blog 33

Blog 33

My subject is trials and tribulations. How is the subject of trials and tribulations relevant to college students on a daily basis? The question should be, how are trials and tribulations not relevant to college students? Everything a college student does is relevant to the subject at hand. Everything we do on daily basis is based on preparing ourselves for the future; to prepare us to think for ourselves, to work hard, and to become successful. We wake up and must be prompt to class. Homework is due at the start of the period. We must be responsible enough to show up to class and have the discipline to take effective notes. We decide what to eat, whether healthy or not. I am not complaining in any way. I am just arguing that the small trials we face every day are very important in molding us into what we want to one day become. A work ethic is a highly endowed virtue that is very important to the development of a person. According to wikipedia, work ethic is “a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character.” I believe a good work ethic is one of the most important values a person can learn. Nothing can be accomplished without a good work ethic. Sports play a huge part in my life. Much of my time is spent either watching, playing, or discussing sports. They were a big part of my high school career and taught me that hard work pays off. School is a huge part of the development of people as well. We all grow up going to school.

blog 32

Blog 32

For my 32^nd blog I have to research one or more of the following subjects: Illegal immigrants, sports, school, social strife, mental toughness, physical toughness, money, parents, good work ethics. I am not sure which one I could find legitimate research for. I will research the concept of money. According to wikipedia, money is “any object or record, that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context.” Money affects people in virtually every aspect of their lives, directly or indirectly. Money dictates many social niches, because if you can look nice because of what you buy, you can be perceived by society as “cool” or “dope”. A work ethic is a highly endowed virtue that is very important to the development of a person. According to wikipedia, work ethic is “a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character.” I believe a good work ethic is one of the most important values a person can learn. Nothing can be accomplished without a good work ethic. Sports play a huge part in my life. Much of my time is spent either watching, playing, or discussing sports. They were a big part of my high school career and taught me that hard work pays off. School is a huge part of the development of people as well. We all grow up going to school.

blog 31

Blog 31

Trials and tribulations a common aspect of life. Everyone, rich or poor, old or young, faces issues and problems on a daily basis. It's what molds us into who we are. How a person deals with their problems and what attitude they have on the matter dictates the type of person they are. What would a man be without mountains to scale and oceans to cross? Just think of how boring life would be without some degree of worry, or some level of difficulty. Of course, many people live in extreme difficulty and face huge issues on the daily. But I have a huge amount of respect for soldiers, single moms, and people struggling to put food on the table. The people who face these major obstacles every day; think of what they could accomplish if given the chance. I worked with several illegal Mexican immigrants last summer in a steel distribution warehouse. These men went through hell to make it to the U.S in search of a better life for them and their families. These are are three of the hardest working people I have ever been around. The trials and tribulations they have experienced in their lives without crumbling or giving up its astounding. I have the highest respect for these people. They faced the seemingly impossible feat of making something out of themselves without hesitation. And they succeeded.

blog 30

Blog 30

I read the “Pushing Palin from Power” commonplace article written by Chrissy Knopp for tonights' blog. Knopp states that because Sarah Palin is a woman, she has been ridiculed, mocked, and her chance at political prowess has been severely hindered by this treatment. I think this is absolutely and entirely ridiculous. The reason Sarah Palin is ridiculed constantly is not because she is a woman, it's because she is a complete and utter idiot. Palin is simply stupid. If anyone has heard any of her quotes comenting on being able to see Russia from her house in Alaska, or making up words like “refudiate”, then comparing herself to Shakespeare, they know that Palin is so stupid it's funny. Comedians don't even have to turn to sexist jokes because they have so much to reap from her silly accent to her IQ. She's just stupid. The fact that she appears in the news with rumors that she might be running for president is too humorous. And even though she became one of the few female vice presidential candidates doesn't mean she's brilliant, it actually just means that John McCain made a poor decision in his choice for a running-mate. Sexuality will always be something comedians use for jokes because people are immature. Seriously, nobody should take the author of this article seriously, because she is wrong and does not know what she is talking about. Sarah Palin is stupid, manipulative, and downright hypocritic. Isn't her daughter one of the biggest advocates for per-marital abstinence in the U.S? Oh, wait, that's right, Bristol Palin just had a kid. And she has never been married. But maybe she's like the Virgin Mary! No, she's not.

blog 29

Blog 29

              I read the article “Glenn Beck: Circa 422 B.C.” by Zach Rybarczyk for my blog today. This article discusses the “genius” of Glenn Beck in how he is able to engage audiences with emotion and fact. Although this author does state that he can’t stand Glenn Beck, he still gives the man way to much credit. In my personal opinion, I absolutely hate Glenn Beck with a deep passion. I think he is a manipulative jerk who takes things out of context to prove some ludicrous point he is making. My favorite television moments are when Jon Stewart of the Daily Show rips on Beck’s outrageous and idiotic antics. Glenn Beck is honestly a personification of the ignorance of America. He is loud, annoying, stupid and quite frankly I am embarrassed to hear that he has millions of followers. Glenn Beck does a segment in some of his shows in which he takes a person or idea and connects it, through a stupefying puzzle of phrases and people, to a point he is trying to make. I do not see how people take him seriously. He is racist, narrow-minded and arrogant. Jon Stewart has repeatedly invited him to join him on The Daily Show to talk but he does not even respond. Bill O’Reilly, whom I disagree with in many ways but respect, has been on Jon Stewart’s show many times. Beck always makes statements along the lines of “we need to take our country back”. Back from what? As we are finally recovering from a recession and attempt to find a diplomatic solution to Libya’s issues, end a war in Afghanistan and solve healthcare, I think our government is finally going in the right direction. What, should we get Bush back in office and send our troops off to new territory to fight a war based off ego and screw our economy again Mr. Beck? I think Glenn Beck needs to shut his mouth and quit trying to tear this country apart.

blog 28

Blog 28

I read the article “Coke Zero, The Deadliest Beverage... Or So They Say”, by Ted Elliott. The article is a discussion about the true effects of coke zero on one's body. Mr. Elliot's paper is terrible, in my most humble opinion. He has no background knowledge on the matter, does not seem to know what he is talking about, and frankly has not done the proper research on the matter. He makes statements about the ingredients of coke zero without giving credible sources or information. I have grown up hearing that soda, or pop, is bad for people. The reason it is bad for people, as I have heard, is because of the ingredients used to make the drinks and because the calories involved are empty calories, meaning the drink is not a necessary part of a person's diet. The sugars involved in the drink are also not good for people. Now, I know coke zero is supposed to have no calories and be sugar free. I just do not like the way this article was presented and I disagree that there is nothing bad for you about coke zero. I am going to listen to the experts on the matter, not some kid. Just my personal opinion. Also, the author states that aspertame does not cause cancer as is was once said to. This is, once again in my opinion, a false assumption, because people still do not know whether the ingredient causes cancer due to the need for a study of the long term effects of the ingredient in order to know the effects.

blog 27

Blog 27

I am now at the conclusion of my paper. I will focus on connecting the recent conflict in Libya to the revolution in Firefly and the theme of the paper. The theme of the paper will also be reiterated. The theme of the paper is the presence of the pursuit of happiness in people and the fact that people will continue to fight until they achieve freedom. I will discuss the articles I found on EBSCO about the Libyan revolution and the issues at hand in the north African country. Muammar Qaddafi is a tyrannical leader there and is terrorizing his people. The people are now rebelling against Muammar Qaddafi and the civil war still rages on. I have nothing else to write here. I am going to start reiterating what I have already written. For my conclusion I will discuss several topics that I will have already discussed in the paper. The theme of the paper will be stated again, but will be rewritten in other words. The theme includes the pursuit of freedom, in which I am stating that Joss Whedon is arguing is present within every human being. This is the theme of my paper. The conclusion will conclude my paper. I will also discuss the articles that I found that connect to the Libyan revolution. I honestly do not know how I am going to write six to seven pages for this paper. The conclusion will conclude the theme of my paper. I have nothing else to write.

blog 26

Blog 26

The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental aspect of the human psyche. Every person on the planet has within them the will to pursue their own happiness. The movie, Pursuit of Happiness, outlines the meaning of its title. Will Smith plays a man who lives in San Fransisco. This man is very poor, yet a certifiable genius. He has a young son, played by Will Smith's son, Jaden Smith. The movie is about his efforts to make a better living for his wife and child. There are many setbacks within his journey. He becomes homeless and spends a few nights in a homeless shelter. He takes a cab ride with an executive he is trying to convince to give him a job. During the ride, the main character completes a rubix cube in a very short amount of time. Yet, the executive leaves and the main character has to dart from the cab without paying. These problems plague Will Smith's character for the whole film. Even though he faces all these problems, the main character never gives up. He works very hard to land a job and finally make a better life for his family. This story is based on a true story. This whole film really illustrates mankind's will to pursue their own happiness. The pursuit of happiness is an evolutionary trait meant to increase a person's chance of living. This movie was a very good film. I watched it in a movie theatre in Colorado. I enjoyed watching it.

blog 25

Blog 25

The next portion of my paper would consist of connecting my paper to the fight in Libya. I would introduce the real world example; the current fight for independence in Libya. I will be discussing the similarities between Firefly's representation of the pursuit of freedom against the Alliance with the fight for independence by Free Libya from the tyrannical Muammar Qaddafi. In response to the peaceful demonstrations and talks of revolution, Qaddafi acted with “bluster, belligerence and blood” by sending military force to break up the protests. Many were killed in the situation. To further ensure his reputation as an oppressive dictator, Qaddafi then proceeded to completely shut out the world's media, shrouding the entire situation in a mystery. This “slaughter” of his own people should be unacceptable in today's society. I am convinced that Qaddafi is entirely insane. He is power hungry and has no regard for the citizens of his country. “I am a warrior. I am not going to leave this land, and I will die here as a martyr.” These are the words of a crazy man who considers himself to be way more important and powerful than he is. I mean its Libya. I can almost guarantee that half of the people in the United States of America can not locate Libya on a map. Of course, this is just an opinion, not an actual fact. The situation in Libya is a complete mess. Muammar Qaddafi has promised that he will resist takeover until his last man stands. He can't be reasoned with because he is insane.

blog 24

Blog 24

Revolution, or the pursuit of freedom represents a fundamental characteristic of human kind. This characteristic is the pursuit of happiness and the lengths people will go to ensure this for themselves and their family.

The first scene of the first episode, “Serenity”, of Firefly is where the representation of the theme of this paper, the pursuit of happiness, is present. The scene begins with Mal, the main character, on a battlefield with several of his comrades. The situation looks bleak. Rebels are dying left and right as the warships of the Alliance are advancing voraciously upon them. Havoc ensues; all hell seems to be breaking loose. Mal confronts a terrified young soldier who is cowering at the bottom of a war trench. Mal is trying to convince this man that everything will be ok. He tells him that help is on the way, that they have a sure victory ahead of them. It is obvious this is not the case. Although Mal is surely almost positive they are going to be defeated, he is relying on hope to keep his men's morale, along with his own, from crashing and burning. This season is Joss Whedon's testimony to the will of mankind. He argues that even in times of darkness, when seemingly all is lost, when the light is barely hovering on the horizon, people fundamentally will not give up. People, due to an instinctual characteristic alive among us all, will battle for freedom until their liberty and happiness are achieved or all is indeed lost.

blog 23

Blog 23

This is part of the second piece of my essay. It is just a section but represents much of the ideas. In order to understand the current conflict in the Libya, one must first contemplate Libya's recent past under Qaddafi's regime and the country's shift from economic obscurity and mischievous image to being on relative good terms with the Western nations of the United States of America and the United Nations. In the 1980's and for much of the 1990's, Libya was seen as a “rogue state” (author, n.p.). Yet, with the suspension of sanctions against Libya by the United Nations, the country was able to become economically viable in the West. Along with this, another major factor catapulted Libya forward in the view of the West. “By siding with the U.S.” and “joining the 'Global War on Terrorism'” (author, n.p.). Muammar Qaddafi had succeeded in ending the country's political obscurity and poor image. The two factors contributed heavily to Libya's gain in power economically and politically. Some may argue that this has resulted partially in the current civil war, because as Qaddafi gained more power, his military was developed more and his ego increased. Furthermore, according to the author, “The Libyan regime has understood that paying lip service to reforms, in enough for Europe and the United States to lessen their call for democratization” (n.p.). This lack of pressure from the international community to end Qaddafi's supreme grip of Libya has allowed for the mistreatment, and at times slaughter, of his people. In a sense, the U.S. And Europe have personally created a monster in Muammar Qaddafi due to the lax or even totally absent monitor and surveillance of his regime.

blog 22

Blog 22

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” (The Declaration of Independence, page 1). Since the beginning of the modern human being, we have all been instilled in us the basic instinct to rule our own fate. Freedom is an underlying construct of our existence. Throughout the history of man, there has always been the presence of freedom and the presence of the evil that prohibits this natural right. The pursuit of freedom is an ever-present conundrum that we all have buried within us. Without the pursuit of freedom, the world would be incredibly different than what it is today. Recently, there have been several revolutions and quests for independence in the Middle East, from Bahraini to Egypt to Libya. I read an article recently published in Time Magazine about the current revolution in Egypt. The title to the article is “The Revolution”, the cover story of the issue. The article discussed the political unrest in Egypt. It explored the relationship of the U.S with soon to be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek, which was a advantageous one for the United States of America. It also discussed the uncertain future Egypt faces and whether it will become hostile to the U.S. Also discussed is the political unrest in other areas of the Middle East/Islamic world including Libya and Syria. Revolution is the editing of the world. It is people striving for the betterment of themselves and their nation.

blog 21

Blog 21

Revolutions are often hard fought and enduring events. For this reason, the idea and motive behind the rebellion must be as solid as the opposition it will face. The civil war in Libya is proving to be a very rough and possibly very lengthy ordeal. “Fierce skirmishes between government and rebel forces have continued around the oil-refining town of Brega. Despite the arrival of humanitarian help from the sea, Misrata, the rebels' western redoubt, is still being terrorized by pro-Qaddafi snipers and occasional shelling” (Economist, page 1). This statement outlines some of the huge issues the rebels of Free Libya are going to face in the ensuing civil war. Snipers, shelling, and other military strengths the Libyan government controls will prove to be major issues for the Free Libya rebels. The rebels, including Obi-wan Kanobi, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Master Yoda, Qui-gon Jin, and Padme, will be facing many obstacles over the course of the Star Wars saga episodes of episode 1, episode 2, and episode 3. These obstacles include Darth Mall, Emperor Palpatine, the clones, the droids, and many other terrifying foes. These foes are strikingly terrifying. Luke Skywalker is actually the son of Darth Vader, formerly known as Anakin Skywalker. These threats are very similar to the obstacles Mal and his crew face in Firefly. The obstacles are also similar to the threats Free Libya will face mostly because they are the underdogs. They are outnumbered and the military of Libya has a much stronger power. Libya is a messed up place right now.

blog 20

Blog 20

I could not find another quote that I could integrate for today's blog. I therefore have nothing to write for today's blog. I guess I will just write more discussing the idea of freedom. Freedom has been an issue for human beings most likely for the whole time we have populated the earth. Dictionary.com defines freedom as “the power to determine action without restraint” (Dictionary.com). Freedom is the ability to choose what you want to do. Freedom allows for a person to choose their own profession, choose what they want to eat, and how they want to spend their time. As long as people interact with one another, their will be constraints on our freedom, yet being mostly free is entirely attainable. I am writing about freedom because it can be easily connected to the current struggle in Libya today. It is obvious that the people of Libya feel as though Muammar Qaddafi has taken their freedom from them. He has taken their safety, freedom of press, and freedom to elect government officials. Qaddafi has brought the revolution upon himself because he refuses to listen to the claims and needs of his people.

blog 19

Blog 19

The revolution in Libya is a response to the brutal leadership of the dictator Muammar Qaddafi. It is important to understand why the Libyan people feel it is necessary to stop a man like this from complete control of their country. In an article in the March 7 edition of Time Magazine, Bobby Ghosh, among other authors, explains that “In Gaddafi, the Arab youth revolution faces a foe unafraid to push back brutally--and the watching world sees a ruler immune to reproach or reason” (pg. 1). According to Ghosh, the regions being dubbed as “Free Libya” (pg. 1) have a long fight ahead of them. Qaddafi is an old-fashioned tyrant. He is brutal, unreasonable, and deadly. He has full military power behind him; a military that he has built up with years of profit from a region rich in oil. He simply isn't listening to his people. When the citizens and youth of Libya attempted to reason with their estranged leader through peaceful protests and events, Qaddafi fired back with a military response by killing hundreds. While the world watches in horror, Qaddafi relentlessly slaughters his own people without pause. This deadly response by Qaddafi leads the author to believe that the civil war that is currently raging in Libya is going to be a long and “old-fashioned” (page 1) one. Even with the United Nations and the United States backing Free Libya, Qaddafi still stands against the rebellion. Its safe to say that Qaddafi is crazy.

blog 18

Blog 18

When studying and analyzing any revolution or fight for freedom, it is important to know each side of the fight and where the spark of revolution begins. The beginning of a rebellion almost always has significance. For instance, the start of the American Revolution was known by some as the shot heard around the world. Any rebellion or revolution holds heavy meaning, and represents defending a person's home. “The revolutions in the Middle East, so far, have been resolutely homegrown affairs” (Hauslohner, n.p.). While this sentence by itself seems to indicate little meaning, it indeed signifies much more than meets the eye. The idea of revolution is extremely powerful. It has within it the strength to mold nations, drop dictatorships, and completely alter ways of life. How this idea is carried out has much significance. The fact that the recent uprisings in the Middle East have all been instigated from deep within the nation's in which they have occurred points out the power each of these revolutions hold. The citizens and rebels in these nations have taken tyranny and dictatiorship for too long. They have been stripped of some of their basic rights as human beings; their rights to freedom and freedom of speech. They are finally speaking out against those that prey on the poor in the name of personal embellishment. They are fulfilling their rights to their own personal pursuit of happiness. This action against oppression and for freedom is a beautiful thing. It reminds us that we always will have choices in our lives. We all are entitled to our own pursuit of happiness; it is a fundamental aspect of people as a whole. The pursuit of happiness will always succeed in driving people towards a better life.

blog 17

Blog 17: 1^st Quote Integration

In order to understand the current conflict in the Libya, one must first contemplate Libya's recent past under Qaddafi's regime and the country's shift from economic obscurity and mischievous image to being on relative good terms with the Western nations of the United States of America and the United Nations. In the 1980's and for much of the 1990's, Libya was seen as a “rogue state” (author, n.p.). Yet, with the suspension of sanctions against Libya by the United Nations, the country was able to become economically viable in the West. Along with this, another major factor catapulted Libya forward in the view of the West. “By siding with the U.S.” and “joining the 'Global War on Terrorism'” (author, n.p.). Muammar Qaddafi had succeeded in ending the country's political obscurity and poor image. The two factors contributed heavily to Libya's gain in power economically and politically. Some may argue that this has resulted partially in the current civil war, because as Qaddafi gained more power, his military was developed more and his ego increased. Furthermore, according to the author, “The Libyan regime has understood that paying lip service to reforms, in enough for Europe and the United States to lessen their call for democratization” (n.p.). This lack of pressure from the international community to end Qaddafi's supreme grip of Libya has allowed for the mistreatment, and at times slaughter, of his people. In a sense, the U.S. And Europe have personally created a monster in Muammar Qaddafi due to the lax or even totally absent monitor and surveillance of his regime.

blog 15

Blog 15

Ghosh, Bobby. "Gaddafi's Last Stand." Time Magazine 3/7/2011: n. pag. Web. 12 Apr 2011.

I read “Gaddafi's Last Stand” from Time Magazine for my research on the civil war in Libya. This article really outlines the heinous and tyrannical recent actions of Libya's long running dictator Muammar Qaddafi. In response to the peaceful demonstrations and talks of revolution, Qaddafi acted with “bluster, belligerence and blood” by sending military force to break up the protests. Many were killed in the situation. To further ensure his reputation as an oppressive dictator, Qaddafi then proceeded to completely shut out the world's media, shrouding the entire situation in a mystery. This “slaughter” of his own people should be unacceptable in today's society. I am convinced that Qaddafi is entirely insane. He is power hungry and has no regard for the citizens of his country. “I am a warrior. I am not going to leave this land, and I will die here as a martyr.” These are the words of a crazy man who considers himself to be way more important and powerful than he is. I mean its Libya. I can almost guarantee that half of the people in the United States of America can not locate Libya on a map. Of course, this is just an opinion, not an actual fact. The situation in Libya is a complete mess. Muammar Qaddafi has promised that he will resist takeover until his last man stands. He can't be reasoned with because he is insane.

blog 14

Blog 14

Hauslohner, Abigail. "Running With the Rebels." Time Magazine (2011): n. pag. Web. 11 Apr 2011.

For my research about the recent political strife and revolutions in the Middle East, I explored the issue about the current events ravaging Libya. I read “Running With the Rebels” from Time Magazine by Abigail Hauslohner. This article is about the political situation in Libya. The article is an overview of the Civil War, more from the rebels point of view, and their reasons for striving towards independence from Muammar Qadaffi. This is similar to the show Firefly because each are from the point of view of the rebels themselves. The article speaks of the gunfights and battles that have taken place in the oil-refinery town of Benghazi, Libya. This is a critical situation for the U.S because Libya is a powerful enemy or friend in the Middle East and plays a big role in the relations the U.S has with the Islamic world. This has instigated limited U.S involvement in Libya via air strikes on Qadaffi's forces. This has been described as a full fledged civil war. It is clear to me that Qadaffi is crazy. He is power hungry and peculiar. Another example of rebels is in Star Wars. The rebels, led by Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Hans Solo, fight an epic epoch against the Emperor Palpitine and Darth Vader. They have many trials and tribulations during the three installations to the series.This is similar to the Mal and his crew versus the Alliance.

blog 13

Blog 13; Research

I have changed my point of research for the research paper we are working on. I have decided to change my topic away from my former idea of researching thegrowing gap between the rich and poor in the world, which was a vague, difficult issue to study. I have changed my topic to revolution and independence. The whole idea of the series Firefly is the rebellion of Mal and his crew from the ruling power known as the Alliance. Recently, there have been several revolutions and quests for independence in the Middle East, from Bahraini to Egypt to Libya. I read an article recently published in Time Magazine about the current revolution in Egypt. The title to the article is “The Revolution”, the cover story of the issue. The article discussed the political unrest in Egypt. It explored the relationship of the U.S with soon to be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek, which was a advantageous one for the United States of America. It also discussed the uncertain future Egypt faces and whether it will become hostile to the U.S. Also discussed is the political unrest in other areas of the Middle East/Islamic world including Libya and Syria. Woman’s rights seems to be a major issue in Egypt as well, which has similarities to Firefly, shown in the episode about the brothels, and considering that Anara is, at least by Mal's measure, a prostitute, and the obvious mistreatment of women is evident throughout the series. I think this topic is very timely and I will hopedfully be able to find much about this issue.

blog 12

Blog 12, Research blog number two

Adiga, Aravind. "The White Tiger." (2009): n. pag. Web. 9 Apr 2011

The article I read for my exploration of the gaps between the rich and poor of the world is one on the book “The White Tiger” by Aravind Adiga. This book is a fictional book about a man named Balram the Killer, a man who, after a “heinous crime”, becomes a leading entrepreneur in India. The reason he is able to rise to financial power is through crime and criminal acts present due to the current gap between the rich and the poor in the emerging super economy of India. Though this is a fictional story, it brings to light the current social strife in India. Although India is quickly becoming one of the world's powerful economic entity's, this advance is causing a huge gap between the nation's upper and lower classes. In India you having emerging billionaires while the “untouchables”, the people so poor they must rifle through trash to find enough to feed themselves. This gap is also present in the Firefly episode “Shindig”. The show presents its audience with poor criminals who rely on petty thievery to feed themselves while in the same city there are people attending extremely wealthy balls and parties. This show brings to light a huge problem people have always faced; greediness. The fact that we can have people with enough money to stop working today and live in luxury the rest of their lives and then down the street a single mom of four working three jobs to put food on the table is an issue with the world.

blog 11

Blog 11: Abramowitz, Alan. "The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class." Political Science Quarterly Fall 2009: 391-422. Web. 7 Apr 2011

The article “The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class” focuses on the change in the classes of the U.S since World War II. This article argues that the white-collar working class of the pre-World War II era has changed to an upper middle class. The factors that have caused this are education, income and new jobs. This article also discusses the shift of many white Americans to the republican party from the democratic party due to interests in the political issues since then. This article does not exactly cover the issues I thought it would. I am researching the potential decrease of the number of people in the middle class and the increase in the gap between the rich upper class and the poor lower class. I think I should maybe consider changing my topic, because this one seems vague and maybe incorrect. I rushed into picking a topic due to the simple fact that I am a bit of a procrastinator. I know this is not an excuse, but I will attempt to use it nonetheless. Procrastination is an interesting concept. Of course, it is the scourge of the teenager, college student, and occasionally average adult. Yet, procrastination has it's place. Many a time have I put off writing a paper until the night before it was due and written a paper I was proud of. Procrastination kind of creates a fight or flight situation; you either just write the damn paper or go to bed cause its late.

blog 10

Blog 10

For my ARP paper, I will be exploring the growing rift between the upper and lower classes of our modern day society. The episode “Shindig” presents the audience with the wealthy side of Firefly. Inara is invited to a ball with the rich Atherton Wing. Mal, with the intent to keep an eye on Inara, sneaks into the ball. This episode really illustrates the huge difference between the upper and lower classes in the universe of Firefly. The ball is ornate, fancy, and filled with snooty, snobby, and very wealthy individuals. Moments before the scene that shows the ball, there is a scene showing some lowly criminals discussing plans to steal from the rich. The ongoing fight between the Alliance and the rebels of Serenity and other rebels also illustrates the argument because the Alliance is represented as being very wealthy, while the rebels must steal and plunder to get by at times. Joss Whedon seems to be arguing the rift between the rich and the wealthy in society. The recent economic strife of the U.S is creating a larger divide between the upper and lower classes of our society, while the middle class is slowly disappearing. I will be researching the following questions; Is there a growing rift between upper and lower classes in our society? How big an issue is this rift? Why has it become an issue?

Sources of Research:

Abramowitz, Alan. "The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class." Political Science Quarterly Fall 2009: 391-422. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Curry, Andrew. "The New Upper Class." Archaeology March 2011: 40-45. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Lukočienė, Olga. "The Simultaneous Decisions About the Number of Lower and Higher Level Classes in Multilevel Latent Class Analysis." Socialogical Methodology 2010: 247-283. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Kirkpatrick, David. "Rich, Poor And a Rift Exposed By Unrest." New York Times 01 31 2011: n. pag. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Venkat, Kumar. "Digital Divide and Poverty." Journal of Poverty 2001: n. pag. Web. 7 Apr 2011

blog 9

Blog 9: Prospectus

I will focus on the Wild West qualities of the show Firefly and how they add to the overall quality for my prospectus.

Cowboys, gunfights, rogue fugitives; the Wild West was a wildly exciting time. To survive during that time took a tough, willful and smart character. These aspects of the genre can be sure to always be a fertile topic for movies and stories for a long time. Joss Whedon, creator of Firefly, concocts an entirely unique show using this genre. He began with a basis of a future based in the year 2517 in a new galaxy and blends it with the crazy and entertaining world of the American wild west of the nineteenth century.

Whedon makes gunfights a regular occurrence in the world of Firefly. The gunfight is one of the main characteristics of the Western genre. They are exciting and people simply love to see them. The gunfights of the show are very similar to one you might see in any wild west movie out there; there's a good side and a bad side, and one side always begins the fights with guns a-blazing wildly and many casualties can be expected.

The dialect of Firefly is another Western-genre aspect of the show. The main characters speak almost in a cowboy type, Texan accent and use limited vocabulary, as one could expect of people during the time. Horses are also used in almost every aspect, which is a staple of the Western-genre.

Whedon combines two very popular genre's, the Western and the Future, to create a fun and exciting show.

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Blog 8, Response to Tracy Little Article

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has personified the drama, horrors and absurdity of high school. This is the message I derived from Tracy Little's article, High School is Hell: Metaphor Made Literal in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. High school is a wild, weird, uncomfortable, and, for some, unbearable time for teenagers. No matter how cocky or complete a seemingly confident high schooler appears, deep down there is bound to be some demons lurking; from a slight insecurity over an awkward freckle to a humiliating speech. At some point in every teenagers' life they are uncomfortable in high school. Even the popular kids who made fun of the nerds or the amazing athlete who everyone knew; each kid feels stupid at some point. I guess this is just a part of growing up. As hormones are running rampant and kids are growing, mentally and physically, they become sensitive, self conscious, and, simply mean. High school can be described as a horror film. Thus, as Little explains, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is born. BtVS, as the author of the essay abbreviates the show, takes these atrocities and absurdities of high school and creates an explosive concoction of vixens, villains, and vampires that serve as perfect metaphors for the craziness in every teenagers life. Buffy the Vampire Slayer creates monsters out of almost every aspect of high school. The creators of the show take bitchy cheerleaders, cocky jocks, creepy upperclassmen and geeky little guys and swirls them into a wonderful bunch of interesting and entertaining episodes. It is no wonder that this show continued on for so long; there was so much material to pull from the time that every person suffers through; high school.

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Blog 7: Firefly Episode 6, Shindig

The more I watch Firefly, the more I realize the crew of Serenity is a rogue, fairly criminal group. Each episode presents these people as fugitives or reveals their past criminal, thieving lives. Yet, along with this realization my appreciation of the show increases. Firefly keeps the viewer on the edge of his or her seat, and never fails to surprise with new and interesting scenarios. The fact that the crew is somewhat criminal always leaves room for new, exciting adventures. Also, the criminal intent of the crew always has the ultimate goal of at least resisting the evil clutch of the Alliance.

Episode 6, Shindig, begins with the attempted con of a wealthy dance. Mal and Kaylee pursue a smuggling job by posing as rich folks at this ball. While the job is supposed to be the main reason for this attempt at deception, I can't help but wonder whether the real reason for Mal's attendance to the dance is to keep an eye on Inara, who is attending the ball with a wealthy man named Atherton. This episode presents what seems to be a recurring theme; Mal is in love with Inara. This becomes apparent when he physically assaults Atherton. Mal and Inara's relationship is very unique, to say the least. He is obviously vying for her attention constantly, while she obviously, however ineffectively, tries to mask her feelings for him. This always results in trouble for these two, and often trouble for the rest of the crew.

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Blog 6: Firefly, Episode 5

Episode 5 of Firefly is a very important one in the series. It really develops the characters and their relationships with one another. When the engine of the ship, Serenity, explodes, the captain of the ship, Mal, is forced to have his crew evacuate while he stays behind to hope for a solution. Crew members are injured and the situation is dire in terms of the health of the ship. The episode is shot in a very interesting way. The extent of the show was shot using a combination of flashback footage and the present. The flashbacks were of Mal's first encounters with some of the members of the crew. The technique used to present this episode added a more emotional touch to an already emotional install to the saga.

The flashbacks showed a never before seen development in the characters. The flashbacks revealed the reasons why Mal and Zoe baught the Serenity, also how he met Kaylee, Jayne and Wash and how they came to become members of the crew. This episode was very entertaining, and I enjoyed finding out more about the characters and their relationships with each other. This episode also further develops the character of Mal, the main character of the series. The episode explains Mal's passion for the ship, and how he came to adopt the lifestyle he now enjoys. This episode also further develops the relationship or love between Mal and Anora. It explores the first encounter between Anora and Mal, and how Anora came to reside upon Mal's ship.

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Blog 5: Firefly Episode 3, Our Mrs. Reynolds

Episode three of the series Firefly presents Mal with a huge problem; a woman named Saffron claims to be his wife. The theme of this episode seems to be that things don't always turn out as they seem. Saffron, while at first seems to be a good character, ends up being involved in a rogue crew. She tries to take advantage of the fact that the crew partied the night before.

The reactions of the crew members to this supposed spouse of Mal tells a lot about each of their respective relationships with him. Jayne seems to be very jealous at what he deduces as a bit of luck for Mal. This reveals his self confidence issues and his view that Mal is more successful than he is. He thinks Mal is too lucky, being the captain and finding himself with an apparent new love. Inara is furious by the thought that Mal is married. This reveals her obvious feelings for Mal, yet she never tells him how she really feels. Kaylee seems happy that Mal has found a special someone. The rest of the crew, Zoe, Wash, River, Book and Simon, just seem confused by the news. Mal reacts by being confused and worried, and eager to resolve the issue. Mal seems to always be presented with misfortune. While he just wants to get through the day and protect his crew and ship from the Alliance, he always runs into issues involving either his love life, friendships or personal well being. He seems doomed to be unlucky.

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Blog 4, Firefly, Episode 4, Jaynestown

Episode four of the series Firefly is centered around the character Jayne. Jayne is the dumb muscle, no brains all brawn member of the crew. He is a type of man who will do anything for money; any job whether it's legal, or not. In this episode of Firefly, Jayne takes a job to rip off the leader of a town of people bound by indentured servitude. Jayne, with a partner, performs the heist and attempts to escape with the money, yet runs into problems. He ends up having to ditch the partner and the money in order to get away. The money is scattered among the townspeople. Jayne is revered as a hero by the poor people of the town.

The people's reaction to Jayne's actions causes for some confusion on his part. He has always seen himself as he is: not very smart with a fairly distorted moral compass. His new “reputation” is that of a heroic, good man. However, the fact that he left his partner behind reveals to the viewer this character's true colors.

Jayne is the type of man that finds himself in sticky situations due to the fact that he is fairly selfish. He used to always put himself in front of his cronies. Yet, with the crew of the Serenity, Jayne allows himself to be a little more selfless. He wants to be a good man, yet must jump the hurdles of greed and selfishness before he can really accomplish that goal.