Black Flies Post #6

Rutkovsky doesn't make it out ok. In fact, he doesn't make it out at all. He shot himself in the face at a park near the station. This way, he knew members from where he worked would find him, but Ollie, the one who treated him, didn't recognize him at all. He describes him here (WARNING: VERY DISCRIPTIVE!): "One eye, like a ball, hung by its ganglia, the tongue was only attached by a narrow isthmus of flesh, and the face, or the place where you would normally look for the face, was a blasted, ragged, unrecognizable mess of red meat with a hole where the mouth should have been. The guy's upper airway was relatively undamaged....As I did chest compressions blood oozed from his face, ran in rivulets down the tube, and bubbled from his ears"(148). Keep in mind, Rutkovsky did this to himself. He wanted people to know how much he had been hurt by what had happen. He couldn't live with what he had done and with how the mother got off like what she did was ok. He couldn't take it so he committed suicide. Ollie took this very hard. He went back to work with LaFontaine. This man was sick and disgusting. He was powerhungry. Ollie describes working with him here: "Every time I worked with LaFontaine he'd do some f*****-up thing to the unconcious or the helpless patients....I didn't join him, but I didn't stop him either....Really, without knowing it, I was getting worse"(162). He had to stop working with LaFontaine. He started working with Verdis and he still acted like he was with LaFontaine. But eventually, he returned back to his normal state of mind. He even got his first save (bringing someone back to life). He was a hero. That was during his last month of working as an EMT. He had gotten into medical school. That is where the book ends.
This book was horrifying and eye-opening at the same time. I could really see the toll being an EMT took on the people. I could see the stupid things people did to themselves and the irony in having to save them so they could OD again. I could see the struggles people went through everyday and how different people dealt with it. While Rutkovsky didn't make it, and LaFontaine had his own issues, Ollie survived. Verdis was a good medic too. There still were good medics out there. I believe it's all about how people deal with stress, anxiety, and trauma. I think Ollie handled it well. After all, he survived. I would definately recommend this book. While it is gory and bloody, it doesn't sugar-coat the truth, which is nice every once in a while.

Black Flies Post #5

Al of the EMT work has made Ollie and Rut too nonchalant when it comes to stressful, depressing emergency calls. They arrive at a room with a woman, who had just given birth to a "still born" child lying on the floor, inside, who was "trying to cut the twisted umbilical cord with the jagged end of a broken crack pipe"(114). Ollie attended to the mother and Rut attended to the "dead" child. Rut cut the umbilical cord and left the room with the baby. He came back very soon after however. The cops arrived and asked about the baby's condition. Ollie said it was a stillborn, but the cop thought he saw it breathing. Ollie meanwhile finds out that the woman was HIV positive and decided not to take her pills for it to keep the baby from getting it either. Also, she was a crackhead and took methadone. No wonder the baby was born 7 and a half months early. Anyways, another precinct's ambulences show up and ask about the baby. Rut shows them the way to it in the hallway, under some towels. Rut and Ollie finish up with the mother, but they, or should i say Rut, is stopped on their way out. A lieutenant stopped Rut and asked for his badge. Rut asked why and the man simply responded, "That dead baby is breathing"(118). Both Ollie and Rut were questioned and Rut was released from duty for good.
In this situation, both the mother and the baby lived. It's hard to blame Rutkovsky for this situation. While he was to blame, I think there were other factors that hold more blame than he does. First of all, even the mother thought the baby was dead. I'm not saying that her viewpoint should be trusted. After all Rut was the EMT here, but any person would think the baby was dead. Second of all, any baby born into the world like that has a high high high probability of being still born. Lastly, the whole EMT job makes people go crazy. It puts an extreme amount of stress on a person. EMTs act like heros, but they are not superheroes. They will and do make mistakes. No one died in this situation which is good for Rut. I think it will possibly help him "recover" from what happened. I feel really bad for him. I am angry at the mother for acting like a complete idiot and i think she has some blame on her as well. Overall however, Rutkovsky undoubtedly made a mistake. I just hope he makes it out ok.

Black Flies Post #4

Ollie and the other EMTs continue to see and get used to seeing extremely disgusting things. I'm not talking about a broken arm, a single gun shot or anything like that. I'm talking about seeing eyeballs laying on the ground while still attached to someones body. Or even intestines falling out of people's bodies and into their own hands. Horror movie kinds of things. But they are used to it. Ollie's everyday routine is filled with these kinds of situations. Ollie describes the normalcies of his day by saying it is filled, "Of seeing the skull beneath the scalp, the brain beneath the skull"(91). He continues, "Of seeing the chest open and the heart still beating with an unreal, spastic sort of motion, like a separate living thing"(91). Those kinds of images are things normal people would never ever EVER forget seeing. But this is an everyday occurence for them. To them, these types of occurences are forgettable.
So far, this book has truly opened my eyes to the world of EMTs and doctors. These people save the lives of others and sacrifice a part of them to do it. It is an incredible burden for people to have to see these types of things everyday of their lives. I couldn't do it. My dad used to be an EMT. I don't even think he made it a year before he quit. He told me it was just too much. I'm sure he saw things he wish he hadn't. This type of job clearly isn't for everyone. I know, like my dad, that I couldn't take it. I have to run out of a room and stick my fingers in my ears if someone throws up. I can't even imagine being stuck in an ambulence with someone who is severly injured and needs my help - I just couldn't do it. I admire all of the EMTs and doctors out there. This book has really made me appreciate what they do.

Black Flies Post #3

In this part of the book, the EMT's and police's mental issues are brought to light even more. Ollie has a new nickname now, one to replace his old one as "the Coroner". His new nickname is "Cross". While it is nothing special, it is still better than his old one. Anyways, back to the mental issues. A perfect example is when Rut, Ollie, and a policeman, Pastori, are eating lunch in the squadcar. A kid walks by, looks at them, and spits on the ground. Pastori calls the kid over, gets the kids superior, and makes him beat up the kid that spit. The kid's nose was bleeding, he was moaning, and he would surely never do it again. But Pastori made the other guy keep beating him up. Soon, the kid was unconcious on the sidewalk in his own blood. Rut finally jumps out of the car and calls down another ambulence. Pastori says, "Guess Rut's feeling generous today"(60). How disgusting is that? It is also very disturbing knowing that the people our communities trust to keep them safe and to stop violence are the ones creating trouble. Ollie is mad at himself for just sitting there, doing nothing although he knew it was wrong. I would be mad at myself too.
Later, Ollie calls his girlfriend Clara. She pesters him to explain what happened at work that day. When he explains the incident above, he said that a "skel" got beat up really bad. She asked what a skel was and he responded, "A skel is someone who deserves it"(61). She replies, "Only three months and you've already become one of them"(61). I tend to disagree with her on that one. While Ollie is getting more accustomed to the atrocities that occur at work, I do not think is agrees with it happening. He still very much has the "gut check" that lets you know when something thats going on is wrong. I do not believe the other workers, like Pastori, have that anymore. They have learned to take out their frustration and anxiety about their job on others. Ollie doesn't do that. I look forward to seeing if he continues to act this way or if he truly does become "one of them".

Black Flies Post #2

At the beginning of the chapter, Ollie continues to not fit in 100%, but he is doing better. The other EMTs continue to make life a little harder for him. One thing I am noticing about all the EMTs is their sick humor. For example, Ollie has to work with LaFontaine, who is not the nicest guy in the world. LaFontaine, regarding driving the ambulence and pedestrians, says, "Haven't killed anyone yet, but, hey, three's a charm" (35). While LaFontaine thinks it is funny, Ollie, along with myself, don't quite think so. I think it really must take a lot for someone to joke so nonchalantly about death. Death must be so present in their life that all they can do is laugh about it. I think that is the case for LaFontaine. It is his way of coping.
One thing however that I think Ollie could and does learn from LaFontaine and the others is to loosen up a little bit. On a call where a teenager was shot in the head, but still walking and talking (aka not dead), the patient told Ollie he had a headache. Ollie responded, "Normally I think our patients are complainers. But in your case, you say you got a headache....Hey, I don't blame you"(48). His partner Rutkovsky tells the others and they think its pretty funny. They even take down the grim reaper picture from Ollie's locker. He is starting to fit in more. I think that is one valuable thing he has learned so far. I know he will learn much more in the coming chapters and I am excited to read ahead.

Black Flies Post #1

I am reading Black Flies by Shannon Burke. It describes the experiences of a man, Ollie, who just started his job of being an EMT. He describes in detail the people, insects, and deaths he witnesses. He descries the scene of a suicide: "The girl had cracked the pavement, indenting it. One leg was bent backward beneath her body. Her head was at a crazy angle. She was completely still"(6). The reader can really picture the scene. It is bizzare and disturbing. Ollie also describes how his partner, Rutkovsky, acts like nothing happened as he gets back into the ambulence and eats his dinner while the mother of the girl pleads with him through the window to save her daughter. All of the "seasoned" medics act in that way. The new medics have to get used to all the death in their lives. The veterans taunt them by calling Ollie "The Coroner" for almost not being able to save a man having an athsma attack and by putting a transfer form in Phelps'(the other newbie) mailbox. They even put a dead dog, covered in maggots, in the drivers seat of his car so it looked like it was driving. Phelps, "...just stood there with his head on the car....I could see his back shaking. He couldn't stop. It went on for ten minutes"(21). First of all, that is absolutely disgusting. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like to have to deal with seeing hurt or dead people every day and then have to deal with a dead dog in your car after work.
This book is really really good so far. It is graphic and they swear fairly regularly but it is really captivating. I didn't think I was going to like it because I don't like blood and guts but it works with the book. It makes the reader understand what it might be like to have to see that in person everyday and how it might affect someone. I would never ever want to be a medic. I am almost 100% certain that by the end of the book, there is going to be no way I would ever become an EMT. Shannon Burke, the author, includes tidbits of interesting medical information between the different emergency calls Ollie and Rutkovsky go on. It is a nice break from the intense situations going on. I am looking forward to seeing if Ollie survives and actually stays with this profession!

Robery Kennedy: His Life Post 6

The book ends with Robert Kennedy finishing hisvictory speech to a crowd of supporters. Tragically, as he turned to look for his wife, Sirhan Sirhan shot him in the head with a .22 caliber pistol. His bodyguard leaped towards the gunman. The crowd was screaming and crying. A woman in a red party dress said, "No, God, no. It's happened again."(391). At 1:44 am on June 6th, 1968, Robert Kennedy was pronounced dead. His brother, Edward Kennedy, gave a eulogy at his funeral. He said,

"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life. Rather, he should be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it"(393).

These powerful words summed up Robert Kennedy's life. He tried to make the world a better place. He inspired thousands of people to better their lives. He taught his children to love America, but he also showed every American how to: by respecting it's laws and upholding it's ideals even when it's not the popular thing to do. He was an everyday man who did great things. Today, he is buried in Arlington National Cemetary, only 30ft away from his brother, John F. Kennedy. While JFK's grave is elaborate and large, RFK is buried beneath a simple white cross. Americans will forever remember and thank him for the personal sacrifices he made to better our country.

Robert Kennedy: His Life Post 5

Kennedy was on the campaign trail on his quest to become president when martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed in Memphis. He gave a speech to a rapidly growing African American crowd. He had to tell them that Dr. King was dead. To them, he said this:

"My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He wrote: "In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in out own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God" (367).

He later continued on this idea by saying:

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within out country, whether they be white or they be black" (367).

He urged them not to take out their anger and sadness in a negative way, but rather in a way that would help the greater whole of the country instead of making a terrible situation worse. He was also able to connect with the crowd because his brother, John F. Kennedy, had been assasinated similar to Martin Luther King Jr. i can not imagine how hard it must have been for RFK to give this speech. His advisors didn't even want him to go into the crowd because they were afraid for his safety. I do not think a single person would have wanted to trade places with him during that speech. Not only was it very personal for him, making it very difficult to stay composed, but when he broke the news to the crowd, they were extremely saddened and angered. However, he took this energy and somehow turned it into a want to better our country. His words were inspiring in a time of extreme sadness. This skill helped Kennedy connect with Americans and helped him be remembered for the person we honor him for being today.

Robert Kennedy: His Life Post 4

The more I read this book, the more I believe that Robert Kennedy was a true ethical crusader. Some things he said took real courage and insight to say. He gave a "Day of Affirmation" speech in South Africa to around 15,000 people. He said, "It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustive, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep fown the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance"(322). At this, the crowd went wild. I believe this insightful says a lot about RFK and his morals. He realized that even the smallest things one can do to help can make a huge difference in the end. He inspired people and that is why I believe he was such a good politician and human being. Margaret Marshall, who at the time was a student activist but later became the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, said this about Robert Kennedy and his speech: "He put us back into the great sweep of history. Even if it's just a tiny thing, it will add up. He reset the moral compass, not so much by attacking apartheid, but by simply talking about justice and freedom and dignity - words that none of us had heard in, it seemed like, an eternity....How simple it was! He was not afraid"(323). This proves that Kennedy inspired many people to lead better lives and lead them with the proper ideals. It takes someone who is not afraid and is willing to sacrifice a part of themselves, like their reputation or popularity, to get things done in our world. Kennedy was selfless and helped to improve many people's lives. I truly believe that Robert Kennedy was one of the greatest ethical crusaders of his time.

On The Waterfront: Whistleblower vs. Stool Pigeon

In the movie, "On The Waterfront", the dockworkers are rendered helpless by the "powerful" mob. They have power only because they use fear and force to hurt those who speak out or challenge their authority in any way. Their leader, Johnny Friendly, is very corrupted. His "second in command" is Charlie, Terry's older brother. To them, and to everyone else who is in with the mob, someone who speaks up is a "stool pigeon". They could not afford for even one person to stand up for what they believe is right because it would lead to the end of their existence. I believe that this is because they know what they are doing is wrong in society's mind. To those who cannot be influenced by the mob, like Edy and her father, the priest, Doogan, and Joey, standing up to the mob would be considered a noble deed. Every worker knows that what is being done to them is unfair, yet they feel as though they can do nothing. They know that Johnny Friendly would take his revenge and have them killed one way or another. A person who dared go through with their intentions and stand up for the dockworkers would be a brave and courageous person. Terry is on the fence for most of the movie and has trouble deciding where stands on the issue. However, once his brother Charlie is killed, he decides that he has to stand up to the mob and Johnny Friendly no matter what the consequence.
I believe a stool pigeon or a tattletale is someone who tells on others for a personal gain of some sort. They might do it as revenge or to advance their own personal causes somehow. These type of people in my mind are "bad" and do not have a good sense of what is right and wrong. On the otherhand, I believe that a whistleblower or ethical crusader is someone who risks some personal aspect of their own life, be it safety, reputation, etc., to stand up for what they believe in. They sacrifice something of their own for the benefit of a larger whole, in this case, the dockworkers. I believe that speaking out about what you believe in is always okay with one exception. If your motives are not pure, meaning you are doing something for the benefit of a small group of people or even just yourself, it is wrong. With that said, I believe it that if you know something wrong is going on and yet you do nothing about it because you don't want to put yourself out there and take a risk, you are equally to blame as someone with the wrong motives. Both types of people are selfish and to be named as a whistleblower, being selfless is key.

Robert Kennedy: His Life Post 3 - Ethical Crusader or Ethical Coward?

Robert Kennedy was appointed Attorney General in 1960. During this time, the civil rights movement was underway, with Martin Luther King Jr. in charge. During RFK's time as Attorney General, he focused on trying to create equality for all Americans. He specifically fought for the rights of African Americans to equal schooling and voting rights. However, at the beginning of his "term" as Attorney General, civil rights was not one of his priorities. Even though it may not have been in the front of his mind, "RFK's conscience was pricked by the racial inequity"(127). At the same time however, "he...admired courage and respected men who stood up to him; indeed, he almost demanded it"(128). I find this very perplexing. How could RFK not take action and choose to not dedicate himself to this issue, yet still value someone standing up to him? He knew something was wrong, but it took him a while to muster up enough guts to actually do something about it. At least he finally did. When the Freedom Rider's bus was firebombed, no one would agree to rive it any longer. He called some of his political contacts in the south, but no one was "available". Finally, he stood up by calling the Greyhound Bus Company himself. When trying to find a driver, RFK told them, "...somebody better give us an answer to this question. I am - the Government is - going to be very much upset if this group does not get to continue this trip"(129). This conversation was recorded and soon leaked to the public, who then thought that it was Kennedy leading the Freedom Riders. In doing what he believed was the right thing to do, he sacrificed his reputation for the time being and his innocence. No longer could he sit on the sidelines and watch these injustices happen. He was in it for the long hall and he stuck with it. I believe that Robert Kennedy should be considered and IS considered an ethical crusader during his lifetime.

Prioity in Society or Family First?

Characters in the play each have their own set of beliefs and moral values. When Joe Keller decided to ship off the cracked plane parts to save his family business, he put his family before the society and country in which he lived in. This single act shaped his beliefs and moral values for the rest of his life. He willingly sacrificed his honesty and dignity to cover up his previous dishonorable act. His choices did not only affect him however. His wife, Kate, was forced to follow her husband's lead and put her family and husband before the society. She knows the truth, but does nothing about it and instead, interprets her reality as she wishes it was, even though it was not actually that way. Their son, Larry, was devestated when he realized that his father was behind the deaths of his fellow soldiers. He ultimately took his own life and that act identified where he stood ethically. In his mind, the society as a whole came before the prosperity of a single family, even if it was his own. Similarly, Chris, his younger brother and the Keller's second son, valued honesty and responsibility to the society and to youself above all. When he found out that his father had lied to everyone and blamed another human for his actions, Chris was devestated and ran away. The fact that he wouldn't forgive his father showed his devition to his own beliefs and his complete rejection of beliefs like his father's.
I believe that everyone owes something to their society and to fellow human beings. Everything should remain fair and no one should sabotage others for personal advancement. Everyone should be honest and responsible for themselves and never put others in danger. However, when society is going in the wrong direction and someone has a feeling that it is wrong, that person must stand up and say something. Kate intentionally lied to herself and others to cover up her husband but i believe that she should have released herself from the burden of hiding the truth and made her husband pay for his actions. With that said, I believe that for the majority of the time, people must put the society before themselves. For the relatively few times when society has been wrong and will be wrong in the future, people may put their personal beliefs ahead of the society's.

Post #2 - Robert Kennedy: His Life

Bobby Kennedy switched schools many times as a kid, further adding to to his troubles. He had trouble making friends and fitting in. Instead of learning people's names, he just called the boys "fella", and soon, it became his nickname. Bobby didn't care very much however. He played football and made one friend whose name was David Hackett. The book reads, "Hackett was impressed with Kennedy's unwillingness to compromise to gain acceptance. Kennedy would not join in dirty jokes. He disliked bullying and would step in when an upperslassman tried to push around a younger boy" (39). Even as a high schooler, Bobby Kennedy had a true sense of right and wrong, moral and immoral. I believe that this shows it was a part of his true character and always was. It wasn't simply aqquired when he became a public servant.
Also, when an African-American was invited to speak at his college, Harvard, the man refused to come speak since the audience was going to be segregated. However, "Kennedy was determined he should come and that the university should open its doors. When other student leaders balked, Kennedy stood up and shouted, "You're all gutless!" He became so enraged addressing the university's governing board that he was vitually incoherent. But Kennedy's insistence worked: Bunche spoke to an integrated audience, open to the public" (55). Bobby Kennedy was a determined person and would go to any measure to make sure what was morally right happened. I think it takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there, especially for an unpopular stance. That takes courage. I think it must have run in the Kennedy family, considering his brother JFK wrote "Profiles In Courage", which describes many courageous men in history who put their popularity aside during their service to their country.

Post #1 - Robert Kennedy: His Life

Robert Kennedy had an interesting childhood. He was one of eight children and was the last boy born. He was small and had a dark personality. Maybe dark isn't the best word but he was certainly pessimistic. Everyone made fun of him, including his family. That is everyone except his mother. Then, people called him his mother's "pet". This really shaped his childhood. Being constantly put down caused him to be self-concious and unsure about himself. He even described himself as awkward. He was never considered smart and his father thought that he had no potential. His family described him as "...hopeless and (he) would never amount to anything" (31). I can't imagine how hard it would have been to grow up in this enviroment. I am truly lucky to have supporting parents. I believe that this poor living enviroment as a child caused him to want to make something of his life to prove everyone wrong.
Everyone in his life was always telling him what he couldn't do. One time, when he and his family were sailing on the ocean, his father made fun of him for not being able to swim. So, Bobby jumped off the boat into the ocean to prove him wrong. His oldest brother ended up jumping in and bringing him back to the boat. His brother, Jack, said about the ordeal, "It showed wither a lot of guts, or no sense at all, depending how you looked at it" (35). I think this showed how desperate he was for some attention of any kind. He was daring and willing to do anything to get his, especially from his father. Again, I believe that this strained relationship and constant want to please his father caused him to make something of his life. I can't wait to see how their relationship changed when Bobby became a politician. I guess i'll have to just keep reading to find out.
This realates to the struggles in a teenagers everyday life. One has to decide whether or not they are going to listen to what other people tell them or if they are going to shape their own future and ignore the negative things in their life. I believe that one should always think about the positives of themself as a person instead of the negatives. Sometimes it can be hard, especially when people are making fun of you, but everyone has their flaws. Why dwell on them? I think that if Bobby Kennedy had ignored what others were saying about him, he wouldn't have acted so desperate and awkward as a child.

Tina Fey: SNL Fans to 30 Rock Fans?

Tina Fey is one of my favorite comedians of all time, a close second to Amy Pohler. Every Saturday, I stay up to watch "SNL". I read an article questioning whether or not Fey will be able to convert her "SNL" fans to "30 Rock" fans. While "30 Rock", written by Tina, is a relativly new show, according to the article, it has already recieved "a total of 27 (emmy) nominations in two years". Linda Holmes, the writer of the article, does not ever say whether or not she believes that "SNL" fans will watch "30 Rock" when the new season begins. I believe that they will. However, I do not think they will stick around to watch it towards the end of the season. Having watched the show, I think it is funny, but not the funniest thing around. It's not "The Office" funny, but more of a clever funny. I think it is aimed at 30 year old people and above because the jokes are about political things. I am planning on watching the premier, but that's pretty much about it. I would recommend this article only if you like Tina Fey. It contains a lot of facts about her show and it becomes boring and monotonous.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27407385/

Visual Analysis Photo

Eco-Horror: The New Horror Film

I hate horror films (even though I have never actually watched one). That is unless you count movies from the newest film genre: Eco-Horror. I watched the Inconvinient Truth and while it isn't the scariest movie in the world, it makes you want to take action against global warming and it's impending doom. This article names several global warming documentaries that make the audience feel scared and uncertain about our future as humans and the world. While this genre is pretty new, the main principles its based on isn't, according to the article. Being worried about the enviroment has always been a classic movie theme. The article names movies such as
"Ferngully", "Erin Brockovich", "Silkwood" and "Gorillas in the Mist" as evidence of this. I think it is really interesting that even though being concerened about our enviroment in movies is nothing new, people are really starting to connect with it in our generation. This is a huge problem that will not just affect us and our families. It will affect every single human being on this planet and even the earth itself. If movies are the way to bring this issue to the front of people's minds, I am all for it. Hopefully, eco-horror films will become as well known as the regular horror films.

It was a good article but it was fact based and hard to read. I would only recommend it if you found this topic really interesting. It's not really something to read for fun.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/22/eco.films/

Obama Planning 30 Minute Television Ad

six days before the election, barack obama will be running a 30 minute ad on NBC and CBS. During this time, he will make his "closing argument" to the country. Because his campaign has a lot of money to spend, he is able to splurge on this ad during primetime tv. His ads are being played all across the country, in key states and in undecided voters homes. Meanwhile John mccain is unable to run tons of ads due to his lack of extra money. This article also comments on the tone of each campaign's ads. While John McCain's ads tend to focus on Obama's "negative" traits, Obama's ads focus on the positive things he will do for the country. Studys conducted by the University of Madison, WI say that, "only 34 percent of (Obama's) ads attacked McCain directly while virtually all of McCain's ads attacked Obama". I believe that Americans do not want to listen to the canidates blaming each other and accusing each other. What they want to hear is what each can do for the country and for them. That is why i believe that the American people will elect Barack Obama president of the United State on november 4th.

The article was good, but it was kinda boring. It would be worth reading if you had nothing else to do, but if you've got time, i would read it. Its got a lot of facts in it that are interesting to think about.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27107689/

Need vs. Want

I told my mom tonight that i need a new phone. I've dropped mine so many times that there are scratches and dents everywhere and now it can't even stay on without freezing up. She told me to read an article in the SunCurrent about cell phones. Peggy Bakken, the writer, took her son to get a new cell phone because he said he needed a new one really bad. She bought him one but over the next few days it bothered her. She writes about how the poor economic state has forced many families to rely on others just to survive and are really "in need". Children need coats. People need food. She urges people to donate to Coats for Kids this winter. This got me thinking.......while i really want a new phone, do i really need it? It still works (most of the time) and if i didn't get a new one, it's not like i'm gonna be hungary and cold all winter. So for now, I'll hold off my "campaign" for a new phone and instead i'm going to go through our coat closet, grab all of my old coats, and donate them to people who really need them.

I would recommend reading this article because it gives you another perspective on our lives compared to others in our community.
http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/10/02/opinion/fw02peggycolumncoats.txt

Homer: An Old-Fashioned Sexist

I believe that Homer is an old fashioned sexist. Homer illustrates the double standard of women being expected to stay faithful to their husband, yet it is acceptable for a man to cheat on his wife. His opinion of the value of a woman, coming from a man, stresses the importance of beauty. Any accomplishes she may have play no role in a man's view of her with the exception of Athena for the sole fact that she is a goddess. Homer is most definatly an old fashioned sexist.
The double standard between the expectations of women and men is demonstrated through two people: Odysseus and his wife, Penelope. While Odysseus is gone for 20 years, Penelope is tempted with many suitors to break her faithfullness to her husband. However, she does not seize these opportunities. Had she decided to cheat on Odysseus, it would have been socially unacceptable. She would have been persecuted and shunned. Meanwhile, Odysseus cheats on Penelope without hesitation. He has an affair with Circe, a beautiful witch-goddess. While Penelope is forced to stay faithful, Odysseus has the freedom to have affair after affair without punishment. Homer efficiently illustrates this double standard.
The trait most valued in a woman is beauty. Women are given to men as prizes based on beauty. The more beauiful the woman, the more valued she is. In The Iliad, the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, is the cause of the Trojan war. Her beauty is so important to the Trojans and the Achaeans that they are willing to lose their lives. If the smartest woman in the world was the woman who was being fought over, the Trojan War never would have happened. Beauty is the main trait woman in this time were judged on. This goes for every woman except for Athena. Athena is strong and powerful. She is greatly admired by women and men alike. Men even pray to her to help them in battle. I believe that Homer portrays her as a tough, clever woman for the sole fact that she is a goddess. That is sexist. Many women are tough, strong, clever, and smart. However, Homer and men during this time refused to acknowledge that. Homer was certainly sexist.