Day: November 14, 2010

Music

smackyjackjack1 Comment
As a lover of music, I sometimes feel that the music I like is GREATLY under-appreciated.  Many of my fellow students listen to newer, lamer music.  Music like Kanye West and Deadmaus are polluting eardrums all over the world. The music I like comes from the classic genres like blues and old school country, not techno and hip-hop.
The greatest genre of the two is definitely blues. Everything came from the blues and musicians like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed. The best modern blues songs are by the White Stripes. Country is a great genre as well. The newer country is much worse than the older stuff though. By older I mean musicians like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Jr.
Obviously though, not all new music is bad. As I said before, the White Stripes are amazing (even if Jack White has sold out). Bands like AC/DC and the Stones are classic. People need to remember where music came from in order to appreciate the music they like now.

Silent Revolution

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

An amazing new art project called “Silent Revolution” has just been installed at Isla de Mujeres, Mexico.  The project is an artificial reef. The reef is made of 400 life size concrete people. The project has taken 18 months. The underwater people range from small children to old people.  The project cost $250,000 to make and is now a prime tourist spot. Tourists can now go scuba diving and marvel at the underwater museum.

Our Greatest Fears

sennymcflyLeave a comment

Sometimes we lose the ones we love. They die from disease or even get killed. Then there are the times when they are taken from us and we are forced to imagine all the awful possibilities.

But, sometimes fate takes a hopeful turn and our loved ones are returned to us. We can only hope for the best right? That’s all we can do. A girl was found today. She and three others had gone missing about a week ago and they found her “bound and gagged in the basement of a home in Mount Vernon, Ohio.” She is safe, but who knows where the others are. Another girl was abducted in July. The mother raced after her daughters kidnapper, hoping to retrieve her four year old. She was found just a few days after. There have been seven other abductions within the last four months. As far as anyone knows they haven’t yet been found.

One Child One Life One Family

Do you remember Polly Klaas?  Polly was kidnapped on October 1, 1993. She was found, but not alive. Her death started a foundation that changed the lives of hundreds of families. The organization gives support to the devastated families of lost children. Some are never seen again. Some are found and return to the lives they once knew. So what can we do when our greatest fears come true. All we can do is hope. That’s all we can do.

My heart goes out to all families who have lost the ones they loved. Just remember there is always hope.

The new Route Master revealed.

YourcupateaLeave a comment

So it seems yet again I am writing about British transport. I’m such a patriot, but it does need some praise. Living in Ojai, California, there is no real public transport. It’s a shame really I thought Arny, (Arnold Schwarzenegger) really was trying to make a change to the environment yet California still does not have a sufficient public transport system. I admit the carpool is a clever invention to cut emissions, except nowadays it often seems just as busy as the regular lanes. Everyone still rides around in their fuel guzzling machines, unaware how much pollution they are creating.

A simple bus, train and tube system needs to be created. Why not stop putting taxes into nuclear weapons and war, and help towards a healthier planet rather than destroying it.

I believe the United Kingdom is a great role model when it comes to public transport. I admit we are not completely there in terms of “going green” but we are making a real effort. I appreciate it’s a lot harder to achieve on a larger scale, but surely that means there should be more motivation to make a change?

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The Tubes.

YourcupateaLeave a comment

The tube network is a fascinating phenomenon. The tracks that twist, wind and cross are created to amaze. How I wonder at the engineering brilliance of such a system. Thirteen routes, corresponding in unison. Simultaneously one after another, timed to perfection, the ideal mode of transport for many who walk the bustling streets of the suburbs.

You are the ideal way to get around, the fastest, yet the busiest. At rush hour your walls are fit to burst yet never do you fail. You are strong and reliable, quick and easy. Still you scare and startle. The 07/07/2005 haunts you halls. Yet still you roam the streets of London. You are there at my call, if not at my beckon. I’m always aware of you around. The electronic numbers signify your arrival. The headlights show you are here.

Oh London tubes you do make me marvel at your splendor.

The London Tubes are a network of both underground and out of ground trains, created primarily to take people around the city of London. The network consists of 13 lines, which travel all over the capital. The tubes are a quick efficient system, which get you where you need to be on time, connecting with regular trains to make any journey simple.

The London tubes are definitely the way to travel whilst visiting London and I believe the revolutionary system should be encouraged more worldwide.

Tube Map

Schools for Swat Valley

vabenissimoLeave a comment

In America, students compete for high quality education.

In Pakistan, students just want a “school”.

Due to Taliban attacks, about 150 schools in Swat Valley were left devastated.

No water, chairs, desks, buildings, or proper educational supplies is provided to these students who sincerely need the help of education.

“Today, when I look all around me at my school, I can’t tell if this is reality or just part of my dream,” said one of the girls in the video, “Lost Generation in Swat Valley.”

Constant threats from Taliban, limited donations from other countries, and corrupted political exertions hinder the future lives of these students.

However, wealthy Pakistani families began to contribute in school reconstructions and, most importantly, the students still find the desire to attend “schools.”

All they want is a building with chairs and desks.

Still, a long road seems to be left ahead to establish such environment in Swat Valley.

Bombing in Bangladesh

sennymcflyLeave a comment

As anger spread throughout citizens, riots began and protesters stood firm outside a former prime minister’s home. The reason for all the rioting is the reason behind her eviction from her home. The government that now stands under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina removed her from the “compound” so that they could replace it with larger buildings, that would be beneficial for families who lost loved ones in a “mutiny at a paramilitary unit in Dhaka.”

It is said that the riots got so bad that tear gas was used against angry protesters and shots were fired. Some were killed after a bomb went off in the middle of the riots and was “detonated” in front of the residence of a member of parliament. It’s funny how our lives can change or even end because of a governments attempt to make life better when all it does is make other lives worse.

Enough Violence

try out

weirdjennyLeave a comment

On November 8, winter sports season officially started. Unlike last year there was dream team which is for students who don’t want to play in the game, this year there is only varsity boys basketball team. 25 students have signed up for joining basketball team. However, according to the coaches, Mr. Weidlich and Mr. Benigar, we only can have 15 people in the team. In order to choose those 15 players, the coaches have offered all the players a one-week try out session.

”How to choose those 15 players? First of all, we are going to look at the effort you put in this week. Second, is your skill.” said Mr. Benigar.

The session includes tons of sprinting, shuttle run, four corners, slides, changing directions, basic skill training, and scrimmage. Some of the former cross country runners said that the practice makes them as tried as running 3 miles. However, surprisingly, none of the students quit, because they want to be one part of the team, even the least skilled player.

As one of the leaders in the team, I asked Mr. Benigar that if we can keep all the players, because I felt that they all really love to play basketball. If we cut them and tell them to go to other sports, they are not going to practice that hard in other sports. So why don’t we just keep them all, because at least they are willing to work hard in basketball. However, the coach said that he is also surprised and appreciated that no one quit during the first week, and he realized it is very brutal to tell people that they can’t play their favorite sports, but we only have two coaches, it is not efficient to practice with this many of people.

Although I understand that it is difficult for the coaches to make this decision, I still hope that everyone can get to play their favorite sports.

Non-English Football

therightliberalLeave a comment

Because Manchester United did not win today, I do not feel inclined to talk about the EPL. All I will mention is that Manchester City looked remarkably like Mark Hughes’ side of last year in their unimpressive draw to Birmingham.

But on to football in the rest of the world. I do not usually like to talk about the MLS because the football is sub-par to say the least. The team that I support is the LA Galaxy, being the team that I have seen play the most times, going to games at a very young age with my father. They beat the Seattle Sounders to make it all the way into the Western Conference Championship.

Los Angeles Galaxy

This is not a huge feat for the Galaxy; one would expect them to make it al least this far with players like David Beckham and Landon Donovan. But the Galaxy have a habit of not being able to score goals in big games. I am happy to see them make it this far and I hope that they win the league title after their extremely disappointing finish last season (they lost on penalties in the final).

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Batman

delhigossipLeave a comment

The ever green love for Batman among both, guys and girls, has resulted in two Batman movies and a third one being filmed. While the first two made their mark in the box office, director Christopher Nolan is determined to make history with his third one.

Despite the buzz for the movie, viewers are dying to know who is the actress who is going to play the love interest for Batman’s alter ego, played  by Bruce Wayne, in this movie. In the last two movies, Katie Holmes and Maggie Gyllenhaal did an excellent job playing the part. However, the director has taken a step further and decided to have two actresses in the movie.

The famous names being considered for the “Dark Knight Rises” include the A-list actresses of Hollywood. Among them: Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Keira Knightley.

While one of the actresses will be paired with the dashing actor, the other will play the evil mastermind. However, it is still a while before the decission will be made.

The movie which is due releases in June 2012 is waited by all its audience.