Claire's American Studies Blog

The Exception?

2010-05-24T15:35:00.005-05:00

Over the weekend I remembered that the original CSI (Las Vegas) features Lawrence Fisburne, African-American actor, as a main character. He plays Dr. Ray Langston, who joins the CSI team just as night shift supervisor Gil Grissom retires. Grissom was considered the main character and received a majority of the show's screen time. The timing of Langston's arrival paired with Grissom's departure indicated that Langston would play a major role on the show.

Now, I do not watch this show on a regular basis, but from the few episodes that I have seen Langston is certainly a key character. I saw the first episode that featured Langston, and despite his future as a main character there were elements of tokenism during the show. One example I noticed was how Langston is judged for being a nice dresser. Below is a preview for this episode, the season 9 opener. Take note of the other CSI's initial impressions of Langston (especially at :20!)

For those of you who watch this show regularly, can Langston truly be considered the exception to the apparent tokenism in network TV dramas?

But more importantly, to the general public, how did CBS set up your initial perceptions of Langston? Was he portrayed more as token character or as a main character?

Media and Democracy and Identity: AmStudDay Review

2010-05-22T22:24:00.005-05:00

After hearing Idris Goodwin, Kevin Coval, and James Fallows speak at American Studies Day, I was absolutely amazed at what they had to say! Fallows's speech about media and democracy really made a lot of sense to me and I loved learning about the importance of media working to serve the public rather than profits. When he discussed the media's necessary role of informing the American public, I wondered about the other ways the media informs Americans as well.

As I listened to Goodwin and Coval perform their poems about their own identities, I thought back to what Fallows said about media and democracy. Media is not only important in creating a democracy but also in creating individual identity. When Goodwin spoke about being 'black' and all the representations of that color it seemed apparent that the media played a part in forming those interpretations. The ways African Americans are portrayed in the media and on the news are bound to contribute to an African American's view of themself.

In my case, the media has certainly served to inform me about my identity as a student living in the North Shore. We have talked about this in class before, but the North Shore is certainly quite different from the rest of the world and ultimately those differences are demonstrated by the media.

How has the media contributed to your own identity? In what other ways does the media affect your life?

Some Data-Driven-ness at Harvard

2010-05-18T21:17:00.008-05:00

Adam Wheeler, a senior at Harvard University, was recently convicted of larceny (when a person steals someone's belongings and uses them for their own good) and identity fraud. After Wheeler's application for the distinguished Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships seemed suspicious to Harvard English Professor James Simpson, his application was investigated further. Simpson determined that Wheeler had plagiarized the writing of another Harvard professor, and upon further investigation it turned out that Wheeler changed his transcript and changed/added to the letters of recommendation professors had written for him.

This scandal caused Harvard to additionally examine Wheeler's background information before being accepted to the university. Wheeler claimed he went to high school at Phillips Academy in Andover and additionally spend a year at MIT before Harvard. His SAT scores (a perfect 1600), high school recommendation by the director of college counseling, letters of recommendation from MIT professors, and MIT transcript were all faked.

Personally I cannot believe an academic institution like Harvard failed to do a background check on at least some of Wheeler's information. A school that prides itself on excellence relied on numbers and written information to admit Wheeler, and the lack of communication in the admissions process of this student astounds me. Clearly Harvard assumed that a student with a "qualified" written background could be accepted. This reliance on written data can clearly cause problems concerning believability and truth. Truth is found through the use of different types of sources, not just statistical data.

What are your reactions to this situation? How does it reflect on America's education system?

This is an article from the Boston Globe that describes the situation in greater detail.

The End of Junior Theme

2010-05-12T11:47:00.003-05:00

It feels great to finally be done with Junior Theme! Overall it really served as an important learning process for me in junior year. It was challenging to simultaneously work on different parts of the paper. I always struggle putting my thoughts on paper and for me that was probably one of the most difficult things about junior theme. It took a very long time, but eventually I had a rough, and I mean rough, draft. During the editing process I additionally struggled to determine the best way to organize my paper. I moved around paragraphs, eliminated some pieces of information, and constructed new paragraphs in order to complete my final draft. This was certainly a long process for me and after all the hard work I put into it I was glad to at last hand it in.

As I researched the reasons for declining newspaper circulation, I found information in one of my sources about the way democracy in America is affected by declining newspaper circulation. For the United States to have an effective democracy, Americans must be well-informed about news within our country. Cutting costs at newspapers is certainly changing the amount of information Americans receive about the country. So, I definitely have background knowledge about the things James Fallows will talk about during American Studies Day!

Update on Junior Theme

2010-04-19T15:00:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I emailed a possible interviewee, Pablo Boczkowski, a professor in the department of communication studies at Northwestern. He hasn't responded yet so I will try to send him another email in a day or so and in the meantime I am emailing a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and the authors of my book. I do have a thesis, but it is definitely not as clear as it should be. The main idea of my thesis is that the corporate takeover of small newspaper businesses has caused the decline in profits and readership in the newspaper industry. However, I haven't found a clear/concise way to say that. Its also been slightly difficult to find sources that specifically talk about this idea, as most discuss the way the internet plays a roll in the declining newspaper industry. So overall I have certainly made some progress but I am looking to make some leaps this week in actually writing parts of my paper.

Good luck to everyone on their papers!

Beginning Junior Theme... AH!

2010-04-08T11:48:00.003-05:00

After jumping around from different topics, yesterday I came to a final decision about what I am going to write about for Junior Theme. At first I was thinking about researching how students are becoming more and more success-driven instead of being learning-driven. But after I thought about it for a while I lost interest in that topic. One of my initial thoughts was to write about something concerning communication in America and how Americans think in certain ways. Then I thought about the newspaper industry and how nowadays many newspaper companies are shutting down. The change in the way America wants to obtain the news is very interesting to me. So my tentative why question is:

Why is the newspaper industry in decline?

The use of online newspapers and the Internet seems like a logical answer, but I want to go deeper and find out why this change of thought occurred. Mr. Bolos also suggested that I look at how the decline in reading newspapers might be over-exaggerated as well. I found a very recent book called The Death and Life of American Journalism at the Wilmette Public Library that I think will be informative and helpful, in addition to the website/radio shows from On the Media.

Image url: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/sge/lowres/sgen18l.jpg

Efficient Spending: Advertising in this Economy

2010-03-18T12:39:00.000-05:00

As a result of the recent recession, companies have certainly looked for ways to decrease spending. This article from the NY Times highlights how Hyatt has found a way to make less expensive commercials with the help of Funny or Die. The ads are meant to show different scenarios of what can go wrong at a corporate meeting that is at the wrong location, such as an interrupting mime (seen in the picture). A large part of Hyatt's business comes from meetings scheduled in Hyatt hotels, but the economy has made more and more people want to simply hold video-conferences in order to save money. So, to encourage corporate meetings at Hyatt, they decided to create these humorous advertisements.

The article states that Hyatt paid less than $300,000 for the project, which includes multiple videos. This is much less expansive than airing these videos on television. Not only that, but Funny or Die attracts millions of viewers; it has 1.5 million followers on Twitter. The audience of Funny or Die is mostly "young, male, and upscale", which seems to be appropriate for a company that is targeting workers in the business world. Another plus is that Funny or Die can get funny, popular actors for videos (an example was Zach Galifianakis) for a much lower cost than official ad agencies.

In my opinion, using and working with video sites like Funny or Die for commercials is pretty brilliant. Not only does it save money, but it allows viewers to learn about a product anywhere with Internet. In this struggling economy, this seems to be the perfect way to save money yet create a quality ad, where a large audience is available.

What is your opinion on the use of video sites with commercials? Is it worth it? Is a commercial more effective on t.v. or on the Internet?

The Best Advertisements

2010-03-17T12:34:00.003-05:00

I recently found a link from AdvertisingAge (AdAge) that shows the "Best Ads" as determined by Creativity. One that I found clever and relevant was the giant Shamrock Shake that McDonalds put on the Chicago River. This image does not really show it, but the shake is spilling into the now green river for St. Patrick's Day. If I saw the Shamrock Shake along the river, I definitely think I would be tempted to try one. Due to the size and uniqueness of the model, this advertisement is particularly effective as it would certainly catch a viewer's eye.

This ad seems to reflect the "Scarcity: Rule of the Few" weapon of influence. Literally, there is only one of these Shamrock Shake models. The public is certainly more likely to be curious about the shake and look at it, as opposed to a commonplace billboard. So the physical ad itself appeals to the population. In addition, the fact that it is a Shamrock Shake indicates it is related to St. Patrick's Day and thus there might be a time constraint around the availability of the shakes. It's not St. Patrick's Day forever, so the shakes obviously won't be available 365 days of the year. Overall the concept of the Shamrock Shake and the physical advertisement exercise the "Rule of the Few" idea.

What is your opinion on this advertisement? Did McDonalds create an effective ad or not? In your opinion, what advertisements are the most persuasive?

March Madness!

2010-03-16T10:01:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday the NCAA men's basketball tournament seeds were revealed, prompting excitement about brackets and pools for the upcoming tournament. Personally I can't wait to see how the tournament will play out. Unfortunately for many companies, their employees are very excited as well. An article from CNN.com highlights how March Madness is both hurtful and possibly helpful in the workplace.

The article states that according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., U.S. employers could lose as much as $1.8 billion during the first week of the tournament, a truly astounding figure. However on the other side of the argument, often times companies simply accept the fact that March Madness affects the work at the office. John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, says that some companies have "found ways to embrace the tournament as a team-building and morale-boosting opportunity." All the excitement and disappointment during the tournament can bring workers together and even serve as a bonding experience.

Since you can't really prevent office workers from checking the scores of the games, it seems like the best thing for a company to do would be to either ignore the tournament altogether or promote it. If companies try to prevent workers from following the games, it seems like they would only want to do it even more. It's kind of like when your parents tell you not to do something and as a result you want to do it even more.

What do you think about March Madness? Should it be promoted in the workplace or does it create a negative work environment?

Also, what team do you think will win the tournament? :)

Hearst's Castle

2010-03-09T21:45:00.001-06:00

As Mr. O'Connor briefly mentioned last Thursday, Charles Kane from Citizen Kane is loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, a newpaper mogul during the late 1800's. Over the summer I was in California and I took a tour of Hearst Castle, the enormous palace he built for himself and many guests much like Kane's Xanadu in the movie. Hearst Castle is now a state historic monument, and the tours of the castle rake in an enormous profit for the California State Parks.

Kane's life was certainly exploited even after his death, and the same goes for Hearst. In the beginning newscast in Citizen Kane one segment read:

"Few private lives were made more public."

Anything Kane did was put in the news, and after he died the public was determined to figure out who he really was. In doing so, all his possessions were sorted through. This is not that different from William Hearst, considering his home is now open for anyone to see. These two men had very public lives, but the fact is that they encouraged their public lives. While he was alive, Hearst was constantly inviting celebrities to stay at his house and spreading news of his wealth. It also helps to own a newspaper empire, which gave him the opportunity to share any information he wanted with America.

So it seems there are two paths of stardom: try to prevent your life from becoming public (and failing) or to embrace or even encourage a public lifestyle. What are your thoughts on this? Would you rather try and keep your life private or willingly share it with the rest of the world?

How does this relate to The Great Gatsby?

Also, below are some pictures I took while visiting the castle.

William Randolph Hearst's Castle is on the top of this mountain.

A fountain outside the castle.

The Neptune Pool, it was pretty sweet.

If You Love Computer Fonts...

2010-02-28T16:14:00.000-06:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Give Me the Green Light

2010-02-26T15:05:00.006-06:00

After reading the following New York Times article about "green lights" in The Great Gatsby and the "green lights" of students in the real world, I found myself wondering about the necessity of green lights. I'll admit that it is important to have motivators, or "green lights", but sometimes working towards a goal that is too difficult to achieve may be more harmful than helpful. As an example, one student from the article, Jinzhao Wang, considers Harvard her green light. Being accepted to Harvard, probably one of the most selective universities in the country, would certainly be an amazing accomplishment. However it is very important to consider how realistic that might be. In my opinion it is better to find a green light that is attainable, rather than one that may be extremely far out of reach.

It seems as though these green lights are due to the perceptions of the 'American Dream'. The idea that living in America can somehow vastly improve your life isn't necessarily logical, but it may be the reason why so many people have green lights. Despite this, at least America has allowed people to create their own dreams and believe that they could someday be fulfilled.

Overall, how limited should a green light be, if at all? How do you feel about the concept of the 'American Dream', and how has it affected you?

Intangible Reparation?

2010-02-11T16:46:00.005-06:00

As we discussed possible reparations for slavery in class today, most ended up involving money in some way. After school I remembered that February is Black History Month, and resolved to determine if this recognition of African Americans might be considered a reparation.

By visiting this website I learned that in 1915 Dr. Carter Woodson and Rev. Jesse Moorland, African Americans themselves, formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Their organization was meant to inform the public about the impact of blacks throughout history. From this they eventually developed Negro History and Literature Week which evolved into the recognition we know today. They chose the month of February because both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, men that as we know were both prominent in the empowerment of blacks, have birthdays in February.

However I also learned that this concept has criticisms as well. This article from USA Today discusses multiple opinions about Black History month, and in addition I found this short piece that contains Morgan Freeman's opinion.

Freeman stated, "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."

Considering this viewpoint, Black History month could be seen as a way to continue the segregation of race. Although Black History month was formed by African Americans and not something issued by the U.S. government, it seems to have been constructed nowadays in a way that makes it lose its importance. There is certainly not much recognition of the fact that February is Black History month; I've seen one small, barely filled bulletin board at New Trier that advertises it. This greater lack of awareness can support Morgan Freeman's claim.

Clearly there is a discrepancy between the importance of Black History month. Can it be seen as a reparation of slavery? If so, how should it be encouraged? Or does it only fuel racism even further because there is a distinction between 'Black history' and 'American history'? Consider its lack of acknowledgement as well.

Men Vs Women in Advertising

2010-02-07T19:12:00.005-06:00

While I was watching the Superbowl this commercial particularly seemed to relate to our recent discussions and Herstory projects about women:

The ad specifies different things that men have to put up with on a daily basis, things that women "force" them to do. Not only does the commercial make women seem annoying in general, but it makes it seem as though men have never forced women to do bothersome activities as well.

I am wondering why Dodge decided to take this approach in their commercial in the first place. Clearly they are eliminating women as potential customers, an apparently perplexing approach. Can you think of any reasons as to why Dodge might do this? Is it in an attempt to make women feel guilty for making men sit through complaints and boring chores? Or is Dodge simply provoking men to stand up to women and ultimately buy this car?

How effective is this advertising strategy?

Academy Award or Popularity Award?

2010-02-02T16:10:00.003-06:00

Today the nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards were released to the public, with a new change for this year which allows 10 nominees in the Best Picture category.

Here is the list of the nominees for Best Picture including the total gross worldwide to date (courtesy of boxofficemojo.com):

"Avatar" - $2,045,442,330

"The Blind Side" - $238,142,164

"District 9" - $204,837,324

"An Education" - $10,818,790

"The Hurt Locker" - $16,107,592

"Inglourious Basterds" - $313,569,648

"Precious" - $45,469,462 (Domestic Gross Only)

"A Serious Man" - $20,514,312

"Up" - $723,005,700

"Up in the Air" - $97,432,811

It is important to note that some of the films, like "Up" and "District 9" have already made it to DVD release. And certainly a more recent film, like "Up in the Air", is bound to make more money, so I bolded its current earnings along with the other 5 highest grossing nominees. 5 out of the 10 films have made over 200 million dollars, an astounding amount of money. This made me, along with Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune, question why the Academy has seemingly included the enormous blockbusters of the year in the nominees. In class we discussed how the plot of "Avatar" is nothing especially unique, and an animated film ("Up") has not been up for the Best Picture award since "The Beauty and the Beast" in 1991. So why are these movies up in the running for this prestigious award?

A possible answer lies in the economic crisis that the United States faced in the past year. Why not promote the hit films of the year and encourage Americans to spend money at the movies? By including blockbuster movies Americans are encouraged to see upcoming hit movies as well. Or the Academy is rewarding the success of these movies, yet another possible secret message to encourage spending money in these troubled times.

What reasoning do you have behind the nominees for Best Picture this year? Do you think the Economic Crisis has anything to do with it? How does this reflect upon the actions of American society as a whole?

Obama vs. Bush

2010-01-31T23:14:00.003-06:00

After the class discussions about Obama's State of the Union and the Wordle of his speech and the speeches of former presidents, I found myself most interested in the differences between Obama and Bush. Pictured on the top left is the Wordle of Obama's speech, while the bottom left is a Wordle compilation of all of Bush's State of the Union speeches.

The most used word in Obama's speech was Americans while Bush's was America. This is particularly reflective of each president's goal in office. After the economic downturn, individual Americans needed hope that things would turn out o.k. So it only seems natural that Obama would address the American people rather than America itself. Using Americans instead of America also connotes that Obama cares about every person in the United States, not just the country as a whole.

Bush probably used 'America' the most because his goals involved the direction of the country as a whole. As most of his presidency involved different wars, Bush was directing the involvement of America, not Americans, in multiple countries.

Another difference involves the second most common word used. Obama's was people while Bush's was must. Once again, Obama focused on solving problems within America and among the American people rather than problems involving foreign countries. His focus within the American population indicates why this would be the second most used word. After 9/11, Bush was in a state of urgency to react to the War on Terror. His urgency is reflected through the word 'must'. Bush created an enormous to-do list for America after 9/11, and in order to get those things accomplished Bush needed to use the word 'must'.

What else do you find interesting about these two Wordles? How do the words used reflect either Obama or Bush?

Green Eggs and Ham

2010-01-09T14:26:00.003-06:00

As a child I always asked my parents to read me Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. In this classic kids novel, Sam (seen in the picture) tries to convince another character (whose doesn't have a name) to eat green eggs and ham. The other character is extremely reluctant to taste Sam's dish, no matter how or where Sam presents them to him. By the end the other character finally tries the green eggs and ham, and ends up loving them.

If you look at the book literally, one secret message might be to get kids to eat their meals. The unnamed characters ends up liking the green eggs and ham, which gives kids the idea that they will like the foods served at meals. Personally I was always a picky eater when I was little, so perhaps my parents always read me this book in order to get me to eat peas, for example. In this case parental compliance is suggested but certainly not in an extreme way.

The concept of trying new types of food can also be applied to a greater theme. Perhaps the idea of simply taking risks was meant to be conveyed through this book. Doing something you have never done before, like eating something crazy like green eggs and ham, might really what the story is all about. Although some secret messages are depicted as negative, I do not believe that is the case here. This is one secret message that is important for kids to learn, and one that is not harmful for a child's development.

Advertising to the Xtreme

2010-01-05T17:05:00.005-06:00

Today in class we discussed the idea of advertising as brainwashing. In Pakistan, the Taliban has been "brainwashing" Pakistani children into becoming suicide bombers. Recently the Pakistani military found a destroyed compound in Nawaz Kot that was formerly used for this. The compound is painted with bright colors and beautiful landscapes filled with rivers and mountains which is meant to represent what is found in heaven. The picture below (from CNN.com) is an example.

The Taliban uses these paintings as their own form of advertising, along with elaborate stories about the paradise found after death, as a way to recruit new suicide bombers. Members of the Taliban make the children think their lives on Earth are being wasted when they could be in "Heaven" instead. Because the children are from places with terrible living conditions and violence they can easily be manipulated into believing the Taliban.

This certainly constitutes as brainwashing in my opinion, as it warps the childrens' perspectives on life and forces them to the unthinkable: death. So is brainwashing when you force someone to harm themselves physically? Or can it be emotional as well? What is your definition of brainwashing?

What Makes a Person Intriguing?

2010-01-04T23:24:00.007-06:00

Browsing for an article to read on CNN.com, I noticed one called "Intriguing People for January 4th, 2010". The people described consisted of a top U.S. snowboarder, a famous architect, a political cartoonist, and Houston's first openly gay mayor. What I found most interesting, or I guess you could say 'intriguing', about this article was a section written at the bottom, which states how these intriguing people are chosen.

"Every day, there are a number of people who become fascinating to us -- by virtue of their character, how they reached their decision, how they behaved under pressure or because of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the event they are involved in... What they have done or said stimulates conversations across the country. At times, there is even a mystery about them... We want to know what makes them tick, why they believe what they do, and why they did what they did. They intrigue us."

After reading this statement and thinking about this topic for myself, I found that when I want to understand how and why a person thinks in a certain way I am intrigued. What strikes me about this passage, however, is that an 'intriguing' person is one who "stimulates conversation across the country". So, to be intriguing to a nationally recognized news site you must be nationally recognized as well. This doesn't seem appropriate to me. There isn't really a sense of mystery with already known and established people. I would rather learn why and how unknown people make a difference in the world.

What do you think? What/Who intrigues you?

Santa Pete

2009-12-17T16:35:00.003-06:00

In Evansville, Indiana, someone with the alias "Pete" annually donates money to the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center. This article from CNN describes the history of Pete No one knows the true name of Pete, however he has donated around $65,000 to the center since 1990. This year Pete hid a miniature Christmas tree attached with $3000 for the staff to find in the rehabilitation center. Pete has made it clear that the money should be used to help the children at the center. One of the first children he helped in 1990, Kaitlin Thompson, has cerebral palsy. Now 23 years old, Kaitlin says that, "He's magical. He's special -- he keeps in mind people that are less fortunate."

This "Pete" is certainly a very giving person. But I am curious as to why he is keeping his identity hidden from the rest of the world. The article states that these types of philanthropists often remain anonymous out of "religious beliefs, personal humility, or wanting to be hit up by others hoping for a donation". It is also interesting that according to the Baby Name Wizard, Pete is not as common of a name as it used to be.

So why would this person choose an unpopular name? Why do you think he kept his name anonymous in the first place? How does a hidden identity affect the way people perceive you?

Rivalries

2009-12-11T14:59:00.003-06:00

Tonight the annual New Trier vs Evanston boys and girls basketball games are taking place at Northwestern. The heated rivalry between these two schools has been going on since the early 20th century. I never really thought about it before, but now I am 'wondering' what fuels a rivalry in the first place. Both Evanston and New Trier participate in the Central Suburban South conference for athletics, and as such this is probably the most logical reason why the rivalry exists. So, location is one important factor in creating a rivalry.

After location is taken into account, it seems like competition takes over. The desire to win and to be better than another team sparks a rivalry. Being the best certainly results with an enormous amount of pride, another motivator for competition. This pride often leads to a sense of superiority. I know there will be lots of insults coming from both teams tonight in an attempt to gain this pride. The effects of a rivalry appear to result in pompous attitudes that I think are sometimes a little too disrespectful. I'm not saying that rivalries are a bad thing, because rivalry games are always really fun, but occasionally things are taken too far.

What do you think about rivalries? Should there be a moral component with a rivalry or not? What are some other causes for rivalries?

Tea Party Drama

2009-12-07T14:12:00.005-06:00

The Tea Party movement is made up of local, state, and national groups that formed on April 15th, 2009, in response to Obama's economic policies. Named after the Boston Tea Party, this relatively new populist (populism means political ideas and activities that are intended to represent ordinary people's needs and wishes) movement now protests against a variety of Obama's policies including health care.

I recently read this article, which discusses the current state of the Tea Party. Right now, the group faces an inner-struggle with members who tend to act too extreme. John Feehery, a CNN contributor, stated that, "While most Tea Party activists are genuinely concerned about the future of the country, some others see conspiracies around every corner and use unacceptable rhetoric to communicate their displeasure with the president." There is fear that these "fringe" members of the group are tainting the public's opinion of the Tea Party and therefore the public's support.

This conflict within the Tea Party addresses the idea of effective free speech. In this circumstance, the overall goal of the Tea Party is to express dislike Obama's policies to make them change. The best way to do this is to gain supporters, but the extremists within the group are preventing that goal from being achieved. Free speech is actually hindering the success of the Tea Party, and that makes me think about which types of free speech are the most effective.

What do you think? What types of free speech are the most effective? Is free speech more effective in certain situations or at certain times?

Previewing Obama's Speech

2009-12-01T17:24:00.004-06:00

By reading this article from the NY Times, I just recently found out that in addition to the 30,000 troops that Obama plans to deploy to Afghanistan, he also plans on removing troops starting in July 2011. American soldiers have not been taken out of Afghanistan since about 10 years ago when we first invaded. This newfound timetable accelerates things much faster than previously planned.

The article contains a paragraph that describes Senator John McCain's (Obama's opposing presidential candidate) opinion on the troop surge. McCain agrees with Obama's plan to increase the amount of soldiers in Afghanistan, however he argued against setting a time table.

He stated, "Dates for withdrawal are dictated by conditions. The way that you win wars is to break the enemy's will, not to announce dates that you are leaving."

I find that this perfectly addresses what we discussed today in class. Obama will be informing the American public about the schedule for US involvement in Afghanistan, but McCain believes this information should be kept secret. This suggests that in this circumstance, a military strategy should not be revealed.

My take is that the public does indeed have the right to know. The troops in Afghanistan are American people, whose lives matter to thousands of families across the country. Obama owes it to families whose sons or daughters are putting their lives on the line to know when withdrawl is expected. I see McCain's point, however he should certainly understand this as well considering he was in the Navy for 22 years.

What do you think? Is it important that the American people know what to expect in Afghanistan in these next few years? What would happen if we did not find out?

Hacking into NASA and the Pentagon

2009-11-27T15:21:00.008-06:00

Gary McKinnon is a British citizen who committed the greatest military computer hacking job in the U.S. of all time. Wow. When I first saw this article from CNN, I found myself astounded that McKinnon had not been already sentenced to jail. McKinnon admitted to hacking into U.S. government files in search for information about UFOs, by which he accessed 97 computers and ultimately cost the U.S. government $1 million. But I found out that because he is a British citizen, he must be extradited in order to face a trial within the United States.

Extradition is "the surrender of an alleged criminal usually under the provisions of a treaty or statute by one authority (as a state) to another having jurisdiction to try the charge" (Merriam Webster).

McKinnon was almost extradited in August 2008, however a complication arose when he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. People with this disorder have difficulties in social situations and often stick to rigid routines. Mckinnon's family as well as his lawyer are arguing that his extradition would violate his human rights as a sufferer of the disease.

This situation presents a difficult question to consider. Does a person with a mental disorder have different "human rights"? As I see it, one must evaluate the extent to which daily life is impaired. Certain diseases affect people to certain degrees. In McKinnon's circumstance, I feel that he can be extradited, but the fact that he has Asperger's should be taken into account during his trial. He was diagnosed after he hacked into the U.S. computer system, so the disorder should not affect the way he is charged.

Thoughts?

93.9 Holiday Music Is Back on the Radio

2009-11-15T14:54:00.008-06:00

It's already that time of year again. Yesterday my sister, who loves holiday music, was browsing through radio stations when she stopped on 93.9 FM, only to yell in excitement. The radio station made its annual transformation to only playing holiday songs. Despite it only being mid-November, the Lite radio station is now the Holiday Lite, already putting people in the holiday spirit. It seems like this station starts playing holiday music earlier and earlier each year, and I'm wondering why.

As another example, Walgreens has also stocked their stores with holiday decorations, weeks before people even begin to think about the holidays. One logical explanation might be that because people have very busy schedules, these pre-holiday changes serve as reminders. They are informing the population about the holidays so they will be able to start fitting things like decorations, gifts, and holiday family cards into their schedules. Still, it's just a little ridiculous that it hasn't even been Thanksgiving yet and the radio is already playing holiday music! Now I really want the holidays to arrive!

What do you think about the early preparation for the holidays? Is it too early or not?

This Poetry is Slammin'

2009-11-05T22:12:00.005-06:00

At the Lit Fest, I personally found the poetry of Regie Gibson (the man who came to our class) very intriguing. Gibson is a master of slam poetry, a type of poetry that is meant to be read aloud. When someone reads a "slam" poem it is meant to be a performance. By reading the Literary Fest pamphlet I found out that Gibson actually won the National Slam Competition in 1998. Obviously, the man has talent. When he spoke in class he used feeling and emphasis which made his poems more interesting and much more exciting. For me, performed poetry seems to take away some of the boredom that I normally experience when I simply read a poem. This spoken poetry adds an enormous element to poems by bringing them to life. In addition it always helps to know how an author intended the audience to feel.

This is a relatively new type of poetry, but its popularity has certainly increased in recent years. Slam poetry is just one example of how writing can develop. Even in our class so far this year we have experimented with different types of writing and expression. Blogging, for instance, or even using "MyPlick" are new ways to write. As writing develops, there are bound to be even newer ways for expression in addition to slam poetry and blogging. Do you have any other examples of contemporary expression? How do new types of writing differ from old ones? Do you think these new ways of writing are better than the old?

NT Expansion

2009-10-27T10:00:00.006-05:00

Last week my dad showed me this articl e about the possible expansion/remodeling of New Trier East. The expansion, as of right now, is estimated to be about $185 million, which would cause an increase of $335 per year for taxpayers. This renovation would include a new cafeteria and a new technology/arts building, in addition to a regulation indoor track, volleyball courts, a climbing wall, and an underground parking lot. The plan must first be approved by the NT Township School District board and if approved the article stated it would be sent to voters in February.

I wasn't sure about who these 'voters' are, because the article did not specify them, but that made me think about who the voters should be. I feel like the students and teachers at New Trier should have some say in the matter, considering that they are the ones using the facilities. However in addition I definitely think our parents should represent a majority of the voting because they are the ones paying the higher taxes.

Who has the right to vote in this situation?

Does authority result in voting rights?

What do you think about the possible expansion?

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-19T21:10:00.010-05:00

Over the weekend I saw the movie Where the Wild Things Are, which as you all probably know is based off the popular childrens book. Because the book is so short (only 338 words), the director Spike Jonze was forced to take some creative leaps in the film. As a result the movie ends up conveying deeper messages about love and fear and in addition is somewhat dark. It is definitely not a cutesy kids movie. Max, the main character, learns valuable lessons about his actions from his experiences with the wild things. An interesting blog on NPR reports that the movie received mixed reviews; it received a horrible review from the Los Angeles Times whereas the Chicago Tribune review gave it four stars. These different interpretations are mainly the result of Jonze's reconstruction of the novel.
The way this movie was constructed made me think about the way most movies are created these days: from books. It seems like the ideas for new movies are always somehow based off of a book. This is definitely saying something about American culture. Apparently, the greatest source of creativity in entertainment comes from books. However from what I've observed, books don't get the credit they deserve. I bet more people first saw the Twilight movie, for example, before reading the book. Because this is a common occurrence, usually movies influence the way people read.

Has this ever happened to you? Or maybe the opposite scenario occurred. Did a book ever influence the way you saw a movie? Which form of entertainment has the greatest impact on you? Share some stories.

PSAT Identity

2009-10-14T11:59:00.005-05:00

I just took the PSAT this morning, and like many other standardized tests a lot of time was spent filling out personal information. Something that struck my eye however, was a question bubble about qualifying for the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Before the test I knew about the National Merit Scholarship Program, but not about this one. The information question says something like: If you are Black American and want to qualify for the National Achievement Scholarship, fill in the bubble. I do not qualify for this scholarship because I am white, however I was interested in learning more about the program.

I found the website for the National Achievement Scholarship Program (NASP) and learned that the NASP is "is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding Black American high school students". Interestingly, the National Merit Program was created 9 years earlier in 1955. Something even MORE interesting is the fact that the Civil Rights Act was established in 1964, the same year as the NASP test! The Civil Rights Act outlawed racial segregation in schools, public place, and employment.

I think that the elimination of segregation in education (wow lots of rhyming) prompted the creation of the NASP. What do you think? Any ideas or opinions on founding of the NASP or its existence in general?

P.S. In one of the practice tests in the PSAT student guide there is a question that mentions Frederick Douglass!

6 Year Old Suspended for Having a Cub Scout Tool

2009-10-13T20:07:00.004-05:00

While looking at articles on the New York Times website for a blog topic, I stumbled across one that was particularly intriguing. In Newark, Delaware six-year old Zachary Christie was suspended for 45 days after bringing a Cub Scout camping utensil to school. The device was part spoon, part fork, and part knife. There is a zero-tolerance policy for weapons in the Christina School District, where Zachary attends. However the policy applies to any student, even first graders like Zachary. The article focused on the idea that there must be greater discretion by schools regarding this policy. It makes sense that schools are taking extra precautions against violence, but to me it seems ridiculous that such a young boy is being punished for something he did not possibly intend.

These extra strict policies are in part the way school districts are reacting to events like the Colombine/Virginia Tech shootings. But it seems like, in Zachary's case, things were taken too far. I find this a perfect example of when an event triggers laws or rules to occur. The previous shootings resulted in stricter weapons policies, but these will eventually be changed due to problems that occur like Zachary's.

It is important to recognize the fact that as improvements are made on laws, people obtain a better moral understanding of what is right and wrong. What do you think about Zachary and his school's weapons policy? How can this improve society in the future?

Progress in Evolution

2009-10-01T22:30:00.006-05:00

Scientists have recently concluded that the oldest hominid (a primate of a family that includes humans and their ancestors) skeleton provides solid evidence that humans and primates evolved from the same ancestor. This skeleton, called Ardipithecus but nicknamed "Ardi", is 4.4 million years old. The discovery tells us that humans have been evolving for at least 6 million years. Ardi challenges the idea that humans directly evolved from chimpanzees, rather than the idea that humans and chimps evolved from the same ancestor. Earlier tonight there was a special on the Discovery Channel about Ardi as well. More information can be found on the website here.

Reading the article informed me about progress in human evolution, but it made me think even more about racial evolution. In class we have been talking about slavery and white dominance, but I am curious as to how the white 'race' was developed in the first place. If race is defined by skin color, does anyone know how those skin colors evolved over time? How did different races develop?

P.S. Here is a video from the Discovery Website comparing Ardi to Lucy, a 3.2 million year old skeleton:

Racial Perspective

2009-09-25T12:39:00.003-05:00

Recently I read an interesting article on Newsweek.com about children seeing race. The article focused on how parents should teach their children about racial differences. The author writes that discussion about race is critical considering the fact that children as young as 6 months can recognize and differentiate skin color. It was determined that most parents do not discuss race with their children, leading their children to think that there are in fact divisions among race and that they should not be amongst those of another race. Children then become more susceptible to judging others. Therefore, talking to kids about racial differences is important because it helps them understand that they should not discriminate.

It seems as though the answer to the prevention of discrimination is knowledge. The kids who never talked about race were more likely to judge people based on race than those who did. I think that this concept can be applied to the origins of slavery. Over the past few days in class we have talked about some of the ways slavery originated, but we never talked about why people think they have the right to make others work for them in the first place. Because the first settlers in America were mainly European and white, they had little exposure to people of different ethnicity like Native Americans or Blacks. The Americans' lack of knowledge about people of other races made them automatically assume that they had authority over them. This makes me wonder both about human nature and the way people determine superiority.

What do you think about some of the psychological reasons behind slavery?

Obama and Kanye

2009-09-20T13:31:00.006-05:00

Many of you probably already heard about what Obama said to Kanye. But for anyone who doesn't, here's what happened. Before an interview with CNBC, Obama was commenting on the debacle between Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards. Kanye West walked onto the stage during Taylor's acceptance speech and said that Beyonce should have won the award instead of Taylor. So before his interview, Obama commented on Kanye's behavior and called him a jackass. Obama's conversation was off-the-record although what he said was recorded.

At TMZ.com, a sound clip and also a video recording of Obama can be viewed. People can also comment on the clips. I read some of the comments and interestingly, many people wrote things like: "Yeah Obama!" and "Way to tell it like it is!". So overall the commenters seemed to support what Obama said. I thought more people would comment on the fact that he used a bad word to describe Kanye. Having never heard any president use a swear before, it both shocked me and led me to view Obama in a different light. Sometimes people might forget that the President of the United States is still a man entitled to his own personal opinions. I know I tend to forget the president probably has opinions on popular media events too. He uses the same vocabulary as many other men, just not usually in public. However, others might believe that Obama is setting a bad example by using that kind of language.

Any thoughts?

Dreams Do Come True... But At What Cost?

2009-09-07T20:04:00.006-05:00

So far this Labor Day weekend has meant much more to 17 year old Melanie Oudin, the youngest tennis player to make it to the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Serena Williams. My dad told me how she upset the fourth-seeded player in the tournament, and after hearing that I watched her next match and defeat of Maria Sharapova. When a reporter interviewed her after her victory she kept talking about how hard she tried and how long she had worked to get where she is. Determination is a huge factor in Oudin's success: she even has the word 'Believe' written on her shoes. Although this rising star is making an enormous impact in the tennis world, she needed to make multiple sacrifices along the way. After 7th grade she decided to be home-schooled in order to practice more, and she admits that sometimes she is jealous of the more normal lifestyle of her twin sister.

All of this made me think about the commitments athletes make. Do the ends justify the means? Playing a sport at the pro level at such a young age surely requires tremendous amounts of dedication and practice, and I am wondering if the time commitment for a teenager is worth it. It seems apparent that Oudin's entire life has revolved around tennis, which obviously took away any chance of living as an ordinary teen. I definitely feel that now she must feel like things are paying off, but what about the young athletes who devote their lives for their sport with no satisfying results? In some cases working to be the best might not necessarily bring the best results.

Anyways, I'm definitely rooting for Oudin in the quarterfinals!

Jon and Kate Plus... Media

2009-08-30T21:31:00.005-05:00

Ever since the rumors of separation began for reality t.v. stars Jon and Kate Gosselin, the Gosselin family has been under constant scrutiny by magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Over the summer the relationship struggle between this couple has been featured on the cover of People magazine multiple times, with stories that range from Kate's perspective to Jon's to the family in general. With the numerous cover stories it is clear that the American public is eager for more information about the divorce of this famous couple. This information presents an interesting question: Why is America so fascinated by their divorce?

The divorces of other celebrities never have as much publicity and public appeal as that of the Gosselins. However American people can relate to the Gosselins because they are a family living a "normal" life. Many viewers might feel a connection with this family considering the way Jon and Kate Plus Eight is designed. The family goes through everyday struggles which viewers can empathize with. So is empathy the main reason for the heightened interest in the divorce of this couple? Or perhaps the scandalous nature of the divorce strengthened its attention? Either way the media has promoted the story in a way that pulls in readers, and additionally raises questions about the interests of American people. Americans could be attracted through feelings of empathy or perhaps the immoralities that "normal" families experience.