The End. Or Just the Begning?

I do not like to think of this as my last blog post. Blogging on anamericanstudies.com has honestly done so much for my impressionable brain! Most importantly, it has taught me to become a stronger writer. I have learned shorthand techniques as well as how to summarize information efficiently. For example, on my post written on May 11th called Black Sox Scandal, I was proud that I took a complicated historical event, and wrote a crisp and to-the-point blog post. I picked out the important information during my writing process. This concept of writing takes a lot of practice, but I feel I have mastered this skill during 2nd semester.

Blogging also kept me updated on current events. For example, in my Golden Gate Bridge...Asking for Suicide? post, it all started by an article I saw on the homepage of MSN. Being an active blogger, it is crucial to be involved and knowledgeable of our worlds current state.

Finally the moment you have all been waiting for!! Doc OC and Bolos, Please read the blog called Tokenism, posted on March 7th. I love this post not only because I am super familiar with its contents, but because it lead to a great discussion, of 3 comments from my classmates! I thought deeply into the issue, and created an original idea along with linked photos to support my case.

American studies has been such a fun ride. I am truthfully so sorry that it has to come to an abrupt end. Let this blog live on forever!!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,
Sarah E.

Ta-DA!

Click HERE
For
An amazing,
One-of-a-kind,
YouTube video.

I promise you wont regret it!!!!

Sincerely,
Sarah ... (whose in a good mood because its 85 degrees today!)

American Nightmares... YiKeS!

It is easy for one to come up with their so called, American Dreams , just as we did in class the other day. Common themes were: (in no particular order)

1. Get married
2. Have kids
3. Do good deeds and help others in need
4. Go to college
5. Own a home
6. Be financially successful

Though, I challenged myself to think of some American Nightmares...things people dread to obtain in part of their future lives. Feel free to add to either of my lists!

1. Struggle with money
2. Loss of a job
3. Not be able to get health insurance
4. Can't get pregnant, unable to start a family
5. Caught in a lawsuit or legal trouble
6. Health and well-being in jeopardy

Untitled

Chloe D's post inspired me to write a blog on music! Sooooo basically, I have been listening to this song on repeat for a while now..haha. Its called "Best Love Song" (feat Chris Brown) by T-pain. The beat is SO catchy. But I am puzzled by the lyrics. Click HERE for a link to them.

These lyrics are EXTREMELY simple. Listening to the song, I thought how cute it was (it is about writing a love song) and how pumped up it got me. Yet when I see it actually written out...I am embarrassed! Most lyrics are repeated multiple times, words like "gotta," "touchin', " "wanna" occur often. I am not saying that is bad! Sometimes shortened words go well in songs. What does the kind of music you listen to say about YOU?

One lyric really stumped me. It goes "homie kiss your girl, shorty kiss your man." What is a homie? And shorty? Can't we use better vocab here!
Better think twice about what I listen too...

Black Sox Scandal

In AIS, we are currently reading The Great Gatsby, and are at the part where the well known "Black Sox Scandal" has come into play (pun!). Being a humongous baseball (GO CUBS) fan, I am very knowledgeable about the topic! It was a very pivotal point not only in baseball's history, but American history as well, and I think it is important to know about it so here goes...

To start, this story is about the 1919 Chicago White Sox's in the World Series. They are pictured below.

They look so innocent, right? The reality is, 8 of these players were banned from Major League Baseball due to purposely "throwing" the 1919 World Series Game against the Cincinnati Reds. All in all, this was a gambling scheme, created by the Sox's first basemen. He recruited other team members, including the famous Shoeless Joe Jackson, which later was a heartbreak to many young fans.

Playing fair is a part of American Society. Some try to slide by without getting caught, (and sometimes they don't!) but it shows character and respect for the game when you play fair. This issue makes me think of the current day "steroid usage" issue. Is that cheating? How should we handle that situation?

Gatsby

I am a strong believer that you can judge a book by its cover. Whether its simple, complicated, colorful, dark, small or big, one can always analyze and relate it to what is inside. What do you think? Can you acctually judge a book by its cover? What does this Gatsby cover say to you?

The Grand Finale

Junior themes were turned in this week (well... I HOPE yours were turned in!) and it is honestly such a relief. Its amazing how much there is to learn about every little topic, yet during this project, I truly did realize there is a way to "over-research."

Ask me anything about television in the 1970's and I'm sure I know it! That is a great feeling. On the other hand, after weeks and weeks of reading materials surrounding the same subject line, I am more than ready to move on to The Great Gatsby!

Looking back, I liked the Junior Theme project. I felt it gave each author "wiggle room" to test the limits of their knowledge. Also, I felt that being able to choose your own topic, benefited not only your paper, but also everything you took away from this project.

If I were to do this again, I would change two things. First being, to take full advantage of library time. Second being to spread out the actual writing process over a couple days (suggested 3 or 4) instead of 1 or 2.

I am really proud and excited that its all done!!!

The Golden Gate Bridge...Asking for Suicide?

First. Click HERE and read this article.  It is very powerful and important to read for this blog post!

I hope what you just read strikes you as hard as it struck me. A quote from the article states: "The Golden Gate Bridge is considered one of the world's most popular spot for suicides, with a jump survival rate of only about 2 percent."

Yet it is also one of the most beautiful, elegant and useful structures in the United States?! What! How can the two go together?

In the past ten years the have been almost 300 deaths on the Golden Gate Bridge. Wikipedia says, it is the most popular suicide location in the entire world. Given such a huge number, shouldn't we do something about it? Look at the picture below. Right on a pole on the bridge is a crisis hotline and payphone for anyone to call if suicidal. Is this promoting the bridge as a commonly used suicide location? I'm not sure about how I feel about the sign.

One more thing to notice. See in the picture, how low the red bar is. It is SO easy to jump off of and SO easy to even fall off of! Couldn't California put some sort of net or chain fence a little bit higher? It seems this sign, and the easy access is just asking for trouble.

I felt personally impacted by the story, I, myself have been to the gorgeous Golden Gate many times. It hurts me hear these stories accompanied by shocking statistics. Do you think we are doing enough in prevention? Or have we seemed to "accept" it and moved on?

Glued to the Set

For my junior theme, I am reading a book called Glued to the Set by Steven D. Stark. Its about television shows from the forties, by century, all the way up to the nineties. What I found interesting while reading this book, is to compare eras. For example, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was a television show that came out in 1961. It was about a very successful suburban couple with an upscale life. It was an all white family, with one son. The show consisted of nights out with friends, bar mitzvahs, etc. An issue on the show was marriage counseling. Nothing much out of the box. Now look at "All in the Family," a show that came out in 1971, ten years after Dick Van Dyke. All in the Family is a sitcom displaying a downscale, lower-middle class lifestyle. Issues like racism, homosexuality, rape, miscarriage, abortion, and war all played a significant role in the show. Now lets look a bit more modern, to "Roseanne" which aired from 1988-1997. This show revolved around a working class family, struggling to get by. A portly mother (Roseanne) and father, two daughters, a son, a crazy aunt, all encompassed the show. Issues such as poverty, alchoholism, teenage pregnancy, race, social class, domestic violence, were all a reality for the family.

It is amazing to me to see such change in television over the years. Yesterday I was talking to a specialist from Columbia College downtown and she strongly believed media reflects a truthful image of our society today. Yet also she said, media has a positive impact on us and the realm of television is the absolute best place for such issues to be discussed. What do you think television says about us? Does media portray the reality of our society?

Looking for an Interviewee?

Glenna just suggested a fabulous site to me, and I figured I would share it with all of you! It is the Northwestern Library.  It lists, by subject, specalists in all sorts of fields! It is extremely inclusive and I'm sure your Junior Theme topic would be there. Here is the site: http://www.library.northwestern.edu/research-help/ask-librarian/subject-specialists. ENJOY!

 

3rd Quarter Comes to an End

Bolos and OC,
Please read Who Have We Become? I think I triggered a lot of interesting comments, which is a bloggers dream come true!

Spring Break...AKA...Mental Health Week?

Hi all. Spring break is nearing, so I figured I better whip out a blog post before its too late! I'm sure you all have exciting plans, whether traveling or staying home, this break is most definetly needed and deserved.

I was glancing through the calendar earlier (yes, procrastinating), and noticed that in the school year of 2010 (from August to December) we had exactly 3 days off school, combined with 2 early dismissals and 2 late arrivals. In the year 2011 (from January until now) we have had 1 day off, 0 early dismissals, and 0 late arrivals. Why such a polar difference? Lets not forget how we lucked out with those two snow days during that grueling febuary month.

Anyway, my point is school is hard! And weve had a tough winter. So take this spring break as a refreshing, new start. Take a break from those junior themes (Yikes dont kill me for saying that OC and BOLOS!) and relax. Time is officially...on your side.

Follow Up on Huck Finn and the N-Word

On sixty minutes tonight there was a story on the new version of Huck Finn without the N-word, and all the controversy behind it. I strongly suggest you check it out at this site: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360250n or click HERE for link.

Why?

Why why why why. That seems to be all I have been hearing the past week in AIS. The world is so complicated with so many "why" questions. Why is the sky blue? Why are basketball players tall? Why does electricity work? All of those have definite answers. But what if you start to ask questions that have multiple why answers...? or maybe no answer at all...?!

That is our assignment for junior theme this year. I have found it VERY interesting to see the topics fellow students have come up with, for example, students have delved into controversial topics like Racism, Hybrid Energy, Assisted Suicide, Genes, TV Tokenism, War on Terror etc. The first step in the paper is to ask "Why Questions." I found it very helpful to come up with multiple why questions so you don't get stuck on just one. Also, given the fact that the paper must be 5-7 pages...it is crucial that you cover different angles of your topic and ADDRESS THE OTHER SIDE! If your struggling with this part, I do have one tip... Do some background info on your topic BEFORE you narrow in on a why question. There are very useful online databases that give general information about topics. You need to be sure you can write 5-7 pages!!


In summary, this junior theme project has amazed me! "We've Got Issues," its called, and it surely is true about America. The class of AIS is the perfect setting to ask yourself: WHY?

Spider-Where?

Yes you heard it right. Spider man is for real. How do we know that? Hes been spotted at recent occasions in Broadway, New York.

The musical "Spider Man"has been estimated at a $65 Million show. It was supposed to come out again this week, but has been suspended for some touchups and shall come out within the next three months. This New York Times article has more information.

What amazes me about this play is it takes 40 years of comic booking, multiple movies with splendid special effects, and mixes them together into a 2 hour performance...and what do you get? Im sure it's tremendous. I wonder how it compares to the movies.

Want to buy a ticket? Click HERE. ;) Thought this story might spark your intrest and lighten the mood. 2 weeks until spring break...YOU CAN DO IT TREVS!

What Even is Collective Barganing?

For the past few weeks I have heard people mention "Wisconsin" and "Governor Scott Walker" and "Collective Bargaining." Then, suddenly, Mr. Bolos blogged about these issues and I figured it was about time for me to connect the dots.

Lets start with the Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker. He is a republican who has been in office since only the beginning of this year. Recently, he has proposed a budget repair bill, that would eliminate most collective bargaining except for wages.


What is collective bargaining? I just learned myself that collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements which regulate working conditions...(link to Wikipedia for more background!). For example, collective bargainers would discuss issues like wages, hours, promotions, benefits, training, health and safety etc. I believe it is crucial that employees work out these issues with their employers, and establish their rights and affairs.


Why take away collective bargaining? Read this article...this gives you a taste on Scott Walker's viewpoint. Collective bargaining has apparently had a huge effect on the deficit in Wisconsin, and the governor feels it is  unnecessary spending. To adress the other side, others would say collective bargaining is in the constitution. And it is a violation of rights to revoke this privilage.

What are your thoughts on the issue? I am quite curious to hear some diverse answers. Or if you have any more background information to add, please, be my guest!!

Tokenism

This week we heard the breathtaking presentation of TV Tokenism by Doc OC and Mr. B. It was clear to me that television shows use the practice Tokenism which is the including of minority figures solely just to say they did so. I agree and believe it is very apparent in many network shows today.

I am a consistent watcher of the show Modern Family. See Links below for cast pictures so you can get an idea of who is on the show.
Cast Photo 1
Cast Photo 2
Cast Photo 3

I hope these photos have showed you how diverse the show is. For example, the show consists of a gay couple, a Hispanic woman, a seemingly retarded child, an adopted Asian child, a step father...all the minority groups you can imagine! In a sense, wouldn't it be a smart tactic for a show to use a lot of minority figures? Because if you can apply YOURSELF to the show, you probably will be more interested in watching it. Am I right? The more minority figures, the more ratings...?

Gay Marriage: Get With the Times!?

Just this week, Lady Gaga came out with a new single called: "Born this Way" (Click HERE for lyrics). One of the most controversial songs of this age. Many have compared her to Madonna. One lyric that stood out to me was "A different lover is not a sin." I interpreted the word different meaning the minority or not the norm. It made me think of homosexuals. I think Lady Gaga was trying to say here thast it is ridiculous for religions to make people feel "wrong" for being gay or lesbian. I definately agree with her in that sense. Why can we have inter-racial marriages yet not inter-gender marriages? It is wrong to hold predjudice against people for whom they choose to love. Lady Gaga is definetly being bold by writing this song, she sure has gotten a lot of heat for it, but I admire her for doing so. I think its time we are more accepting and non-judgmental of homosexuals. It is a persons choice of who they be with.

Who Have We Become? PART TWO

I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I AM SEEING!!!

Right now, the cover story on CNN is about Lindsay Lohan stealing a necklace. (http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/02/08/lindsay.lohan.charge/index.html?hpt=T1)

Really?

Who Have We Become?

Today has been a great day because I luckily found a $25 gift card to itunes that I thought I lost! With haste, I checked up on the itunes top a hundred list, and previewed some of the latest hits. Yet, I was really surprised with the songs I found on the list. For example, the list consisted of songs titled: F**k You, I Just Had Sex, What the Hell, F**kin Perfect, Tonight (I'm F**kin You), U Got it Bad, Lie to Me, Porn Star Dancing, and Party and Bulls**t. I wouldn't help but think that these are the most listened to songs in America today. What does that say about us!?

My dad always tells me that using profane language and searing displays a poor vocabulary. My dad and I started talking on the subject, and he brought up some song titles from when he was a kid. For example: Brown Eyed Girl, I Got You (I Feel Good), Blue Suede Shoes, You Make Me Feel So Young, Satisfaction. NONE of these contain ONE swear word! Nor do they express anything negative.

Is it fair to say that Americans have become more "down" over the years and have turned to abhorrent music? Have we lost a magnitude of positivity? Happiness?

Persona, Masks, & Identites

We did an activity this week, reguaring the reconstruction of Huck Finn. We disscuessed many topics (e.g. Religion, Salesmanship, Women, Men) that all had an apparent affect on Hucks life. Yet one category, "Persona" stood out to me. OC brought up the question: why do characters adopt masks? To what extent is it a survival stragey?

Isn't everyone always wearing a mask? I feel I am a slighty different person around my friends, versus my family or even my teachers. You choose an identity depending on the situation. Sure you are YOU! But the truth is YOU is not a constant thing.

Everyone takes advantage of "masks" to cover up their insecurties. In a sense, it then becomes a survival instinct. For example, with a new friend that I don't know well...I may act a certain way to impress him or her. I use a mask to cover my own faults.

My question to you is: To what extent do maskes interfere with our individualism?

Ultimate-Mega-Meta

The breeze has grown cold, the tennis players ran inside. The frilly fur boots have come out from hiding in the basement, and the students have buckled down for their intense final exams. Change surrounds us. Yet it's nothing like a execrable change, rather, it is a progression via time. Just like my blogging!

Depending on my mood, my blogs can range in feeling. One of my deepest blogs was titled "FOUND: Right or Wrong?" This shared a personal experience, that was a very controversial, touchy subject. Thus, when I got two opposing comments on the post, I was proud of myself. A bloggers dream come true!! On the other hand, one light-hearted blog I enjoyed writing was "Thanksgiving Nightmare."   Instead of a typical controversial issue, it discussed shopping and things relatable to other students. Just more of interesting and funnily informative post.

I like that blogging gives you the ability to do that. Flexibility is key to blogging. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer in the blog world. You don't have to write an accurate "paper," or work some magic to be successful. You are successful if you intrigue the readers, write a powerful and interesting post, sometimes with information or sometimes with feeling.

OC'LOS - Please read: "The Fame: Beautiful, Dirty, Rich." This is my most recent post, as we talked about it earlier this week. Its about the "New Trier - Wall of Fame" and the "New Trier - Where are They Now?" I liked this post because I feel I did a good job gathering information, addressing the other side, and clearly stating my belief on the issue. This post proves that I have become better at creating a fluid and less choppy post, something I talked about improving in my last meta post.

*Semester One =  survived, and completed ;)

Censorship = avoiding the truth?

I found this poster online, and I felt it really related to our class discussions about the book, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and the ample use of the "n-word." Is censorship needed in this case? 

CHECK THIS OUT: I just realized that a past AIS alumni used this same picture, AND blogged about the same subject! Check out Chip P.'s opinion here, on his AIS blog: 

http://as-chip.blogspot.com/2009/02/banned-books-begone.html

The Fame: Beautiful, Dirty, Rich

Before I begin, I want you to check out this link. This is the wikipedia list for "notable alumni from New Trier High School." Notice that all of the people listed, have achieved some sort of high honor in their studies/life. For example, a major league baseball player, CEO's of major businesses, crucial politicians, and Nobel Prize winning scientist's are all apart of the list. What message does this send current day New Trier students? Friday in class, we held this exact discussion.

New Trier has always had the reputation for hardcore education and high achieving graduates. Yikes, thats a lot of pressure for students to live up too! Although we have some extremely successful alumni, what about the majority of New Trier graduates? Where do they fit into the picture.

In my mind, a 4th grade teacher is just as successful as a television star. Success isn't marked by the amount of money you make. Success is accomplishing goals and doing things that make you happy. So what makes Reinn Wilson more "notable" then lets say, Bobby Smith (a fellow new trier graduate). It seems that New Trier upholds this image saying that success is in relation to money and fame. Is that moral? It makes me think, if I don't do something incredible...I am letting my high school, and my reputation down?

It just upsets me that "The Wall of Fame" and the "Where are They Now" organizations at New Trier are only honoring this minority of famous and insanely intelligent New Trier Students. Those two adjectives surly do not define New Trier as a whole. To me, a person who is very involved in our society or is very generous to the less fortunate is just as "notable" as a playboy CEO!