Tommy's American Studies Blog

Supreme Court Not Representing US of A

2010-05-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

In class the other day, we talked about how Elena Kagan was in the running to be elected to the Supreme Court. And if this were to come to pass, every SC Justice would have gone to either Harvard or Yale. This is completely mind boggling to me. How can the people who will decide the future of our most important laws have only gone to just 2 upper crusty schools. I've nothing against Harvard or Yale, but to have all of our justices having attended one or the other just makes no sense. There is no way they can accurately understand the whole American people, when making laws and deciding on cases. You're telling me there was no one who went to state school, or even a private institution like Stanford or something who was deemed qualified to be a Supreme Court justice. In fact, there was a Coldbert report episode on this very subject. And while they dedicated most of their time to making fun of Elena Kagan, Steven said one thing that was quite interesting to me. This was the fact that Ms. Kagan would be the youngest member of the Supreme Court at 50 years of age! This is ridiculous! How could the youngest person be only 50? This goes back to my point of America being underrepresented by the Supreme Court. It sounds like hippy drivel, but how can they understand the youth and the changing technologic world... there needs to be some younger individuals on the SC. I don't mean college kids or teenagers, but someone in their 30's or 40's would be quite alright for this position... right? Do you have any ideas or views on this developing subject? Hit me

The Paranormal?

2010-05-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

I had an interesting experience today, when I got home after practice. My brother was watching a movie called "Paranormal Activity", and I sat down with him for a few minutes, to see what this movie was all about. I've heard quite a lot about it, (I remember one friend of mine saying it was the honest to god scariest thing she'd ever seen)... but I digress. After about five minutes of watching the film (we were a little over a half hour in I believe) I stood up and declared "This is the stupidest, most fake piece of crap I've ever seen in my life." I mean, the couple is freaking out because the door is moving a little bit, and the plants are blowing around slightly. The part that tipped me over the edge was when their ouija board set on fire. I was like, "really, the board just set on fire on its own." It was the fakest thing I'd seen. There is no way you will convince me to take that movie or any paranormal or ghostly presence seriously. This reminds me of the time in 3rd grade (when I was still in Catholic school) that all of the kids in our grade thought the basement of our church was haunted by the ghost of Bloody Mary or something completely ridiculous like that. Granted, we were gullible 9 year old kids... but still it was an absolutely ridiculous craze. And lo and behold, I just watched a TED Talk on this very subject ...

This Ted Talk in question is by a man named James Randy, and he performs a "fiery takedown of psychic fraud." In it, he talks about how psyhics like Sylvia Browne and John Edward are complete frauds. I totally agree with this, as you might tell by the preceding paragraph. He basically mentions that so called psychics like them are ripping off people who want to try and communicate with their deceased loved ones, and obviously these people have no actual spiritual ability. In fact, Mr. Randi's organization (The James Randi Educational Foundation) is dedicated to uproot these people and educate the public about their fraudulant activity. The funny thing is that the JREF offers a 1 million dollar cash prize to anyone who can demonstrate psychic or paranormal activity. And no professional, except Sylvia Browne(who backed out of the challenge), has attempted this undertaking.

Do you guys have any opinion on this stuff, the supernatural, the paranormal, the weird, the ghoulish...???

People Don't Buy What You Do, They Buy Why You Do it

2010-05-11T19:28:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I was looking through some Ted Talks, and found one that intrigued me quite a lot. It was by a man named Simon Sinek. In it, he discussed the idea that "people don't buy what you do, but why you do it." He explained this by using Apple, and how they sell their products, Apple doesn't just say that they make great computers that are user friendly, but they say what they believe in. He also gave the example of the Wright brothers, who were first in flight, but had no funding, no team of experts, no college degrees- and yet they achieved what many who were well funded and well educated could not. This idea was hard to wrap my head around at first, but slowly it came to me. If you get people behind you who share your beliefs, then leading them and accomplishing things becomes much easier. He also gave the example of Martin Luther King Jr.- who apparently gained such a loyal following from spreading his idea, not his plan. The line he is famous for, "I have a dream" is key, and Mr. Sinek makes the point that he gave the 'I have a dream speech', not the 'I have a plan speech'. If you tell people what you believe, or why you want to do what you want to do- they will follow you. If you have time, I would reccomend watching the Talk, it is quite captivating. What do you think about this abstract idea?

You Ain't Got No Legs Lieutenant Dan: JT is finished!!

2010-05-09T14:20:00.000-05:00

After a a very long process, my Junior Theme is pretty much finally done. I've gone from thinking I was going to talk about the economy, to writing about military spending. After my first draft, I had nine pages of loosely connected drivel in desperate need of refinement. And thats just what I did, I looked for more information, I pared down stuff I didn't need, I refashioned my language, and voila'- I was getting closer to a finished product. I used countless online articles, three books, one podcast, and one documentary to write my paper. The biggest change I ever made came yesterday, where I full on cut 3 paragraphs from my paper, because they didn't directly prove my point. They included my portion on "Adams" by George Saunders, which Doc Oc really liked, but in the end wasn't essential to prove my point, so I eliminated the whole block on the subject. I then changed my last pargraph block from talking about asymmetrical threats to talking about how the government is not spending our money as smart as they could be. I think this change helped the clarity of my last paragraph, and fit better with the paper than it did before.
Now you might be asking yourself, what does "You ain't got no legs lieutenant dan" scene from Forest Gump have to do with military spending? And I have the answer- it doesn't, but why not do it?

Times Square Car Bomb Discovered!

2010-05-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, after getting home, I hadn't been in the house 30 seconds, before my dad called me into the TV room. So, I walked in and he explained his calling me. He said there had been a car bomb discovered in Times Square, and I was quite shocked to hear this. So far, no one knows the exact motive for it, but this Huffington Post article explains that there might be a connection to the popular animated show South Park. The reason for this connection is because South Park recently depicted the Muslim prophet Mohammed wearing a bear costume in their TV show. The SUV was parked outside the Viacom building, which owns Comedy Central, the network that South Park airs on. This may sound ridiculous, but if you're familiar with the show, you know what I'm talking about. And after that particular episode aired, Muslim extremists issued threats to the shows producers. According to the New York daily news, the vehicle in question was a Nissan Pathfinder packed with M88's, propane tanks, gasoline, and fertilizer. There is video surveilance of a man exiting the vehicle and quickly changing shirts and fleeing the scene, and thanks to a quick acting street vendor and the NYPD, the threat was contained before anyone was hurt. The car bomb could have shattered windows, done large amounts of damage, and injured dozens of people. The liscense plate was taken from a car in a repair shop, and the car most likely stolen. Police say that this could be a terrorist attack, or it could be the efforts of a "lone wolf". Whatever the case, it was luckily thwarted by a street vendor selling I Love NY shirts, who in an interview gave his message to New York City, "If you see something say something."

JT Update: Chillitary Spending

2010-04-30T11:31:00.000-05:00

Early this week, I conducted my interview with Northwestern professor, Johnathon Caverly. He had a lot of interesting points to make, and the interview suprised me a bit. Despite being fairly awkard, I learned quite a lot. I expected him to agree with most of my points, but instead he provided a good part of my Adress the Other Side part. He didn't completely deny my claims, but he took sort of a middle ground on most of the questions, where he leveled with me, but provided a very sophisticated view as well. For example, he didn't agree that the cold war directly led to high military spenidng today, but he did say that a document I'm examing, called NSC 68 represented the philosophy that the United States shouldn't put up with communism. It was very enlightening, and valuable to have someone scholarly who offered opposing views.

JT Update: Thrillitary Spending

2010-04-23T15:18:00.000-05:00

After having written a rough draft on my paper, I come to the hard part: editing and refining. My topic is military spending, and my sub-topics are: the cold war, military expenses, Eisenhower's farewell speech, the current Military Industrial complex, the short story "Adams" by George Saunders, and asymmetrical threats. This may sound like jibberish, and it is. The hardest part thus far has been making smooth transitions so the paper flows like a waterfall. That and collecting more statistics and facts, and integrating those in well enough so they actually make sense, and don't seem tacked on. The good news is that I've attained an interview subject, a Northwestern Professor named Jonathon Caverly.

The Future of Games --- And Why We Keep Coming Back For More

2010-04-12T20:41:00.001-05:00

I checked out the video that Mr. Bolos wanted to show in class today, Jesse Schell's talk at DICE 2010 on the future of games. He went in depth into the ideas that Bolos previewed to us. He gave many examples of this world that he thought would soon come to be, such as games on the back of your cornflakes, advertisments being beamed into your dreams, pedometers in shoes, a computer to keep track of how many Dr Peppers you drink in one week. I think this is quite an interesting point that Mr. Schell makes, in that many things are being turned into games and you can find games almost anywhere nowadays. Our world may very well be headed in this direction, and I wouldn't necesarily be surprised to see some of these things emerge in the near future.

Now, I'd like to switch gears for a minute. Bolos talked about how certain video games draw people in unique ways, such as Call of Duty: World at War's Nazi Zombie mode, where you essentially board yourselves up in a house, and unload on a literally endless tide of nazi zombies. However, there are a few distinct ways to get a game to sell and draw people in. One is innovation, trying to do something no one has ever done before, think Guitar Hero, Grand Theft Auto, Assasin's Creed, and Rock Band. Another is reputation, basically resting on your laurels, think Halo, Call of Duty, and Mario. Because face it, Bungie could put Halo on a shoebox and it would probably sell like, half a million copies before anyone figured out what was up. Yet another is pretty much copying an idea, and trying to do it better, or at the very least releasing that copy in between sequels of the copied. Think Dante's Inferno and Saint's Row, which are both pretty succesful yet are complete rip offs of God of War and Grand Theft Auto. So I guess my point is, it is pretty easy to figure out the sales tactics and selling points of a game and make an informed decision on whether or not it is worth your hard earned $50 or $60 bucks.

I also found Sam Gotlieb's Cracked.com article. The article talks about why we are addicted to video games, and one point that stuck out to me went back to today's class about "experience points". It talked about how games dangle prizes in front of you, and make you "pull the lever" in terms of acquiring that prize. Whether it is a shiny new sword, a new cow in Farmville, or looking forward to picking up that weapon you've always wanted in Call of Duty... you will have to play more to get that prize. And to get that prize, in most cases, you will have to pay. Another particularly striking point. This is that companies are moving away from the once simple "here's 50 dollars" "ok heres your game. have fun", but with the onset of online play the game has changed. From games that charge 15 bucks a month, like World of Warcraft, to services like Xbox Live which also charge you 15 bucks a month- the extra fees for the "complete experience" are everywhere. However, on Xbox Live you pay that 15 bucks you can play any game, from Need for Speed, to Halo, to Lego Indiana Jones online. And this is why Xbox Live is so expensive, Microsoft doesn't care if all of their millions of subscribers are playing just one game, they still get 15 bucks a player in subscription fees. So if you're like me, and only play Modern Warfare 2 online, with the occasional other game, Microsoft is milking us for all we're worth. However, there is another way to make money off of online services, and that is companie selling thier games in pieces, as downloadable content. For example, Bethesda Softwork's Fallout 3 sold very well. However, at first glance it would seem that the company didn't finish the game. This is because they released a total of 5 downloadable pieces, all priced at $10 a pop. Thats a total of $50 for those who downloaded all 5, and if most players downloaded at least 1, maybe more, maybe all 5... that's just a ton of money. So after reading all of that, which I doubt you did, you might think that video game developers and companies are evil... which they're not... mostly. They're just trying to get from paycheck to paycheck, and a genuine few are out to make a quality game that will make their dedicated fans very very happy. Every once in awhile a game will come along that is superb beyond belief... like Modern Warfare 2, and you will want to thank the brilliant minds that engineered that masterpiece.

P.S: So, if you have read this far, I would very much appreciate it if you commented either on the first part... where do you think our world is headed in terms of video games?/ Is Jesse Schell right, or is he criminally insane? Or the second part, what do you think about the experience points concept, subscription services/ downloadable content, video game addiction, or about modern games in general?
P.S.S: (Yes, I'm aware that I kind of sounded like a nerd that whole post... but whatevs)

Tactical Nuke Incoming? Junior Theme 10'

2010-04-08T08:34:00.000-05:00

Well, after quite a lot of deliberation, and a bit of luck I've finally decided on a Junior Theme topic. It is on war funding, and the very high price of modern warfare. My question will be something like this: Why is military spending so high today, or why do 50% of our tax dollars go to military? To do this, I will look at where our tax dollars go exactly, and how much money the average American, and Cook County resident has lost due to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. I will look at how much war has cost in the past, and compare it to the prices of vehicles and weapons today. I also plan to look to the future and talk about the experimental technology of today, specifically Predator Drones and the future of U.S nuclear armament capabilities. I will use many sources, from online articles, to war databases, to novels, to New Yorker podcasts, to President Dwight D. Eisenhower's farewell speech.

The Automaker's Folly

2010-04-05T20:13:00.006-05:00

The last time we were in the classroom, we were talking about branding, and Sam brought up an interesting point. This was how certain car companies, create other brands, if they want to take the company in another direction. For example, Toyota released its youth oriented Scion division in 2002. And Nissan came out with its Luxury Infiniti brand about 20 years ago, and finally Honda owns the 'on the rise' Acura brand. Anyway, these automakers had a good enough reason to create a whole new company, but sometimes a car company just wants to release a single car without going through the trouble of coming up with a whole new deal. For example, Sam brought up the Hyundai Genesis in class, which has its own website, and a distinct lack of Hyundai badges. Hyundai wanted to release a luxury car, but didn't have enough reason, or money, or motive to create a new company. If you look at the sedan version, from the front it looks quite like a Mercedes C Class, but is much less expensive. A second example, is Nissan Motor Company. They released their 911 GT3 beater- the GT-R (pictured at top) in 2007. It is an incredibly fast and powerful car, which is unlike the Nissan we all know, makers of the mid range Maxima, Sentra, and Altima. And if you look closely at it, you will be hard pressed to find a Nissan badge on it. There is a small one on the back, but on the wheel and front you will find the sleek red GTR insignia. Yet another example is the Chrysler 300, which looks strikingly like a Bentley Mulsanne. (See if you can tell the difference!) From Mercedes' AMG division, to the Chevrolet Corvette, to the Audi R8, the examples of this trend in car companies are bountiful. What do you think about branding in cars or in general?

Marketing and Advertising Video Games: Is it worth the time?

2010-04-04T21:10:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a very interesting video today, called The Marketing Machine it was on how and why
publishers put money into advertising certain games, and how they go about doing it. They talked about one game in particular quite extensively. It was the title Dante's Inferno, an action spinoff of Dante Alighieri's poem, The Divine Comedy. Anyway, long story short it was apparently a mediocre game but the producers decided to put out a comercial for it during the Super Bowl. The four industry specialists in the video discussed why this was either a good or bad idea. Allegedly, some think it was a good idea because it obviously reached alot of people, and sold half a million copies in February, making it one of the best sellers of the month. On the flip side, it may have not been a great decision because, how many people who are interested in a game like Dante's Inferno are going to be watching the Super Bowl. You're not really reaching you're target audience, but it may reach so many people that it won't matter. I thought this was an interesting discussion, and it really shows how advertising extends and is important to all types of products. I doubt any of you have any opinions of thoughts on this, but if you do I'd love to hear you share.

Free

2010-03-25T13:42:00.000-05:00

The topic that I think I'm going to write my Junior Theme on is why things are free these days. I will be reading a book entitled Free, by Chris Anderson. I've only just started but it is already quite interesting to me. In it he talks about how the most effective price is often no price at all. From services like Flickr, and Animoto who give the basic package away for free but charge for the premium version, to companies that offer free services and installations like Comcast then charge monthly. The examples go on and on, from free trials for videogames to free samples for food, the concept of no price is boundless. Many people say "there is no such thing as a free lunch", but Anderson argues that it is in fact a very important marketing tactic. He also talks about how the concept of free stretches far back into history. It is an interesting topic that I'm looking forward to writing about it. What do you think about the concept and marketing strategy of 'free'?

Ads- Audi is Rewriting the Rule Book

2010-03-15T19:51:00.000-05:00

All the talk of commercials and advertisements in class today reminded me of a commercial I saw last week, while watching TV. It is a new Audi commercial, and it caught my attention. Audi claims they are "breaking the spell", and beating their main rivals (Lexus, Mercedes- Benz, and BMW) at their own stereotypes. They claim they are growing faster than any of their competitors, as well. The commercial depicts a kid looking at a ferrari poster, saying "I've been told to desire a red Italian sports car", a suburban mom standing next to a Lexus RX, two businessmen getting into their Mercedes Benzes, an old man and his wife at a golf course standing next to their Lexus GS, and a short guy and his wife standing in front of their enormous house with a red convertible BMW. However, it ends with an Audi R8, (their esteemed supercar which they are quite proud of) roaring its massive V8 engine as it pulls up outside the boy from the first scene's house. I actually think this is quite an effective ad, in that it tries to separate itself from its competitors, which are truthfully associated with stereotypes. But I don't necesarily agree with the whole 'lets attack our competitors' stance that Audi is taking. What do you think about thsi commercial, and the direction that Audi is seemingly headed in?

Sly Fox - Nas

2010-03-11T18:52:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago, when Doc Oc and I were discussing rap music, (as we often do), he mentioned a song to me, called Sly Fox by Nas. I looked it up a few days later, and was surprised by what I heard. I thought it would be your run of the mill rap song, but it was far from that. Nas makes a statement in his song that is essentially completely against Fox news, about how the network has a "secret agenda", and is "always watching". Fox is often referred to as highly liberal and Republican, and some think they often work to help the Republican party in their campaigns and such. Regardless of what you think of Nas, or of Fox news, he is making a very bold statement, and putting himself out there in a way. He is sayingwhat he believes, and is trying to expose Fox news to an audience that might not be completely familiar with their political bias. One verse in particular strikes me as very true:

"They say I'm all about murder-murder and kill-kill

But what about Grindhouse and Kill Bill?

What about Cheney and Halliburton? (Halliburton?)

The backdoor deals

On oil fields

How's NaS the most violent person?"

I like the point he makes is that many people often blame rappers for promoting violence in the youth of America, but Nas says that despite what anyone says, violent in the more mainstream media is worse. Fox produces motion pictures such as Grindhouse and Kill Bill, and that is in some ways, worse damage than anything a rapper could do.

The End of Gatsby

2010-03-09T19:59:00.000-06:00

I'm not afraid to admit that The Great Gatsby is one of few books I've read in school that I've greatly and genuinely enjoyed (Slaughterhouse Five, and The Odysey come to mind). Gatsby has so many deep and thoughtful themes running through it, and some of the quotes in the last chapter are mind- bendingly thought provoking. It reminds us that no matter how powerful, rich, or happy we are- we are mortal, and the sad thing is- a bullet can change everything. Jay Gatsby lived life at the top, and he came crashing down. Some think that the novel illustrates the death of the American Dream, and that Gatsby's death represents this downfall. I think this a rather narcicistic way to view the novel, and that the message Fitzgerald wants to tell is that everyone has a "green light" as Gatsby does. And that everyone, no matter how mysterious or powerful has a simple, human side. After the first chapter, I thought that Jay Gatsby was going to be a larger than life character, but he turns out to be a simple man trying to find the love he lost so long ago. And when Nick says, "I realize this has been a story of the West, after all..." (176), I think Fitzgerald is trying to show that there is a place in the world for everyone. I don't think Fitzgerald was trying to illustrate the death of the American Dream, but perhaps the non-existence of the American Dream as it has been idolized and built up as an image. Fitzgerald's view of the American dream is that everyone should find something to drive for, and you will find somewhere to fit in.

The Hurt Locker

2010-03-08T19:46:00.000-06:00

I'm going to try my best to make this not sound like a promo for the Hurt Locker, but after our discussion in class I felt the need to blog about it. Personally, I can't think of a movie that deserves best picture more than the Hurt Locker. I saw it quite a while ago, over the summer, so I don't remember everything, but it is a film that does everything nearly perfectly. It avoids any political statements, the sound and explosions are sweet, the characters are deep and real, and the plot is complex while being easy to follow. It opens with the quote "War is a drug", as said by former Iraq war reporter Chris Hedges. Now, Mr. O'Connor said in class today that the flim follows the arc of many vietnam war era films, but I think the Hurt Locker does them all one better. It makes you feel the emotions that the characters are feeling, and it gives you a take on our current conflict you don't often see. It is all summed up by the very last shot, which I thought was incredible. I won't ruin it for those of you who haven't seen it, because you absolutely should. I think that it will be a movie that will stay as a classic, and be regarded in the American "cannon" as one of the greatest movies of all time.

Conan's Parting Words

2010-02-18T09:45:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago my friend showed me a few youtube videos of Conan O'Brien doing crazy expensive stunts, such as dressing a Bugatti Veyron (a car costing about 1.2 million dollars) up as a mouse, when he knew his 20 year long run with NBC was about to enter its death throes. However, when someone told me about his farewell speech and how classy and moving it was, I had to check it out. What I found was a very mature way to say farewell. Though he was legally allowed to say anything about NBC on the air during his final night, he chose to go out with a positive message. He complimented the company and thanked them for their 20 year run, and said he never regretted a thing. But what really got me was the very last thing he said, where he was addressing the young people who watch his program. His message was not to be a "cynic", to look at the positive in life, and take everything in stride- just as he demonstrated. He could have bashed NBC, and went out with a bang, but he chose to say something positive that everyone can relate to. And I believe almost everyone can take a page out of Mr. O'Brien's book in that way. What do you think of his farewell speech, last few nights on the air, and his firing in the first place?

Its Never Too Late to Apologize: Through the Words of Titus

2010-02-17T19:10:00.000-06:00

Danny's most recent post got me thinking about reperations, and I wondered, is it too late to apologize for attrocities like slavery? I was immediately reminded of standup comic Chris Titus' 5th Annual End of the World Tour. In this standup special, he discusses and puts a lighter side on reperations and "whitey's" need to apologize. This segment can be found here. You should take the 8 minutes to watch it, its pretty funny, while being related to class. In it, he describes how some leaders of the African American community are less concerned about being repaid, and would rather someone stand up and make a formal apology. And of courseTitus abides. He makes a good point, the first step to healing is apology. And while the end of the clip may seem a little goofy, when he makes everyone say "I'm whitey and I apologize", he's trying to make that first small step towards healing the wounds made so long ago.

The Future of Transportion and Ray Lahood

2010-01-26T19:22:00.000-06:00

I remember watching a Daily Show episode a while ago that quite intrigued me. The guest was one Ray Lahood, the Secretary of Transportation. And as you might imagine, he and John Stewart were discussing the Future of Transportation in the U.S. Usually, I have no idea who the guests on Coldbert and Stewart are, and I just tune in for the yucks. However, this conversation struck a chord with me for some reason. The first point he makes is that they are currently rebuilding America's infrastructure, using a total of 48 Billion Dollars, and are giving many people who were previously unemployed jobs rebuilding America. And I think thats pretty awesome. The next thing they talk about is how the Dept of Transportation is working on building high speed rails in America, which is also pretty cool. Starting with the Midwest no less! Anyway I think the most important point made during the clip is that while many people fear terrorism and whatnot, thers no huge reason to be. As John Stewart says, he asked someone after 9/11 how to stay safe and they said, "Stop smoking and wear a seatbelt." And thats true, you've gotta watch your own back

Product Placement in Movies

2010-01-25T09:07:00.000-06:00

Though this post may not be very timely, I watched Minority Report over winter break, and one thing that struck me was product placement in the film. Companies pay to put their products in movies and tv shows, as well as commercials and billboards and whatnot. Anyway it was quite interesting during the scene where Tom Cruise walks into the mall and he is bombarded with ads. The film company could've quite easily made up some fake products and put them in, but instead we get cameos from Guinness, Lexus, and American Express to name a few. Another scene where this comes up is when Cruise travels to the lake house and as the shot pans out, you can see the Lexus badge on the sleek looking future car. If you pay attention you can notice all kinds of products appearing in films, from Audi in I-Robot, to Reese's Pieces in E.T, and where would we be without the iconic "Vote for Pedro" shirts from Napolean Dynamite. I think product placement is healthy, its a way for people to make money, but when it isn't done well, it can be just downright pathetic. Whats your opinion on this?

The Comercialization of Jackson Hole

2010-01-19T12:25:00.000-06:00

For nearly every family vacation I've been on as long as I can remember, my family has taken the 2 hour flight out to Jackson Hole Wyoming, where we ski, raft, hike, fish, eat, and be merry. The story goes that my Dad took a business trip out there once and loved the place, and as a result of countless trips out to Wyoming, my brothers and I have fell in love with it as well. Pictured above is Jackon's main street, complete with the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and at the bottom is one of the areas many iconic views of the Teton Mountains. Anyway over the past 9 or 10 years we've been travleing out there, I've noticed a dramatic change in the atmosphere of the town and ski resort. Prices of lift tickets, parking, food, nearly everything has increased and the place is catering more to tourists and less to locals and loyal visitors every year. The moment that this idea for a blog post came to me was when my family was pulling up to the parking lot in our rental car. The price for parking close to the mountain was 12 bucks, and what my dad said intrigued me, he said, "I remember when parking was free if you had 5 people in your car." The lady just smiled and gave my dad his change. And in the locker room I overheard a group of locals talking about the very same issue. Allegedly back in the day, if you bought a lift ticket and a six pack of beer and you knew someone who knew someone you'd get a free ticket no problem. Nowadays, its about $90 for a full day all mountain pass. Another noticeable change in the area is the food. When we first started skiing there, the only food right on the mountain was a bagel shop called Bridger Bagels with no more than a half dozen tables. Now, Cafe 6311 charges 6 dollars for a bagel with cream cheese. It's ridiculous, I understand that they're trying to make money... but it seems they're trying to nickel and dime you at every turn. Another long winded example would be the rental shop, though I have my own gear and no longer rent we all used to. And our first winter the man who helped us out was named Albi Miller, and he was from Winnetka also. He and my dad hit it off and enjoyed chatting, and when it was time to ring us up, we got 6 pairs of skis, boots, and poles for the price of one. Sadly, there is no longer an "Albi Discount", partly because he's long gone, but partly because I know that would never fly now. Its really sad, my favorite place in the world is slowly becoming the next vail and its hard to watch.

The Beginner's Bible

2010-01-09T13:23:00.000-06:00

As a young kid I remember being read a book called 'The Beginner's Bible', and looking back now I wonder, why make the Bible simplified so that it can be read to little kids? I remember Mr. O'Connor talking about how in Huck Finn's day reading the Bible was considered to prove literacy and intelligence. So why take that away, why not let kids choose the path of religion themselves rather than have it almost forced on them at such a young age. I don't necesarily agree with that idea, but I understand the importance of introducing kids to faith, both sides make sense. Exposing kids to the Bible from toddler years will teach them the importance of religion, but is that necessarily a good thing?

Why Honda is Saving the World

2010-01-07T15:03:00.000-06:00

Yes indeed its another post from the beloved boys in Britain, on Top Gear. And this time I would like to discuss the other 'car of the future' that Top Gear highlighted in the episode on the Tesla Roadster. At the end of the episode host James May travels to California to test drive the Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen powered vehicle. The Clarity is only avaliable in California, and looks... just like a four door sedan, it looks no different than the Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys of today. And as James May reports, it drives like them too, just like a normal car. The only difference is that is is fueled by hydrogen, which is just like gasoline, except it is the most abundant element in the world. The one moving part motor is powered by electricity from the hydrogen fuel. The more amazing thing is that filling up a hydrogen car is just like filling up a petrol car, you pull into a hydrogen fueling station (the one May uses is a Shell station) and fill it up like you're putting gas in your petrol-head. It takes no longer than refueling a car today, (you get about 270 miles a tank) and furthermore, hydrogen will never ever run out. The FCX Clarity has emissions of course, but only water vaport will come out of the exhaust pipe, because what do you get when you mix H and O? H20 of course. And now on to the fun stuff, the speed. It does 0-60 in 9 seconds, and boasts 136 horsepower. Now I've been raving about this car for awhile and I'd like to sum it up in the statement James May makes at the end of the segment that the Honda Clarity is the car of the future, because it is just like the car of today. It doesn't go for a dissapointing amount, then take hours on end to recharge, and the fuel will never run out. And that is why Honda is saving us from a very slow, painful, lack of oil-related death.

Cars as Status Symbols

2010-01-06T19:16:00.000-06:00

Sam's most recent blog post sparked a similar idea in me. It is pretty common knowledge that cars are often thought of as status symbols. And this got me thinking, in what way are vehicles status symbols? I drive a Jeep, what does that say about me, or what does that say about my dad who bought the car over 10 years ago? In fact my dad bought a Mercedes Benz ML 350 (pictured) recently. It is the first luxury car he owned, and I never really thought about what that told people about him, until a teammate of mine brought the subject up on today's run. We were on the subject of cars, and he asked why dad bought an MB instead of a BMW or an Audi. I didn't know what to say except, "uhh, he liked it I guess." Maybe it says my dear old dad enjoys the height of motor vehicle engineering, or maybe something else. On another note I have a friend who drives a BMW M3, which is basically a 60 grand racecar, and its an absolutely awesome car, but its definetely a status statement. Do you have any thoughts on this subject? What do certain cars say about their drivers?

An Electric Sports Car??

2010-01-03T21:40:00.002-06:00

While browsing for a some 'in flight entertainment' for my trip to Wyoming this winter break, I came across a television show that quite interested me. It is a British car show, called Top Gear, and its on the BBC. It features hillarious hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond, and they interview British celebrities, cause shenanigans, and of course drive some awesome cars. And in an episode I recently watched from the 12th season, they highlighted two vehicles that greatly intrigued me. The first of which I will talk about in this post. In this episode, host Jeremy Clarkson test drives an electric sports car called the Tesla Roadster. The Roadster is manufactured only in California at the moment and it is based on the Lotus Elise. And Clarkson's findings are quite interesting. He puts the Tesla up against a normal gas powered Elise in a drag race. And the Tesla kills the petrol powered vehicle, doing 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, and reaching 10,500 RPMs in the short drag. Another upside to this car is the cost of fueling it, since it is electric, filling it up from a power source costs just $5.5 dollars, as opposed to filling a Lotus Elise with gas for $65. Furthermore, Tesla claims that even if you drive fast or sparatic, it will travel 200 miles between 'refuelling'. But despite Tesla's promises, both of the Roadsters that Top Gear was provided with broke down one way or another, and the one lasted only 65 miles. However, it takes 16 hours to fully charge a dead battery on a Tesla, and it costs three times as much as a normal Lotus Elise. But keep in mind that it went round the Top Gear track slightly faster than a Porsche 911 GT3, so it is a true sports car. I think that if Tesla makes the charge time shorter, and improves the longevity of the Roadster, it very well may be 'the car of the future'. What is your opinion of the Tesla? The car of the future, or dead in the road? Watch the clip and decide for yourself.

The ACT: Root of all Evil?

2009-12-14T21:08:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, a few of my friends took the dreaded 'ACT', and their reactions were generally quite similar, the theme, " I didn't have enough time", and "It was really hard" were heard frequently. This got me thinking, is having a standardized test to judge a student's college worth really all that good? I say this because every high school in the U.S is different, and they all provide a different approach to education. Is it fair to insitute a test with things that possibly some students haven't covered, or haven't covered adaquetly enough. Another issue could be having to prepare for the ACT or SAT along with regular classes, (I haven't touched my ACT prep book since I bought it in September) Regular school work is hard enough, and having to worry about something like the ACT is quite a daunting thought. I understand that it is a good way to judge all students on the same playing field, but does it have to be so hard, and weighted so heavily? Should colleges focus more on things like class rank, regular grades, and extracuriculars?

The Wikipedia: One of the 7 Deadly Sins

2009-12-11T15:22:00.001-06:00

All through my educational carrer, I have been told my countless teachers, conselors, and librarians to "STAY AWAY FROM WIKIPEDIA BECAUSE IT ISNT A CREDIBLE SOURCE!!" The way that teachers talk about it makes me think it to be the root of all evil. But, I don't think some people should be so quick to condemn "the wikipedia", because after all, most people use this tool to garner background information on a subject, not to do in depth research. I think that you should be able to cite wikipedia as a source, as long as you are just using to get an idea on a subject or something and you are using it for simple, or numerical facts, such as how many people died in WWII? I spend a lot of my time diggind around google for 'Credible' sources, and my time might be better spent better focusing my research instead of hunting around the web for a site that can be used in the MLA format. What do you think? What are your thoughts on wikis?

Abu Ghraib and Seymour Hersh: Do we have a right to know?

2009-12-02T19:21:00.001-06:00

In class yesterday, we touched on a man named Seymour Hersh who helped uncover the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war, and who recently uncovered the photos of interrogations from the U.S prison in Iraq, Abu Ghraib. This got me thinking, do we need to know that things like this are going on? Do we have a right to know these things? Should we even know about things like this, or is the Government protecting us four our own good? I looked through a few of these photos, and they are... disturbing at the least. I'm not sure I wanted to know that U.S troops are doing things like this to prisoners, or if anything worse than this is happening. There are pictures of people chained up in tiny cells, people who are mutilated, and men with hoods over their heads who are made to stand on tiny boxes or face electrocution- this is a method of interogation. Part of me has feels like the public has a right to know what is going on in Iraq, and that freedom of press should not be abridged, as it is one of our country's core values. But part of me thinks that the public doesn't need to know about Abu Ghraib and the ilk until after the war. I'm really torn on this, what do you think?

Blackwater

2009-12-01T10:09:00.001-06:00

In class the other day, we quickly touched on a subject that interested me, the private military trainer and contracter "Blackwater" had recently changed their name to "Xe". I wanted to investigate why they did this. The name blackwater, according to an article I found, is named for the swamps near the North Carolina location of the training facility and headquarters, and the near 100 black bears around that area. A company spokeswoman claims the name has no meaning, except the Xe is the abreviation for the element Xenon... I'm not sure what this means, but to me the name 'Blackwater' sounds malicous in some way. And Xe LLC somehow sounds more professional, even if it is for a company that deals in war. The companie's president claims that this name change indicates a "shift away from providing private security". But will more change than the name? What is your take on all this?

Music in Protest - Vietnam and WWI

2009-11-30T21:44:00.002-06:00

Today in class the Vietnam group presented their perilous times project on civil rights, and much of their presentation was focused on rallies and peaceful protests. This got me thinking, how else, do people protest and raise awareness about wars? Which brigns us to what I want to talk about...music. There are alot of songs out right now protesting the War on Terror, but one of my favorite songs is by Billy Joel, and it is called Goodnight Saigon. It was released in 1983, after the war, but still got people thinking about the mistakes of the past, and that is a start. The fact that it wasn't released during the war doesn't matter all that much, it raised public awareness about the horrors of the war, and educated many on the subject. In 8th grade, we had a school wide presentation on Vietnam, delivered by an ex- Washburne teacher who called in airstrikes in Vietnam for the US Air Force. He played this song for us, and it really struck me, I went home and looked up the song and researched the war for a bit. The main point he made is that Vietnam is a war that is sometimes forgotten (we barely touched on it in our 8th grade U.S history class), and that one day there will be no veterans left. He said that there were only 3 World War I veterans left alive at the time, and that one day that would be the case for Vietnam vets. I guess what I'm trying to say is that music can be very moving and effective in anti-war efforts and education, when done well. Another very good song by The Dropkick Murphys, is called The Green Fields of France. The line that strikes me in this song is, " It all happened again, and again, and again." I think the point that The Dropkick Murphys are trying to make is that war is preventable, and we can prevent it, we just have to learn from the past. Also see Sting's Russians, which is a grim reminder of what could have been (nuclear armageadon), and also makes the point that we need to learn from the past, or maybe one day the fears of the Cold War era might become a devestating reality. "There's no such thing as a winnable war" is a line that strikes a chord with me, and it is really true, and it is something that more people should realize.
- Please watch these three videos, the music combined with the pictures is very moving and thoughtful.
-What lines strike you in these songs? Are there any other good songs like these?

The Right to Hang a Pair of Bear Arms

2009-11-30T21:18:00.000-06:00

The right to bear arms (the second amendment) has been one of the most controversial amendments to the consitution. A humorous look at this issue, courtesy of Family Guy, can be found here, (be warned the site is in Swedish). But in all seriousness, this is an issue worth discussing, because it has been a hot button topic ever since the second amendment was ratified in 1791. The text of the 2nd amendment literally says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." A full text and footnotes can be found at this legal site. My opinion is that people should be allowed to bear arms, but in regulation. People should be allowed to have handguns, not automatic weapons. Hunters can have rifles and shotguns, but chances are, no matter who you are, you don't need an M16. Also, tests and safety exams should be more rigorous, the Gov't should make sure that anyone who wants to own a gun knows how to safely use and maintain it.

3 Strikes and You're OUT!

2009-11-30T21:07:00.000-06:00

Awhile ago, in American Studies class, we touched on the topic of the '3 strike law' that is in several U.S states, including California. My opinion on this subject is that this is NOT the way to go, it isn't fair that if someone robs a conveinance store three times they can be given the same sentence as a murderer or drug runner. It also doesnt seem practical or cost effectiveto keep so many people in prison for so long. According to the site I linked to, Californians spend 6.1 billion a year on their jails and penal systems, and the number of Californians in jail has increased sevenfold in just 20 years. To me, that just seems ridiculous and against the old saying 'Land of the Free'.

When is Enough Enough?

2009-11-30T20:59:00.000-06:00

All this talk of civil liberties being violated by government and authoritarian powers got me thinking, "Who else in power is abbusing it." Then, I remembered an individual who was mentioned in class, John Burge, a Chicago Police detective in the 70s who was accused and abusing and torturing suspects. This is a scary thought, I know... cops are supposed to 'serve and protect' right, and nearly all of the time that is the case, but sometimes people abuse power, and do terrible things that they are for the common good. One account tells of Burge tracking down a suspect who shot 2 officers restlessly for 5 days, and finally found himself attacking his door with lockpicks, which are rarely used by policemen. Then, he captured and tortured the suspect. This is a chilling story, and makes me think, "When will people in power stop being corrupt and truly look out for the common good?" When is enough enough?

Freedom of Press?

2009-10-29T13:51:00.001-05:00

In a Sun Times article we were given in class yesterday, to give us some backstory on the first amendment and certain rights. And in this article it defined freedom of the press as, " access to information independent of the government, and political leaders." While this is techinacally true, by definition, many news sources are accused of being highly supportive or against a certain political view. For example Fox is accused of being highly conservative, wheras the Chicago Tribune, the NY Times, and MSNBC are called out as being overly liberal, and CNN of supporting the Republican Party. Some people even claim that mock news sources like Stephen Coldbert and John Stewart are biased in what they show and who they make fun of. Which begs the question, are we ever going to see a newspaper or network that gives us the facts, and nothing else, free of any prejudice or bias?

Grades, Grades, Grades

2009-10-13T19:58:00.000-05:00

We were discussing something in class today that particularly struck a chord with me. We were talking about grades and how important they are at a competitive school like New Trier. Which got me thinking, why do people worry about grades so much? Isn't the point of school to learn as much as possible, so why don't kids focus on that? I try my best to make school not about the letters and percentages, but with constant pressure to perform well in school from parents, and the desire to get into a good school, it can be easy to forget what is important. I also thought, how would school be different if there were no grades given out, if it was truly about what you got out of the experience in knowledge and life-skills. Would that make kids work harder? What do you think?

Turtles

2009-10-08T13:46:00.001-05:00

Disc Drop

2009-10-08T13:44:00.001-05:00

Newton's Cradle

2009-10-08T13:43:00.001-05:00

Hamster

2009-10-08T13:40:00.001-05:00

One Nation Under God... or not?

2009-10-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

Who knew Old Glory could cause so much controversy? In American Studies today, we were talking briefly about the 'under goddebate in the plege of aleigance. So I decided to look up some background info on the subject, and I learned that in 1954, the phrase 'under god' was added to the plege. And it has been that way ever since, until 2002 when a panel of judges ruled the plege 'unconstitutional' because of that phrase. However this ruling only affects a few states, and Illinois is not one of them. Personally, I think 'under god' belongs in the pledge, because religion is one of the big things that unites this country, and it was important to the founding fathers. I suppose the fact that I'm Catholic influences my views a little bit, but whatever. What do you think? Does under god belong in the pledge or not?

Olypmics a No-Go for Chi-City

2009-10-02T13:30:00.001-05:00

Today during 3rd period, I heard the unfortunate news that Chicago was the first finalist candidate city eliminated from the 2016 Olympic Bid. After a few years of promotion, awareness, and energy to gain support for the Olympics to be in Chicago, the dreams of many windy city residents were crushed. The Olympics went to Rio de Janero, Brazil. I was surprised at this final decision, personally I thought they would be in Madrid if not here. This Washington Post article speculates as to why the Olympic comittee voted against Chicago. Some say it is because of the hassles and terrorism and the necesary all out redesigning of Chicago's public transit system. One psychology student speculates that it was a sort of 'ani- Obama' act, that the Olympic comittee wasn't just going to let him have his way. What do you think, why were the Olympics decided not to be held in Chicago?

Sadly, this vision will never be realized...

Media Control

2009-09-28T15:38:00.000-05:00

This morning, I was enjoying some breakfast and some Stephen Coldbert. And in the middle of the episode, my grandmother looks over at me and says, "Don't listen to that garbage." I didn't say anything back, having been in an early morning trance. However, it did make me think, how much the media, even the comedic media influence America's youth? At 16 years old, I'd like to think that I'm not influenced by the news or anything at all, but I couldn't help but wonder if my grandmother's concern was indeed well founded? You can find an anti media argument here, and a pro media argument here. One article demonizes the media, while another says that Television aids a in a child's development. Where is the truth here? What do you think of the influence of the media on America's youth?

More Controversy on Obama's Adress to Students

2009-09-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

I discovered another very intruiging cartoon today, which is actually quite funny. The kids in the cartoon are stating the positive message that was present in Obama's speech, and the parent, like many parents, including my own, who are oppossed to Obama 'telling students what to do', are telling their kids the opposite. While the reaction in this cartoon may be an exageration, it isn't far from the truth. Parents don't want their kids to listen to any message where the president is directly telling them something, whether it is positive or not. This article I found in the East Valley Tribune is one example of parents' outrage, and going to great lengths to censor what their kids see. What do you think about this issue?

NFL Players Get Out Easy

2009-09-13T18:25:00.000-05:00

After hearing on ESPN one morning how Cleveland Browns receiver Dante Stallworth had been involved in a DUI accident that killed a 59 year old person, I said to myself, 'his career has got to be over'. But I recently read an article, that said he is only serving 30 days in jail, when he faced up to 15 years for DUI manslaughter to which he pleaded guilty. While there are other things tacked onto his punishment, including a fine, house arrest, and probation, I think he should do much more time that 30 days. And there is no way that the fact that he is an NFL player didn't affect his light sentence. If this happened to any normal person they would be put away for the full 15 years. And I'm sure after he serves his sentence, he'll be allowed back into the NFL after whatever penalty the commisioner gives him. Missing a few games isn't near to the debt that needs to be paid.

Obama's Language in Healthcare Speech- Revolutionary?

2009-09-13T18:01:00.001-05:00

In our American Studies class, we were discussing President Obama's adress to Congress and the language he used in it. A transcript and video can be found here. In class we discussed how bad it was to use the word 'lie' in a speech, and how Obama was the first president to do so. And also he referenced famous Republicans like John McCain, which I found quite interesting. What is he trying to do using this language, I wondered. He could just be living up to the expectation that he is a sort of 'hip and new' kind of president who is going 'change' the whole country. Or is he doing something smarter? Perhaps Obama is referencing Republicans more cleverly, to get the Republicans in Congress to listen to him. Maybe he is trying to show that its not about Liberal or Conservative, but that we're all under one flag regardless of political views. Is Obama trying to bridge the gap between the two political parties? Or is there another motive at work here? Also the way he uses the word 'lie', Mr. Bolos claimed that it was the first time a president used the word lie. Whats up with that? What does he stand to gain by using such a controversial word?

How Censored Should Schools Be?

2009-09-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

In our American Studies class today, we were discussing and analyzing Obama's adress to the 'Students of America' today. You can find the President's prepared speech here. But that is not what I'm going to talk about today. While discussing this issue we touched on how in the Wheaton School District 200--where Mr. Bolos' students go to school-- in order to show a video clip in class a teacher must send it to the Department Chair who then sends it up the food chain to the Principal, then Superintendent, then the School Board. I thought to myself, ' Is this really necessary?' Wouldn't it be more effective and make more sense to have a group of teachers look at the clip and determine if it is appropriate and supplemental to the curriculum? I think it would be better to have a group of teachers who actually care and know about the material presented in class to analyze and determine if a type of media is OK to use in a class. Where are our schools headed now? How should we determine what is appropriate and what we should show in school?

The Google Vaccum

2009-09-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

I came across another interesting cartoon while searching the web today. This shows how some people believe that Google controls everything, from the Publishing business, to books, and to newspapers. I think it is true that Google does seem to have a stranglehold on most types of media, where they take countless websites and online PDF's (which are basically online books) and almost 'repackage' them. But, one must ask, is this all bad? Google is, in fact convenient, easy to use, has an effective way to get good search results, and most importantly- fast. They have acquired many sites and tools to use for such purposes as enhancing their search engine, improving video compression and improving Google Maps. Not only that, but according to a Fox News article, Google is looking to acquire Twitter, and on top of that, Google owns the site I am blogging on right now! The question is, where will it end? And is having a monopolized search engine business all bad?

The Light at the End of the Tunnel?

2009-08-30T12:53:00.000-05:00

While searching for a possible blog topic online, I stumbled across an interesting cartoon. This cartoon was very intriguing to me, because it got me wondering, is there a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for the Middle East? Or is it going to be 'the next Vietnam', a war that drags on and claims many innocent American and Middle- Eastern lives? My opinion is that it is an unwinnable war, with no worthwile benefits to the American people. I don't think it is possible to change the culture and mindset of the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, or Pakistan, and the sooner we leave those countries, the better. Also, it is an incredibly daunting task to try and find all of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the Middle East, it is impossible to police the world like this. According to the National Priorities Project, the cost of the war in Iraq is over 678 billion dollars, and the war in Afghanistan, nearly 226 billion dollars, making the total cost of both wars nearly 904 billion dollars, which exceeds nearly all previous estimates. And one day that debt is going to have to be paid off, likely when I am a working adult American, and that is a very scary thought.

My First American Studies Blog Post

2009-08-28T14:54:00.000-05:00

I love American Studies!