American politics are at a stand-still. Both sides of the government are bogged down with loyalties to special interest groups, companies and party platforms that it is nearly impossible to practice law-making without partisanship barring compromise.
Politicians are too willing to bend their moral values and the basis of what they were elected for than to risk losing essential campaign dollars. Their concern is not for the people they represent, but instead for getting re-elected.
In an article by Thomas L. Friedman, a columnist for the New York Times, there was a comparison of America to the great fallen empire of Rome. Friedman quoted the book “The Condition of Man” by historian Lewis Mumford. The book, which recounted the fall of Rome, described how "everyone aimed at security: no one accepted responsibility." The excerpt continued to describe details of problems within the structure of the empire. As Friedman commented in his Op-Ed, the account deeply echoed the appearance of American society today.
Politicians are not held accountable for their actions as representatives of the people of the United States of America. Americans are looking for and clinging to the idea of security-maintaining what they have.
As Friedman points out, the problem is not with the "inner-go" of America. We are still intellectually curious and adventurous for the most part. The problem is with the idea of the Democrat and Republican parties controlling the country, and not running it with the best intentions for the present and future.
I agree with Friedman's hint of a "serious third-party candidate" for the President if the two major parties do not shape up (which is highly unlikely). This country NEEDS a true voice, that can look into the needs of the future, as well as the present, that can speak the true necessities of the citizens, that can look for solutions and plan ahead, without having to worry about party politics.
In George Washington's farewell address, he warned against political parties. "The disorders & miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security & repose in the absolute power of an Individual," of Washington said. The point of a democracy is so that the people rule. The people. Something needs to happen so that the people's voice is heard, be that a major third party, party reform or the abolishing of the two-party system all together. So to answer the name of the post, I believe it might not be. Three just may be the answer.
The article can be found here.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Back on Top
The young Spanish tennis star, Rafael Nadal, is back at No. 1 on the Association of Tennis Professionals annual ranking.
Nadal also finished first in the 2008 ranking.
According to an article in the New York Times, "Nadal has won nine major titles in his career and is one of seven men to complete a career Grand Slam."
The 23-year-old is very excited about the win. He is ranked over Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Roger Federer of Switzerland.
Although personally I am a Federer fan, I am truly happy for Nadal and his amazing feat.
Also noteworthy—there are four Spaniards in the Top 20 of the ATP ranking this year, meaning they have more representatives in the Top 20 than any other country.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Unknown Secrets of the Known
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has announced the name and release date of his upcoming memoir.
The book, “Known and Unknown,” is said to be "both a fascinating narrative for today’s readers and an unprecedented resource for tomorrow’s historians," by Adrian Zackheim, whose firm Sentinel is publishing the memoir.
Rumsfeld served as defense secretary under Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. He also served in various other positions, including four terms in the House of Representatives, a partial stint as White House Chief of Staff under Ford, and leading roles in two large corporations.
According to an article by Julie Bosman of the New York Times, publishers promise "revealing details" from his extensive government career, as well as bits about people ranging from Margaret Thatcher to Elvis Presley and Dick Cheney to Saddam Hussein.
I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited about the memoir's Jan. 25th arrival.
The book, “Known and Unknown,” is said to be "both a fascinating narrative for today’s readers and an unprecedented resource for tomorrow’s historians," by Adrian Zackheim, whose firm Sentinel is publishing the memoir.
Rumsfeld served as defense secretary under Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. He also served in various other positions, including four terms in the House of Representatives, a partial stint as White House Chief of Staff under Ford, and leading roles in two large corporations.
According to an article by Julie Bosman of the New York Times, publishers promise "revealing details" from his extensive government career, as well as bits about people ranging from Margaret Thatcher to Elvis Presley and Dick Cheney to Saddam Hussein.
I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited about the memoir's Jan. 25th arrival.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Paying the Price
It has been months since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but many people are still feeling the effects of that devastating gulf gusher.
Many of the independent owners of BP gas stations are still reeling from the disaster. Although they had no part in the actions that caused the spill, they are dealing with large dips in sales, which in many cases equates to problems maintaining middle-class lifestyles.
As someone who was raised by self-employed people, I cannot help but be upset for these small business owners. I know how hard it was for my mom when our local convenience store was struggling, and the idea that innocent people are suffering because of bad calls made at a corporate level is infuriating.
In an article written by John Collins Rudolf in the New York Times about the station owners' struggles, single, independent BP store owner Jayendra Patel described that his sales have fallen to almost 50 percent of what they were before the spill.
Although it is the people's right to decide where they want to spend their money, BP should support the owners of its independently branded stores so that people such as Mr. Patel may not worry about having to lose their livelihood because of something that was out of their hands.
Many of the independent owners of BP gas stations are still reeling from the disaster. Although they had no part in the actions that caused the spill, they are dealing with large dips in sales, which in many cases equates to problems maintaining middle-class lifestyles.
As someone who was raised by self-employed people, I cannot help but be upset for these small business owners. I know how hard it was for my mom when our local convenience store was struggling, and the idea that innocent people are suffering because of bad calls made at a corporate level is infuriating.
In an article written by John Collins Rudolf in the New York Times about the station owners' struggles, single, independent BP store owner Jayendra Patel described that his sales have fallen to almost 50 percent of what they were before the spill.
Although it is the people's right to decide where they want to spend their money, BP should support the owners of its independently branded stores so that people such as Mr. Patel may not worry about having to lose their livelihood because of something that was out of their hands.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Life's a dance
Well, this has been a crazy two weeks. My community lost three great people. It was the nine year anniversary of 9/11. Kanye did well at the VMA's. And it is the two year anniversary of Hurricane Ike, as well as my 19th birthday.
I would like to start out with just sharing some small memories of the three amazing people who lost their lives recently-- Billie, Lauren and Mickey. Billie was my mom's friend. She went to our church. She was a laughter- filled, wise, beautiful woman. She was strong and courageous. She let me gaze in awe of her (awesome) cars. Billie lost her long battle with cancer. Lauren was a young, talented, beautiful girl. Although I didn't know her as well as many of my friends, I knew that she radiated a bubbly, fun-loving personality. I can honestly say, I never heard her say anything negative. Lauren was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Mickey was a prominent figure in our community. He was half of the town photography studio.. the other half being his lovely wife, Celeste. Mickey's effervescent personality always brought out the best in the people he was photographing. Mickey lost a very short battle with cancer. It was a blessing to know each of these individuals. Their lives have left an imprint on the ones they have left behind. Though they are gone, they will not be forgotten.
Next I would like to remember the victims that lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I pray that peace has come to their families and that we never forgot how much we lost that day.
Today is also a day of remembrance. It is the second anniversary of Hurricane Ike. Although Ike destroyed the area that I was born and raised in, it gave a great gift-- the opportunity to come together as a community and rebuild. I will never forget the day my family lost almost everything, but found each other.
Moving on to the lighter stuff...
So I watched the MTV VMA's. Don't hate. I generally despise MTV, but for some reason I tend to tune into award shows. They don't air the music I primarily listen to, but I am sometimes reminded of music that I grew up on. I almost forgot how much I loved Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington. I'm really glad that they were on. I was also excited to see Kid Cudi being nominated for Pursuit of Happiness (great song, by the way). I really don't care for Lady Gaga and Katy Perry; they get on my nerves. I especially dislike Haley Williams and Taylor Swift. They can't sing! Ahh! But really, I'm not going to lie. My favorite part was Kanye West's finale. I agree with the consensus that he is an egotistical maniac, but he is still a talented entertainer. At least give him that.
And now on to the elephant in the room:
Today is also my birthday. :) It is the last year of my teens. It's kind of bittersweet. I know, I know-- I'm a baby. But at least when all of my friends are turning 30, I will be turning 29, and so on. :D
Well that's all for now. Tune in for a news story next!
P.S. The title of this post has nothing to do with this post. I just got that song stuck in my head.
I would like to start out with just sharing some small memories of the three amazing people who lost their lives recently-- Billie, Lauren and Mickey. Billie was my mom's friend. She went to our church. She was a laughter- filled, wise, beautiful woman. She was strong and courageous. She let me gaze in awe of her (awesome) cars. Billie lost her long battle with cancer. Lauren was a young, talented, beautiful girl. Although I didn't know her as well as many of my friends, I knew that she radiated a bubbly, fun-loving personality. I can honestly say, I never heard her say anything negative. Lauren was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Mickey was a prominent figure in our community. He was half of the town photography studio.. the other half being his lovely wife, Celeste. Mickey's effervescent personality always brought out the best in the people he was photographing. Mickey lost a very short battle with cancer. It was a blessing to know each of these individuals. Their lives have left an imprint on the ones they have left behind. Though they are gone, they will not be forgotten.
Next I would like to remember the victims that lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I pray that peace has come to their families and that we never forgot how much we lost that day.
Today is also a day of remembrance. It is the second anniversary of Hurricane Ike. Although Ike destroyed the area that I was born and raised in, it gave a great gift-- the opportunity to come together as a community and rebuild. I will never forget the day my family lost almost everything, but found each other.
Moving on to the lighter stuff...
So I watched the MTV VMA's. Don't hate. I generally despise MTV, but for some reason I tend to tune into award shows. They don't air the music I primarily listen to, but I am sometimes reminded of music that I grew up on. I almost forgot how much I loved Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington. I'm really glad that they were on. I was also excited to see Kid Cudi being nominated for Pursuit of Happiness (great song, by the way). I really don't care for Lady Gaga and Katy Perry; they get on my nerves. I especially dislike Haley Williams and Taylor Swift. They can't sing! Ahh! But really, I'm not going to lie. My favorite part was Kanye West's finale. I agree with the consensus that he is an egotistical maniac, but he is still a talented entertainer. At least give him that.
And now on to the elephant in the room:
Today is also my birthday. :) It is the last year of my teens. It's kind of bittersweet. I know, I know-- I'm a baby. But at least when all of my friends are turning 30, I will be turning 29, and so on. :D
Well that's all for now. Tune in for a news story next!
P.S. The title of this post has nothing to do with this post. I just got that song stuck in my head.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hipsters..
After writing an on an emotional topic last, I decided to lighten the mood with this piece. Please note the photo of my roommate, Lindsey Thiele, above. As Lindsey sat there in her pajamas attached with suspenders to her body, probably faking the reading of this vintage copy of The Catcher in the Rye, I was inspired. Everything about this photograph is screaming hipster. From the key tattoo on her writst, headband, eye make-up, bandanna and suspenders, to the music playing, lighter, bunch of bananas (which she happens to be allergic to) and aloof/elitist look on her face, Lindsey epitomizes the image of the child who is so in trend with rebelling trends.Because the whole premise of what it means to be a "hipster" is at times hard to quantify, I have done as much YouTube and UrbanDictionary research as I felt necessary.
Below are two videos that I feel have reached into what it means to be a hipster.
I hope you can come away from this post a little more aware of what it exactly means to "be a hipster". :)
Atrocity
So if you have not yet heard of the sickening "widespread systematic rape and pillage" of villages in the Congo, I must warn you that it is not easy news to swallow. When I first heard about it, the number of women that had been reported as being raped was around 200. Now, according to United Nations officials, the number has risen to 500, with victims as young as 7. Let me be clear, this number is just from late July into August.
In an updating article in the New York Times about the situation, it was reported that U.N. officials have also accused the Congolese soldiers of the rapes. The article pointed to serious holes in the protection of these women by the U.N.
Although the government should be in control of these situations, it is ultimately the responsibility of the U.N. to step in and help these victims when their own government fails them. The idea that agencies knew that at least a few victims were reported and didn't visit the area for days is simply not okay. What is the purpose of this organization, if not for atrocious acts as this?
It is imperative that these villagers have more support than they are getting. That much is obvious.
When I was walking to class today, I was worried about how wet my backpack was getting. Not whether or not I would have a safe, comfortable, dry place to lay my head at night. I was not worried about having enough food to fill my stomach. My thoughts weren't burdened with images of my family being murdered, or fear of me being raped by violent militants. My thoughts were dreaming of a Spring Break trip I wanted to take. The fact that we as a culture take for granted so many things that these people don't even know exist is truly sad. To know that they would be grateful knowing they didn't have to worry about being brutally attacked in their own homes is enough to make me not want to eat my dinner, which probably cost enough to feed a family for a week.
The people of the Congo, and many other places for that matter, are in need of our help. For some people, that will mean just actually thinking about their problems, and praying for them. For others, it will mean finding ways to help physically, and traveling to their aid. And for others it will mean rallying for the good people of the country and bringing to light the despicable acts that take place there. It doesn't matter at what capacity one serves, as long as people can just take time to realize that there are far worse circumstances that they could be living in, and try to better the people living through them.
The U.N. has a great mission. It just needs to be more diligent in helping following through with prompt aid to those who need it.
Links to the the article of site of the photo are below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/world/africa/08nations.html?ref=africa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4184706.stm
In an updating article in the New York Times about the situation, it was reported that U.N. officials have also accused the Congolese soldiers of the rapes. The article pointed to serious holes in the protection of these women by the U.N.
Although the government should be in control of these situations, it is ultimately the responsibility of the U.N. to step in and help these victims when their own government fails them. The idea that agencies knew that at least a few victims were reported and didn't visit the area for days is simply not okay. What is the purpose of this organization, if not for atrocious acts as this?
It is imperative that these villagers have more support than they are getting. That much is obvious.
When I was walking to class today, I was worried about how wet my backpack was getting. Not whether or not I would have a safe, comfortable, dry place to lay my head at night. I was not worried about having enough food to fill my stomach. My thoughts weren't burdened with images of my family being murdered, or fear of me being raped by violent militants. My thoughts were dreaming of a Spring Break trip I wanted to take. The fact that we as a culture take for granted so many things that these people don't even know exist is truly sad. To know that they would be grateful knowing they didn't have to worry about being brutally attacked in their own homes is enough to make me not want to eat my dinner, which probably cost enough to feed a family for a week.
The people of the Congo, and many other places for that matter, are in need of our help. For some people, that will mean just actually thinking about their problems, and praying for them. For others, it will mean finding ways to help physically, and traveling to their aid. And for others it will mean rallying for the good people of the country and bringing to light the despicable acts that take place there. It doesn't matter at what capacity one serves, as long as people can just take time to realize that there are far worse circumstances that they could be living in, and try to better the people living through them.
The U.N. has a great mission. It just needs to be more diligent in helping following through with prompt aid to those who need it.
Links to the the article of site of the photo are below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/world/africa/08nations.html?ref=africa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4184706.stm
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