her find jobs to model. She divorced Daddy after five years of marriage to pursue bigger modeling dreams and within a year was on the cover of some major magazines. After being successful in modeling, she wanted to move on to something bigger and better, acting!

In the beginning of her acting career she married baseball player, Joe Dimaggio. They were together nine months and divorced because of his jealousy of her sexy reputation. Her third marriage was to playwright Authur Miller. For their marriage, Marilyn converted to Judaism. They only lasted four years and were said to have divorced for many reasons. Some being that she was cheating, doing drugs, drinking too much, and also that she had depression from several miscarriages she had, and the death of her costar, Clark Gable.

Marilyn Monroe was either the most important or one of the most important women of the 20th century. Even today she is known by almost everyone. Saying hear name immediately makes people think "talented" and "beautiful". I believe that people like Marilyn Monroe represent American in a way. Some may think that is a bad example, but I like to look at the good things she contributed to this country. Marilyn Monroe, I think, was the most important woman of the 20th century and will live on forever in her movies and by her reputation.

EFF IT

You are walking down the noisy hallway at school and you hear someone yell "What the f***?!" at the top of their lungs. Without even realizing it, you continue on your way to your next class as if nothing happened. Halfway through class your teacher announces to you and the rest of the class that you all are assigned a one page essay due at the beginning of class the next day. The person sitting next to you exclaims in a low tone "Are you s****ing me??" Others in the class let out somewhat of a chuckle. The teacher hears the remark but instead of taking action towards the student and their vulgar language, she decides instead to scold them and forget about the problem along with the other students. While these may have been small issues of the usage of vulgar language, it leads to the much bigger issue of inappropriate language and its frequent occurrence in our every day culture.

Why is it that we feel the necessity to use such an inappropriate vocabulary day in and day out? Every day we hear curse words being used. It’s not anything new. Could the reason behind our modern day vocabulary be due to the fact that kids today have an enormous lack of self-expression? If you think about it, it is much easier for most teenagers to use an expletive rather than explain the purpose behind their own frustrations.

What most teenagers do not realize is that through the over use of profanity they reveal a negative connotation of their own personal characteristics and morals. Carelessness in their language shows a lackadaisical attitude towards their life in general. Not only does it prove them irresponsible, it suggests that they have neglect towards their own intelligence. It shows that the individual who chooses to use this language is irresponsible because they could not care less about what comes out of their mouth. No intelligent person would walk into a job interview and drop the F-bomb throughout the course of that interview. It would leave a bad impression on the person that is performing the interview. Why then, is it okay for the teacher to dismiss the student’s behavior without taking any appropriate disciplinary action? In doing so, the teacher is simply promoting the student to continue their terrible habit of using such language.

In the society that which we live in, we hear such crude and vulgar language everywhere we go, and in everything we do. It is an example of the negative and rash culture of our up and coming generation. If we as people are not fixing the problem when it arises, than we are just making it known that we approve of such vocabulary coming from the young people of our society. And if in fact we are telling them that it is alright, than they will continue to use this crass and pointless vernacular for many more years to come.

Colors That Kill

Since the early ages of America, gangs have been prominent in the states. However, back then they weren’t so much gangs as they were rebels. In the old days they were referred to as outlaws, bandits, pirates and thugs. Those were the beginning days of Americas gang problem. During the 1800’s gangs weren’t too big of a threat. Most would commit a few small crimes here and there. All of that changed one day in December of 1865 when six men started a social club that would become one of America’s most powerful and feared gangs of all time. The year 1865 was the birth of one of the most famous gangs in American history the Ku Klux Klan. During the highest point in this gang’s time there were as many as three million members, but the gang’s untouchable attitude would soon cause the gang to destroy itself and nearly caused it to end entirely. The Ku Klux Klan, however, would only be the beginning of America’s gang problem.
In 1899 a boy was born by the name of Alphonse Capone and later would become one of the most famous mobsters of all time. It was because of guys like him, Johnny Torrio and Lucky Luciano that another famous gang would sky rocket its way to the top of gangs in America. Founded by Paolo Antonini Vaccarelli, The Five Points Gang, was like the minor leagues of the mob. With the help of second in command Johnny Torrio it became the most significant gang to form in the United States ever. A few years later Al Capone would be called to help manage Chicagoland mob territories. This would move Capone to Chicago where he would go down in history as the most violent and prolific gangster in Chicago, if not the most in the country.
In the early 90’s gangs started to take off with the arrival of new immigrants. Most gangs were formed in the poverty stricken areas of the country also known as the ghetto. The majority of the gangs and gang members consisted of Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans. This is the time in which gangs flourished and started popping up everywhere across the country. New gangs were forming daily and each with its own desire for power. Such famous gangs that were created during this time include: Vice Lords, Savage Skulls, La Familia, Savage Nomads, Rampers, Black Gangsters, Devil’s Disciples, Black P Stone Rangers, Gangster Disciples, Black Gangster Disciples and La Eme. By the late 1980’s and early 1990’s the drug networks were in full motion and drug importation from Southeast Asia and Colombia were at its peak. This is when street gangs developed into drug gangs with more businesslike operations and violence becoming a standard operating procedure for the gangs. With the rise of drugs and violence came the rise of super gangs( large , multi cultural street gangs) such as: Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips and now the biggest gang in America MS-13. Nowadays gangs are anywhere and everywhere. No matter where you go you will find gangs which means you will also find drugs, violence and murder. You can even look towards the media to find gangs glorified. Such famous gangsters include 2pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Birdman and so on. Each uses their music to express themselves and their lives back when they were more profound in the gang life. You can even see how it affects the youth of the nation. More and more kids are trying to act, talk, and dress more “gangsta”. You can see from such things like these how big of an impact gangs have influenced our culture even if we didn’t know it.

Tupac Amaru Shakur, dead or alive?

Tupac Amaru Shakur, or just commonly known as Tupac, is arguably one of the most influential hip-hop artists to ever hit America. Tupac has created true American Literature without even realizing it. He didn’t ever think he would be one of the greatest artists to ever walk the earth. Without Tupac ever performing, there would not be most of the music you see today and then one night, on September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot in a drive by outside of a theater four times. The theater Tupac was at was a public theater that people watched fights at. It was a very public place, and whenever Tupac went out, he ALWAYS wore a bulletproof vest. No matter what the circumstance he always did. So why did he take it off for this night where he knew he was going to be around a lot of people? Six days later after being on life support, Tupac was officially claimed “dead”. (http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/s/tupacshakur/tupacshakur.htm)

Did Tupac really die? I do not believe so. How is it that when someone dies, they can still make records? His first album after his supposed death was that very November of 2006. Yes the album could have been the one he was working on before his death, but why would his first couple of songs be related to a philosopher by the name of Niccol Machiavelli, who believed faking a death was the perfect way to contain enemies. In that album was a song by the name of “I ain’t mad at cha,” which in the video of that song is in heaven as an Angel. Isn’t that a little bit suspicious? Even more suspicious about that video is that in it, Tupac was shot coming out of a theater, very similar to how he died. Then just one year later, that very next November, Tupac’s album “R U Still Down” was released. The album was not the only thing that was released that November. How can it be that someone who is dead could be in three music videos 14 months after their death? Yes Tupac was an extremely skilled artist, and maybe he made these videos before his death and took until then to be released. Maybe the first two albums after his death were just in memory of him, but what about the third album after his death? Just another year after the second album in November of 1998, Tupac’s album “2pac’s Greatest” was released with SIX new tracks on it. Why were those six tracks not on the other twp albums that were released after his death? Also, how is it that in an album over two years after his death, Tupac has tracks talking about the movie Armageddon? And in another track Tupac congratulated the Denver Broncos on winning the Super Bowl? Both of those things occurred quite a bit of time after Tupac’s “death.” Also in a lot of Tupac’s songs, he talks about being buried. If he wanted to be buried so badly, why was he cremated ONE day after dying? And who is cremated just a single day after a murder case? I don’t know about you, but I think it is all pretty suspicious to me. Tupac: one of the greatest artists the world has known, the creator of hip-hop, a hero to many has not died. Not yet.

(http://www.trap17.com/index.php/tupac-shakur-alive_t20986.html)

Drug Culture

When mentioned to most Americans, the phrase “drug culture” will bring thoughts of smugglers, violent cartels, street corner drug dealers, and back alley crack houses. But there is a new drug culture exploding before our eyes. It is an even greater legal drug dependency that grips much of America and it’s coming from behind a counter.
Medications have come a long way in past years. Today medications have provided many health benefits and have played a major role in extending our life spans. Modern medicine has become what it is today mainly because of our technological advances that help us better understand disease and sickness. Many Americans count on these advanced medications to rescue them from a lifestyle of illness. But in this generation there is a rise in drug abuse, and I’m not talking about heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, hallucinogens, alcohol, marijuana, or even tobacco. I am talking about the abuse of prescription drugs. Prescription Drug Abuse, has been with us since doctors began prescribing drugs, but has become more common since the service of the “refill prescription”. Recent studies show that nearly 1.3 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs. Prescription drug abuse is usually overlooked by doctors.

There are many different types of prescription drugs in which people can become addicted to. There are three general categories of medicine in which are most usually abused in America. The Central nervous system (CNS) depressants are the first one. These medications include Valium and Xanax, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Other common pills taken are painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Cocodamol which has the tranquilizer codeine in it, and even over the counter codeine based painkillers such as Solpadeine. The third category contains stimulants. Stimulants are prescribed to patients that have certain sleep disorders and even ADHD, and include drugs such as Ritalin and Aderol. Most prescription drug abuse is related to either tranquilizers or painkillers.

Main symptoms of pill addiction are an increased tolerance to the drug, so that the user needs a much larger amount to get the same effects they were used to before abusing the medication. More and more of the drug is required. This leads to many other problems. Long term effects include respiratory problems, seizures, irregular heartbeat, depression, or even death following a large dose. Other causes of these effects can come from being unknowledgeable about the medication or addiction. Addicts who mix medications, drink with their medication, or do both usually will be followed by serious internal damage, brain damage, or death. Last year, prescription drugs replaced heroin and cocaine as the leading cause of fatal overdoses.

When these medications are not taken responsibly by the person they were intended to help they are being abused within our society. A prescription written on a piece of paper by a doctor does not mean its safe. When prescribed responsibly, taken as directed, and kept out of reach of children, painkillers, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, etc., can benefit the person in need. People in America need to be better educated about the effects and damage that can be caused by drug addiction.

Sadly our society is an unhealthy and over medicated one that is becoming dependent on our drugs and are always searching for the next “quick fix.”

LINKS: just add www. in front :)

addict-help.com/prescriptionabuse.asp

sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/04/040420213723.htm

nida.nih.gov/researchreports/prescription/prescription8.html

Rap Music: How does it influence today’s youth?

(POSTED FOR CHERRYH)

Music is a huge part of today’s society. Either in the car, on the computer, or on the television, music is all around us. The question is though, is rap music harmful to our society? Today’s youth looks up to people they admire. They want to dress and act just like their favorite singer or dancer. This is not always a good thing. According to Associated Content News, rap music is all about money, fame and women. If you listen to a random rap song, usually the artist is singing about one of the three. Many young kids are dropping out of school to try and make it as a professional rap artist. As you could probably guess, most do not make it and often turn to illegal activity to obtain some kind of money income. Another reason rap music is harmful to today’s youth is how they portray women. They talk as if women are objects and should be treated with no respect. Today’s youth thinks that’s “cool” because their favorite artists treat women like this so they should too. The women in music videos and in songs that send out this message do not help with the situation either. Many young girls think it is okay to be treated like this because it’s in their favorite songs or music videos.

Rap music also affects the choices kids make about sex. According to Web MD, teenagers who listen to rap music and look up to rap artists are more likely to do these behaviors in everyday life. They are more likely to be involved in gangs, have children out of wedlock, and to disrespect authority. In a study, after interviewing 522 girls between the ages of fourteen and eighteen who spent fourteen hours per week watching music videos were three times more likely then girls who do not watch them to hit a teacher, over 2.5 times more likely to get arrested, twice as likely to have multiple sex partners and 1.5 times more likely to get a sexually transmitted disease, use drugs, or drink alcohol. When I read these statistics the first thing I thought of was why are artists continuing to rap about things that have such a negative influence on the youth of today? The answer is simple. According to The Coalition against Violence, the entertainment industry has invested billions of dollars into promoting rap artists with music influenced by gangs, gangsters and the pimp culture itself. Is this money worth corrupting the future of America?

As you can see, there are definitely some reasons why rap music is harmful to our society. In reality though, all rap music is not bad. There are actually some artists out there that rap about their problems and the issues going on in the world. They tell their listeners how they are feeling and what their life is like. I support the artists that rap about this because they can really connect to teenagers that are going through similar situations as themselves.

PAPA...PAPA...PAPARAZZI!

(POSTED FOR OCONNOR)

Why do we obsess over celebrities? Is it because they write and sing our favorite songs, play our favorite sports, or because they're in our favorite movies? That could be some reasons to like those people. When an obsession becomes a job, it's a bit carried away. I think that given an opportunity to interview a celebrity and have that as a job would be great but "paparazzi" turn it into a game for more then just themselves. They've created a world full of lies about people. Standing in line at the store, accessing an email home page, or looking any place else on the internet I have found multiple things about some celebrity. Usually a picture is the first thing to be drawn to, and paparazzi know how to make it work. Seeing a picture can tell you an entire story about the person in the picture. The paparazzi can make people look really bad, and that's thanks to technology! many celebrities' careers have been poisoned by the paparazzi and their pictures. Just looking at some magazines can give off this image that ruins my thoughts about the person. If I'm on a website the picture usually says something inappropriate on the side. The comment that is so inappropriate can make the celebrity seem wrong in some ways.

this website has shown me pictures that make me think twice about some celebrities. Knowing that they don't have a great reputation in the first place I was not surprised. But when I saw the video screens I was in no shock at all. Paris Hilton was one of the first video pictures that I was drawn to. Paris Hilton defiantly is not friends with the paparazzi; they have changed her to be a party hard girl. Her previously shown television show doesn't make her seem like that at all. Even if she claims to party the paparazzi have made it over exaggerated. That shows the paparazzi and its power in America.

Do to some websites vulgarity I was unable to use there work. The paparazzi and the media as a whole have made sex their main topic. In America today sex sells to all age groups even if younger children don't know it their favorite television shows are filled with sexual humor and gestures. I have seen cartoon network use sexual humor on more than one occasion and that is displeasing. The paparazzi can't control television to any extent but that's where the media takes over for them.

The paparazzi have created this big power of lies and fear for the celebrities. The only thing that can be done is that people who are in the eye of America need to watch out. Even if in some cases like Tyra Banks that could not help it other people do stupid things just to be scene in the lime light. Tyra Banks had the power of her television show to fight against the paparazzi and eventually won with the truth. If you don't know Tyra banks was out in a swimming suit and paparazzi had taken a picture and destroyed her beautiful voluminous body with Photoshop work. Tyra as a former Victoria's Secret model most certainly was not fat. So the paparazzi lost against Tyra her incorrect pictures.

Jon and Kate plus Trouble...

Jon and Kate Gosselin were married in 1999 and wanted to have children, but when Kate could not conceive they used In Vitro fertilization. They now have two sets of multiples twins Mady and Cara, sextuplets Collin, Leah, Joel, Hannah, Aaden, and Alexis. The family of ten have a popular show on TLC know as "Jon and Kate plus 8" The show is about the difficulties of raising two sets of multiples. The show follows the family through the trips they take and daily life at home. The twins are eight and the sextuplets are five years old.

Jon and Kate at a birthday party for the sextuplets

(TLC website)

Recently Jon and Kate have run into issues in their lives. Gossip magazines have their private life know completely to the public. The issues began in the March or so of 2009 Jon was supposedly caught cheating on Kate with a school teacher. Though the rumors true or not was is right for the magazines to publish what ruined Jon and Kate's marriage. On June 22, 2009 Jon and Kate announced on their show that they would be separating.

Their issues have yet to stop, their show was stopped until August 3rd when their 10 million viewers dropped to only 4.2 million to watch the return to find out what was going on. They no longer did their interview for the show together and Jon was barely in the episode. Kate and Jon both said that they want to do what is best for the kids. How is divorce the best for their eight children? They believed that staying together would put stress on their relationships with the kids. In early October TLC announced that the show has been officially changed to "Kate plus 8", Jon will only make guest appearances.

More problems continue to rise for the two. In October Jon removed a large sum of money from their joint bank account only leaving Kate with a reported one thousand dollars to support the now family of nine. When their court date came it had to be changed because the judge had lost his wife. One week later and several gossip websites and channels reported that Jon was order to pay back a certain amount that he removed.

I did this to prove that the media goes to in depth about things that we don't really need to know about. I wrote this blog without having to look at any sites, I would just watch their show or see it on several magazine covers. It's not right how magazines and television take personal problems and make them known. You could say it's their fault for having a tv show in the first place, but the viewers determine if the show stays or not.

We read gossip magazine, see it on the Internet, and watch it on tv. Why do we need to know if Jon cheated on Kate or if a celebrity does something outrageous? Do we really care? It is just to entertain us, we don't have to give celebrities attention. In the end that's all they really want...attention and we give them that.

Thai and American Culture

Almost every country in the world have their own culture and traditional. Some are similar some are difference and some are the same. But we are all human being that need the same basic physical needs. We are all can feel happy ,sad, angry, hungry etc. Its interesting on how people live with different beliefs, attitude and behavior. For some people that don’t know what is Thai. Thailand or what we called “Thai” is the country located in the center of the southeast asia.

When talking about culture the biggest heading would be religion which play an important role in our lives. An old Thai culture almost all of it came from the beliefs of Buddhism which is the main religion and including 95% of population in the country,while the United States which the main religion is Christian and make up 78.5% population of the country. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, God himself and the savior of humanity.The goal of Christianity is eternal life with God in Heaven, a perfect existence in which God's glory and bliss are shared. Buddhism is a path of salvation attained through insight into the ultimate nature of reality and based on the teaching of Buddha. The goal is to escape a cycle of suffering and rebirth by end suffering,achieve nirvana. There is a lot of difference in these two religion but the common thing is both are teaching and leading human to do good things. There is some different in religious that might surprised the American people which is,Buddhism due to religious discipline, Thai monks are forbidden physical contact with women. Women are therefore expected to make way for passing monks to ensure that accidental contact does not occur.

There is some old beliefs that still important to Thai culture today. The younger person shouldn’t touch or play with an elder person’s head its shown that you are being unrespectful and rude. This is because the Thai people consider the foot to be the dirtiest and fattest part of the body. Also the language that younger person uses to say to an elder person. It has to be a polite word too.

When comes to the language, American people speaks English which is the official language in United States and the main language in the world while Spanish is also the primary language spoken at home by over 34 million people. Thai people speaks their own language called “Thai” from the name of the country.

Popular culture including music, movies and sport is also the largest culture in every country. American culture has a popular styles of music which is including Jazz, Pop, Rock, R&B, Hip Hop and etc. Also the famous artist and the biggest music industry in the world. American Film is usually referred to in a generalizing manner as Hollywood. The center of the best film and movie stars from all around the world. American has the world best league of sports too including NFL, NBA, NHL, PGA tour, Grand Slam and etc. While mostly Thai popular culture are influenced by the western culture. There is only a few old unique culture such as Thai country music, Thai instruments( Thai flute, Thai Xylophone etc) and some Thai sport called Sepak takraw which resembling volleyball, except that it uses a rattan ball and only allows players to use their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball.

As you can see the different and the similarity of the two culture. There is no right and wrong but its just different.

What the Media and its Wisdom Have Done for Romance

In America today, everyone is continually faced with messages regarding romance and love om everything from books and movies to music and advertising. Companies such as E Harmony guarantee us that we can find the love of our lives over the Internet. Movies of all types, not just those labeled as romances, almost always incorporate a cliche love story into the plot. We are made to think that successful relationships are easy and just happen because fate wills it. Unfortunately, this is almost never the case.
The media would like to have us believe that we can find that one person who is meant for us just by, well, blundering into them. And once we meet them, hardships will only occur in the beginning of a relationship, if they do at all. From that point on it will be smooth sailing into eternal bliss, a perfect ending, with little or no sacrifice or effort required. For the record, I am not opposed to the notion of each relationship destined individual having one person they are meant to meet, (on the contrary, I find that my faith fully supports it). But I refuse to believe that one can find and truly love this person so easily. As we often hear in a Catholic school, this country's divorce rate is 51%. This means that over half the people in this nation who think they have found the right person and marry them later decide they were wrong. Obviously, the romantic ideas we have been spoon-fed for decades have no applicable value.
I don't think all these people chose the wrong person, though I'm sure many did. A good number, perhaps a majority, of them probably found the right person and blew their chance. Hollywood's doctrine notwithstanding, relationships take huge effort and dedication. You don't just find someone and suddenly have it made. It takes selflessness, sacrifice, a priority of the other person's good above your own, no matter the cost. Anyone who starts dating and only aims to satisfy their own desires is not creating anything that will last. Also, you have to constantly make an effort to learn more about the other person, both to better serve them and to know for sure if the relationship can work. Obviously, as a junior in highschool, I don't have much experience in this area, but I think I have enough to tell that the media is once again preaching a false, misleading idea that sets millions of people up for failure and disappointment.
However, many have seen through this lie and gone too far in the opposite direction, turning away from serious relationships in favor of “casual dating.” They don't put any serious value on what they are doing, and simply date people for shallow reasons that can't and usually aren't expected to lead to anything permanent. This mindset also contributes to the devaluation of sex that Thompson described. Individuals just live in the present, striving to fulfill current desires and ignoring numerous long term consequences. These short, fleeting relations only hurt in the end, and one is left with an empty feeling that they believe can only be cured by another such endeavor, creating a vicious circle of emotional dissatisfaction and pain.
The media and current cultural mindsets have produced countless inaccuracies regarding romance and love, twisting something pure, positive and essential into a collection of trends and failed solutions. This collective mindset has done nothing but grievously hurt America, driving divorce rates skyward and making way for the derailing of multiple generations' chances at true success in this area. And not only that, but we are exporting this disease to the rest of the world, as we do with all our ideas. America as a whole needs to get over its chick flick addiction and need for the instant gratification of romantic desires if we are ever going to fix this devastating pandemic.

Media: Good or Bad?

Do you ever wonder why the media is so appealed to celebrity people such as Michael Vick? The media knows our weak points as human beings. We like to see people such as Michael Vick high up on the totem pole and fall down to our own level. People enjoy seeing this failure because it makes them laugh and say something to themselves like your not so big anymore are you. Or it gives them something to talk about at work or school as well. It is not just Michael Vick that we have seen fall. There is a big long list of them such as Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton. It's not just these downfalls, but also things like Janet Jackson's halftime show. It is just things that we don't normally see that we like to read about or see on the news.

It is not just bad things that we as people appeal to though. We enjoy reading about great accomplishments like winning the super bowl or how extreme makeover is coming to help a family overcome tough times. So we are excited to see exciting things like this. I am not going to lie I enjoy reading about things like this to that add something that we do not normally hear or read about to our sometimes boring days. We like an extra zing to our day and these things definitely add them.

One problem that the media may also cause is the idea that some of the models and such are the perfect people and everyone should look like them. This shows some not so good things about the so awesome and fun to read media. It is pretty much telling young teenagers that they should be super skinny and they should change there entire appearance. So if they want to fit in this would be a good way to fit in. This would mostly be pointed towards girls due to the fact that girls are more worried about their appearance and what others think about them. I am not saying that guys are not the same because some are that way, but it is mostly pointed towards girls.

Another positive to the media is again it has a pretty good influence. So for all those commercials and ads that tell us the truth about smoking and drinking and don't hide anything from us tell us really about the negative things in the world. Also with reading about someone dying or being severely hurt in a car accident due to maybe drunk driving, as someone has already posted earlier, it would help us make better decisions with maybe to choose to drink or not. Maybe it would be something so simple as denying a cigarette from a friend and avoiding peer pressure. So again the media is not an entirely bad thing. It gives us the truth and sometimes what we should be doing in life.

As you can see there are many positive and negative views that you could have about the media. If you choose to read or watch these shows or paper it is fine as long as you know what is right and wrong. Your choices can affect your life in a very big way if your not smart. Do not let the media persuade the way you live.

Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

The King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson, was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. He started singing and performing in talent shows and recitals at an early age. Michael and a few of his siblings (Marlon, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine) formed a "boy group" called the Jackson 5 in 1963. Their first single, “I Want You Back,” was number one on the Pop and R&B charts. It sold two million copies. By 1970, the Jackson 5 was very popular.

In 1971 Michael Jackson started his solo career at the age of 13. On August 5, 1979 Michael Jackson became the first artist to have four number one singles off one album. His popularity was quickly rising. Michael's album "Thriller" was released on November 30, 1982. It spent thirty-seven weeks at the number one spot on the Billboard Top 200 chart and became the highest selling album of all time, making history. On February 28, 1984 Michael received eight awards at the Grammys and broke many records. Michael's most influential video of all time, "Thriller," was nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year. Because of Michael's great success with "Thriller" and "Off the Wall", he became the biggest star of all time.

Michael Jackson had a huge international and cultural impact. He was the first black person on MTV to have a disco video "Billie Jean". This video saved MTV from losing some of its clients. At the time, MTV played music videos made by black people, or videos that had black performers in them, but they had to fit the “conventional rock” criteria. Prince and Tina Turner’s music fit this criterion.

Music is a huge part of the American culture. Michael Jackson broke many records. He changed the American culture greatly with his music, dances, and drive for perfection. Michael Jackson changed music. He helped people see that everyone is equal no matter what race you are. He showed that everyone has a certain type of talent. He showed his love and dedication to music like no other person did. Every time Michael was on stage, he would have a smile on his face because he loved what he was doing. He loved entertaining people and making them happy. He showed people that it was okay to be different. Michael affected the lives of many people. He inspired many of the artists we have today. Without the "King of Pop" we might not have some of our performers that are here today. Michael Jackson also gave to many charities, even though they weren’t publicized much. He didn’t give to charities because it might “make him more popular,” he gave to charities because it was something he wanted to do.

Growing up under the spotlight can lead to a rough life under the public eye. The media likes to make “hearsay” seem like the truth and some people will believe everything they read. Look at the accusations against Michael Jackson for child molestation, for example. People were all over that story. The media made it seem like it were true, but no one will really know the true story, except Michael. You have to admit, it would be pretty hard to deal with waking up every morning and seeing your name in the paper with something that may or may not be true.

After being under the public eye for a long time, Michael Jackson seemed to be “losing it.” He was being accused for many things, battling drugs, running out of money, and his career was fading. He overcame most of the accusations but drugs seemed to be a big problem in his life. Michael was addicted to prescription pain killers. On June 25th 2009, the legendary “King of Pop” died. He went into a cardiac arrest at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, California.

The death of “The King of Pop” put the entire world in shock. The man who had the first black disco video aired on MTV was gone. The man who changed music and dance forever was gone. Despite everything negative that happened in Michael’s life, which might have made people not like him, the world still mourned over him. Michael Jackson was well respected him for the music he made. No one has ever changed the status of pop in the world and no one has ever accomplished what Michael Jackson has accomplished in his life. He made people recognize that the biggest star could be a young black man and he broke many color barriers. Michael Jackson changed music. He changed the American culture.

Click here for a link to Micheal Jackson's famous music video "Thriller." (We are not allowed to embed the video due to copyright restrictions).

Resources:
Special Commemorative Issue Rolling Stones: Michael Jackson
XXL Presents: Michael Jackson - Special Collector's Issue

Drinking and Drving

It was a Friday night in November when a young girl was invited to a bon fire at her friend’s house. She could not wait to get there and have a good time with her friends. When she arrived the party was already started. It was not the type of party she was expecting. There was beer everywhere. She was not a girl to drink. She found it gross and very dangerous.

Unfortunately, her best friend came up to her and handed her a beer and said “Let’s go, you can loosen up and have a good time tonight”. The young girl did not want to seem “un-cool” so she took the beer and started to sip it. She didn’t like the taste but after the first few gulps she started to not care about the taste anymore and became less nervous about the situation.

The young girl left the party thinking she was only “buzzed” and thought she could drive home perfectly fine. All her friends that she trusted to take her home were passed out or had already left and she needed to be home before her parents noticed she still wasn’t home at 2:00 A.M. So she got into her car thinking she wouldn’t have trouble getting home since it was only 10 minutes away. Though, when she woke up she was not safely sleeping in her bed but in the hospital. She had no idea how she got there, her mother was standing next to her crying while her father was hugging her telling her everything will be okay.

Drinking and driving does not just hurt the person that caused the problem. Sometimes the drunk driver runs off the road and hits something and hurts themselves and everyone that loves them but they do not realize that at the time. Other times the drunk driver hurts not only themselves and their loved ones; but also the love ones of the other drivers and passengers that maybe involved.

Drunk driving is a very big problem in America and has been for a long time. From 1982 to 2005 the percentage of deaths from drunk driving has dropped very much but is not completely fixed. In 1982 the percentage of deaths was 60%, though it has decreased in 2005 to 39%. The percentages for 2005 compared to 1982 is a great improvement, hopefully the numbers will keep lowering dramatically in the next couple years and continue to stay on a downward turn.

Drunk driving does not only hurt the people in the car(s), but others as well. Before you decide to drink THINK on what it can do to you and others. If you HAVE to drink make sure you can trust someone that will stay there with you and not drink to take you home safely. This problem is not only to the youth in America but also to adults as well. I used a young girl at the beginning to relate to the majority of the readers. Adults need to remember that they are not invincible as well. Some think they are “OK” to drive home but can get into an accident just as well.

Information found at:

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrinkingandDriving.html

Marijuana: Why So Popular?

(POSTED BY MR. WYKES FOR ROWLING)

Marijuana is the world’s most commonly used illicit drug, by far. Weed, grass, pot, dope, whatever you’d like to call it, it’s ready and available in almost every corner of the United States. It is found growing in homes, in the suburbs, and in the cities. It is also being smuggled into the United States from places like Mexico and Cambodia.
Marijuana’s main mind-altering ingredient is THC. It gives you the feeling of being “high.” The amount determines the drug’s strength. The effects of smoking marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes and the short term effects wear off within two to three hours. Marijuana induces a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation and feeling mellow that encourages fantasies and distorts perception. Users often feel an increase of hunger, or the “munchies.” Long term effects are not yet known but the THC can play a role in causing problems in the respiratory and immune systems.
Knowing this, then why is it so popular? Most of you reading this probably know the answer. It is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. According to the 1998 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, half of all 13-year-olds said that they can find and purchase marijuana. Of teens surveyed, 49 percent said that they had first tried marijuana at age 13 or younger. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their peers that do not smoke marijuana. Many high school students sell marijuana to one another. Teens say that it is easier to get than beer or cigarettes.

Average Street Prices / Amount / Quality
$17.50 / 3.5grams / low
$88.75 / 28grams / low

Marijuana Prices, Chicago, 2000
KEY: [ Commercial Grades = CG Higher Grades = HG ]

Gram
$3-$5 CG
$7–$10 HG

Ounce
$50–$75 CG
$200–$500 HG

Pound
$900–$1,200 CG
$2,500–$4,000 HG

These charts are good examples of just how cheap you can get this drug. The use of hydroponic techniques, which is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil, in growing marijuana, is likely to have enhanced productivity, with a result of lower prices for consumers. The rural areas of Illinois provide an environment for the domestic growth of marijuana.
Where does the use of marijuana sit in our culture? Today many are proposing that marijuana be legalized. Advocates for legal marijuana say that a regulated, taxed marijuana trade could help boost some state’s economy. Their goal is to reduce the abuse of cannabis, the elimination of marijuana related crimes, and set up a grading system for marijuana quality and would ban additives. I think that legalizing marijuana will not be something that will happen in my generation. People that are pro legalization of marijuana probably won’t stop until they get what they want. Until then, it is important for our youth especially to be educated in its risks and what it is because people are growing it, buying it, selling it, and using it, even though it is illegal.

murodjon khasanov

The Importance of the American Flag

One of the most common symbols of American culture is the American Flag. They can be seen everywhere. They can be seen on houses on the way to school. They can be seen in front of schools, like Aquin. The flag is a symbol of hope, unity, and pride, but to some people in society today the reverence people should have for the flag and what it truly represents has been forgotten.

This last September, a few veterans came to Aquin. They talked to us about the importance of the American Flag. We were shown how to fold the American Flag properly. He also explained The Pledge of Alligence to us, word for word. This explained to the other students and me how important the American Flag really is to our country.

The American Flag is a symbol of pride and hope. It is a symbol of unity; the unity of the 50 states. It also represents all of the men and women who are fighting, and those who have died, protecting the USA.

After this, we were shown examples of how people had disrespected the flag. They showed us flags that were ripped and torn, but they also showed us flags that had images drawn, painted, or sewn onto them. These are just a few examples of how people disrespect the American Flag.

People have also used the American Flag to show their support for the country. On September 11, 2001 Wal-Mart sold a whopping 116,000 American Flags on that day alone. How does this compare? On September 11, 2000, one year earlier, 6,400 American Flags were sold by Wal-Mart. This really shows that when the country needed our help the most, the citizens supported it. http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/08/911/911_for_the_record.shtml

Our country's way of displaying our flag is somewhat rare among the other countries. In many countries, such as Germany and Italy, their flag is rarely, if ever, displayed. In other countries, such as Norway and The United States, the flag is displayed where ever and whenever it is possible. http://flagspot.net/flags/xf-disp.html

When I was younger, my family used to host foreign exchange students in our home for a few weeks each year. One women, I do not remember where she was from, asked my mom why we display flags everywhere in our country. My mom told her that it shows unity and that we support our country. My mom was surprised to find out that she did not do the same in her country. The woman still could not grasp the idea. She said the she thought it was weird, and a bit tacky. She did not see the point in displaying your country's flag.

The American Flags is a symbol of pride, hope, unity, and it represents everyone fighting for the country. Displaying the American Flag at your homes show that you support the USA even if you do not agree with everything that the President says or does. I believe that everyone should display the flag at their home to show their support.

Sports: Pros and Cons

Sports are a very big part of America and the world. According to the Washington Post, 55.2 percent of High School students are involved in sports. At small schools this number is even greater. Professional athletes are some of the highest paid and most respected (or least in some cases) in the world. People have parties and celebrate just to watch a sporting event on TV. The impact of sports on this nation is phenomenal.

Participating in sports is something that everyone wants to take part in. This can be very helpful in developing social skills like creating friends with teammates and even creates a sense of competition. Your entire life you will have to deal with other people. Some may like you and some may not. This is easily exemplified by your team or your competition in sports.

Discipline is a very important skill that can be developed while playing sports. In sports you need to arrive to practice on time, be prepared for anything, and be relied upon by your teammates and coach. You have to work hard with your grades in order to stay eligible. This is easily relatable to your job life. If you’re always late, disrespect your coworkers, and never get any work done then you should be swiftly fired.

An interest in sports may also lead to bad things. A first is a lack of interest in academics. You may just keep your grades high enough to play but always think sports first and school after. A typical stereotype for someone that plays a sport is that they are an arrogant jerk, also known as the jock. This shows that bad social skills may be developed if you regard yourself as physically better than others. This will get you nowhere in life because no matter who you are, there is someone more powerful than you.

Sports also have another side-effect. They are the party and betting aspects of sports. Betting is always a bad habit to have. Betting is illegal in many sports and it’s also advocated in others. Betting in the illegal side is hidden through things like fantasy leagues and the sort. They involve a group of people picking athletes to be on there team and they keep track of points that they earn in order to beat the other teams. This makes it seem like it’s fair competition but it’s just like betting.

The partying side of sports can also get out of hand. On many occasions, streets and towns have been utterly destroyed because of fan celebrations. Fans roam the streets drinking and partying. They flip cars and vandalize street signs and buildings. In 1994, a riot broke out in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada after Canucks lost to the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals, which resulted in a reported 200 people injured and 50 arrested.

Sports can be a very fun and exhilarating source of entertainment. We can learn some of life’s valuable lessons from competing and be led into some life lows by watching it. No matter how sports are looked at they will remain one of the biggest parts of American culture.

Information found at:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8086868

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/16/sports/200-injured-in-vancouver.html