Obama!

On Tuesday, Barack Obama became the first African American man to be elected president of the United States! This election was the best opportunity for his success because people are angry with the economic crisis, mostly blaming the Republicans, and they are looking for someone who will give them hope. Hope and change were the centerpieces of Obama's campaign, and his strategy paid off. I was not old enough to vote in this election, but everyone I talked to that voted, commented on how many young voters were at the polls. I think it is so important for all eleigible voters to vote, no matter which candidate they support, and this election had one of the highest voter turnout rates ever. People all throughout history have sacrificed their lives just so citizens have the right to vote and participate in the government, so they could have a say in the way things are. In talking to a lot of people my age or just a little bit older, Obama has inspired a feeling of excitement that makes young people feel like they matter and they can make a difference. The citizens of our country are frustrated and angry with the current state of our country - the economic crisis, the war, gas prices, the list goes on. They are mostly blaming the Republican party because we have had a Republican president for the past eight years, and so people are even more willing to support Obama only because he is a Democratic candidate.

R.I.P C.Walker.

Watching the news this week, i was very disturbed. There has been another school shooting. But this time it was not a hate crime, where someone opens fire upon an entire school. This time it was a feud that escalated to extreme levels. A total of 7 henry Ford students were involved in a fight, which ended in the murder of one child, and left three more wounded. Its horrible to see this, the kids in this argement were of the ages fifteen through eighteen. The shooter was 16 year old son of a Detroit police leutennant. When i heard this story i immediatelly thought of the movie we wathced in class, tough guise. So far, the reason for the fight is unknown. However, this is very sad to see. Im sure whatever the reason for the fight, im sure murder wasnt the answer. Its just another case of some guy getting into a fight and trying to prove his masculinity. Hes just gone to far, and thats how more of the horrible stories you hear start. its very sad, and i would love to have it be the last story i hear like this, the saddest part is, i know it wont be.

Advertising

 

This ad is for World Non-Smoking Day I found on website of creative advertisements. The cemetery is full except for a small open area that says "Non-Smoking Area". This advertisement is meant to capture the attention of people with drama, implying that smoking will lead to death.  The creators of the ad are assuming people want to live and not end up in a cemetery, and to do that they must stop smoking.  Fear is used to make people change their behavior, by showing the possible consequences of smoking, the creators are hoping people will quit and participate in World Non-Smoking Day.  This is one of the few advertisements that is encouraging people to do something healthy and has a message backed by scientific evidence.  Countless studies and experiments have showed that smoking leads to lung cancer which can lead to death.  Nobody can argue with facts, but many people have become addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes.  This ad is blunt and concise.  The message is smoking will kill you, so quit. 

Super Size Everything

The movie, Supersize Me, was very disturbing and unsettling to watch.  It was sad and a little bit scary to watch Morgan Spurlock gain almost 25 pounds in one month on a McDonald's diet.  His cholesterol skyrocketed, he increased his chances of heart disease and the minerals and vitamins in his body were all a mess.  I really don't eat fast food that much because I think it's gross and I feel sick afterward.  The American people need to wake up and realize what they are doing to their bodies when they constantly fill them with fatty and unhealthy fast food.  Some people who exercise regularly and have faster metabolisms can eat more unhealthy foods without having major effects on their bodies, but other people cannot.  It's good that McDonald's beginning to offer healthier choices in their menu, but people need to start making healthier choices for themselves.  Nobody is forcing Big Macs and french fries down their throat, they are making a choice when they eat those foods.  I think the fast food culture has a lot to do with parenting.  My parents never really took us to McDonald's or other fast food places, so I do not really go there now.  Parents have to set healthy examples for their kids and realize that they do have the power to influence how their children eat and think about food. McDonald's should also publish their nutrition facts in a convenient and easy to find location in their store, or have take-home pamphlets available to customers so that people who want to make healthy choices can. 

Cookoo Keesey!

i would have to say, that over the years, the books read in school are pretty horrible. They are hard to get through becasue they are so boring. However, i have been happy with Cookoo's nest. Maybe its because half the book is acid trips, but its more fun to read than previous books. Ken Keesey has written the hippie book of a life time. The more i read, the more i like. i can absolutely see why it would be the most common book found at Woodstock '69 as well. in the past, reading books about children eating each other (lord of the flies), or Othello killing the woman he loves gets depressing. sure, Cookoos nest has its share of disturbing parts. labodomizing isnt the most fun topic ever, but the way i see this book is its way easier to get through because it is written in such a way that it is "fun." or as much fun as reading can be. Keesey does have his share of sexist parts, and thats why the book isnt for everyone. Its his opinion, his book, and if you dont like it, dont read it. The contraversey over the book, in my mind is not right. There is so many things that are contraversial, that people should just leave alone if they dont like it, and this book is defintelly one of them. The first time i started to read to book, i didnt understand, so i had to re-read. The second time reading it, i noticed what people were fussing over. But i really dont think they thought about it before they started complining . I think its taken a way that he was not intending to have to. Maybe its a little sexist, but hes not saying all women are evil, which is how i see people seeing it as. Which is Wrong

Supersize america

through watching Supersize Me in class, i have realized more and more the effects that fast food have on the world we live in today. Untill this movie, i never realized how much of a problem obesity is. It is a much more serious leading cause of death than i thoght. The movie has opened my eyes to the tolls a convient cheeseburger has taken on more then just the u.s. I think it is very sad that when macdonalds started they had one size, and that size is now the kid size. Its no suprise that the world is getting fatter and fatter by the big mac. The word supersize has seemingly taken over the food market. When you consider that the proper serving size is about the size of your fist, its amazingly hard to find a portion that size anywhere. the world is getting unhealthier by the minute. I play soccer everyday, and i talk to kids on my team, and even they eat fast food very regularly, and so do i. It seems hard to find a meal because there is no time in the day. I regularly find myself picking up fast food on the way home from practice because i have had no time earlier in the day to eat, with the schedule i have. Something needs to drasticaly change if people want to start getting healtheir.I do have to say however, i do really enjoy fast food. It does taste good in my opinion. That is what makes me angry, i wish it tasted like poopie so i wouldnt want to get it and just eat something at home.

Supersize Morgan Spurlock

The more we watch supersize me in class, the more i realize how good of a documentary filmaker Morgon Spurlock is. Everything i have ever seen him in, or heard of him doing, was very intiresting. He does it very differently than most, he actually takes on the challege of eating Macdonlads for a month, or voluntarily going to jail for a month. Its very compelling and intiresting to watch. Other documentarys are not of quite the same subjects, and are not quite as fun to watch. This blog is not so much about supersize me, but more of Morgan Spurlocks movies in general. He is very clever, and very smart about how he makes them. When you hear the word documentary, you usually would think of a boring, informational movie that you would never see in theatres. Spurlock has changed that steriotype and made documentarys fun, you just have to use the right topic, and the right way to go about teaching it.

The Cuckoo's Nest

I didn't understand "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest" at first. I could only see it as a mix of so many thoughts and ideas going on at once. Kesseys story shows hatred towards women, but it also includes a sort of racism concerning different characters along with to me seems like some sort of exaggeration or untruthful thought and perception to a mental institution. Although it seems brutal and false for the characters in the institution, I personally wouldn't know what actually went on in a mental institution. It is an interesting book on a diverse group of characters who have a different mindset and idea of what they want to do. Starting bets, trying to change the rituals of the institution and suffering from harsh punishments and everyday duties the characters are in a war with the head nurse. Overall reading this book keeps me thinking and helps me identify and understand all sorts of people, places, and things throughout the story.

Micky D's

We are currently watching Supersize Me in class. It is crazy how dependent Americans have become on fast food. Before McDonalds became such a hit, the average serving of any kind of food was the size of ones fist. Since then the word supersize took over. Not only are Americans suffering from complications of obesity and unhealthy bodies, but McDonalds fast food restaurants are spreading rapidly across the globe. Over the past few years, McDonalds has been attempting to increase their list of "healthy" foods on the menu. Their attempt to adding healthy foods was a variety of three to four salads, and a fruit parfait which learning from the movie acually includes the same amount of calories and fat as a strawberry sundae. As for the rest of the menu, the only changes being made are increasing sizes or burgers, fries, shakes and soft drinks. I know once in a while individuals stop at McDonalds and have a burger and fries with no worries. It is the people who are addictedly revisiting McDonalds for multiple meals more than once a week that can be affected health wise in multiple ways. People need to let up on their McDonalds craving and start eating healthier and begin activites to keep their bodies healthy. Hopefully Americans can pull it together and can reduce the number of obese people.

SUPERSIZE me.

Watching Supersize me has not exactly been the best thing to watch in class, but it is interesting. It's also sad how the world has become so obese and people are eating these obscene amounts of food that are horrible for your body. I can see why people eat fast food because its quick and easy to get it, and most of all it's comforting. I normally don't eat fast food because it isn't something that doesn't makes me feel good when i eat it. I only eat it because it's quick and easy. I do think its a good thing that places like McDolands are offering healthier foods, but people don't come there to order healthy foods. In the movie Morgan Spurlock Goes on a hunt to many McDonalds to find the nutrition menu for what they offer, and it was almost impossible for him to find them. Proportions for the food have grown since McDonalds first opened, like the cup sizes and fries. There was only one size for both of them and they are now a kiddie cup and a small fry because people demanded more food. I believe that fast food places are at fault for people not knowing the appropriate amount of food that they are supposed to eat because of the huge amounts of food they offer. I think that me movie is very interesting and it shows how obese and lazy the world has become.

The Bucket

Many Seniors are upset about the winners of field day this year. It hasn't been since years ago that a grade other than the seniors has won the bucket. Why should that change this year? I know running into the gym yesterday cheering on our class of '09 got us pumped up and ready to win, but I think it also had us thinking that we had an automatic chance of winning. Even if it did make us conceided about winning, we won or placed second in most of the events at field day. Those werent the only points we had earned, but our spirit points should have been up there. We had cheered on every other grade and staff, and congradulated the juniors when placing higher than us. While we were doing that, they were hollering back. That makes no sense for the Juniors to win more spirit points than us and win the overall field day competition. Our class Sophomore year had more points than the senior class along with every other class and we didn't win the bucket. I'm not blaming the staff or judges for "riging" field day, but there is obviously something wrong if you put those two years together. So to sum up our field day, the seniors are dissappointed. I don't blame anyone for being upset, but I do think our class needs to calm down and realize spirit week isnt over yet. We can't sink down to the Juniors level by complaining and showing bad sportsmanship. We need to stand strong as the senior class of 2009, and make our last spirit week an amazing one.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a story told by Chief Bromden, a mentally unstable patient at a mental hospital who is perceived by other patients as deaf. He tells about a man named McMurphy who arrives at the mental institution and disrupts the order and peace at the hospital. The book is controversial because some people have considered it racist and misogynistic. I think the book is strange because Ken Kesey does not include any other women in the story besides Nurse Ratched, who is the dominate, "ball-cutting," powerful head of the ward. I don't understand why Kesey would write a story so hateful toward women and it makes me wonder if something happened to him with his mother or a woman he loved in his life. Nurse Ratched is so emasculating and belittling to the men in the ward, and it is scary to think about why Kesey would make her that way. Racism in the story is also a big controversy because "black boys" clean the ward and follow Nurse Ratched's direction. Racism is definitely present in the story but it is not outrageously blatant. The overall messages of the story are just as important and evident, if not more so, than racism and misogynism. One of the main messages of the book is the mistreatment of mentally ill people in places that are supposed to be helping them and providing a place for support. Obviously treatment has improved greatly since the days of labotomy but I think many people are unaware of

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

This week we have started reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I found the book to be confusing at first because it was hard for me to understand. Last night I started the whole book over and I have been following along to a tape and it has been so much easier for me to follow along and to focus. So far I have really enjoyed the book and reading it makes me see things from a different perspective. It's interesting to see how these people work in the psychiatric ward and how the staff deals with them. It makes me wonder if thats how people were actually treated in a ward. So far I have really enjoyed the book and I find it very intresting. The things that go through peoples heads are things that I would never even think of. The way that they get lost in the fog a feel protected by it because no one can see them. I also find it intresting that everyone is the ward thinks that Cheif Bromden is deaf, and how he goes along with it and pretends that he is. I am looking forward to finishing this book because i think that it is cool to see how the insane work.

Judgment

It is personally ironic that in class we have been watching Mean Girls just as similar issues began around school, as they did in the movie. I have seen Mean Girls multiple times, but there was something different about seeing it this time, unlike the others. Thinking about the message that the movie was sending to the audience affected me, but in a postive way. One scene in the movie that I thought had a lot of meaning was when, Lindsay Lohan "Cady" was thinking about a judgmental comment while at the mathlete competition. "No matter how much I talk about how badly she is dressed or what she looks like, its not going to help me win the competiton." Cady reminds herself of good from wrong and wins the competition. Since finishing the movie, I think of that line when someone judges another individual, and I also use it for myself. I feel it has helped me stay true to myself and helps me think even more positive than before.

Mean Girls

In the movie Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan epitomizes what the stereotypical teenage girl. She becomes obsessed with making her appealing to a guy. She wears the low cut tops and short skirts and also pretends to be dumb in math to get attention from this guy. I know that some girls would follow her example and make it their goal in life to be the girl they think will attract the hot guy, even if that means changing who they are or sacrificing their grades. Society puts this idea into girls that boys like girls who are not intellectually as smart as them so they can boost their egos, but from my own experience, I think it is actually the opposite. Most of my guy friends are attracted to girls who are smart and independent, and my girl friends do not think they have to dumb themselves down to be attractive in a guy's eyes. I would not pretend to be dumb to get a guy because I want a guy to like me for who I am, and it would get tiring and annoying to constantly be something that does not come naturally to me. The movie also emphasizes how "the plastics"dress the same way every day, participate in all the same activities and hang out with all of the same people. This idea of every girl fitting one stereotype discourages appreciaton for diversity and individuality. Each person is different, which is good, and if every girl dressed and acted in the same way trying to get a guy's attention, they would all be replaceable. Each individual personality shines through in the way people dress, the way they treat other people and the activities they participate in.