"Mommy...Daddy...it's Christmas." I slowly walk over to my mom's side of the bed to shake her awake. "C'mon Mommy, we have to go open presents." I whisper. "Elizabeth, it's 5:30 am, can you go back to bed please for another, oh I don't know, two hours?" My mom says groggily. As a stubborn four year old, I didn't take to this question well and I needed a way to convince my parents that we needed to get up now instead of eight. "Mommy, let's get up, it's Chwist-mas!" My three year old sister comes sprinting into my parent's bedroom, her hair standing up in back. She takes a running start and leaps onto the bed, landing on my dad's legs. "What the-- Caroline!" my dad yells out in pain, trying to push my sister off. He began to mumble words, that at the time, did not mean anything to me and weren't seen as offensive at all. "Caroline and Elizabeth go back to bed now or I'm canceling Christmas." my mom yelled suddenly grabbing our attention. When my mom yells, you know that she means business and the idea of canceling Christmas was not even an option. Caroline and I started to walk back to our bedroom but before we could get there my four month old brother woke up screaming and crying.
We all made our way to Collin's room. "Caroline and Elizabeth go to your room now!" My dad said as he started to push us towards our room. "Does this mean Christmas is cancelled?" I asked, on the verge of crying. I knew my dad wouldn't be able to resist "the face." He looked at me for a moment and contemplated closing the door. "No Elizabeth." He said smiling "Come here." We all walked to Collin's room where my mom was trying to get him back to sleep by holding and rocking him. I sat on the floor quietly while Caroline went over to the book shelf to to grab Twas the Night Before Christmas. She opened the book and I could hear her trying to sound out the words. My dad sat down next to her and put in his lap, trying to help her read the book. I walked over and sat down next to him, looking at the pictures and listening to Caroline's attempts to read. As we kept reading, Collin stopped crying and my mom actually pulled out a couple of other Christmas books and we read those.
We ended up falling back asleep on my brother's floor until 8:30 a.m. He woke up first, but ready to actually get up this time. This might seem like a strange Christmas memory but it's my favorite because we created traditions that. Whether my parents like to admit it or not, they always looked forward to us waking up early and running into their room. For a while, we read Christmas stories before opening presents. Now that we're teenagers, we don't wake up at the crack of dawn but we still enjoy sitting in each other's rooms talking about these memories before we go downstairs.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Bush = Broken Promises
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15654769/ns/politics-political_cartoons/t/week-political-cartoons/
Too often, politicians and congressmen make promises that they can't or don't intend to follow through on. With these promises, they offer a temporary solution to a long term problem. One of the problems this country has faced for the past ten years is the war on terrorism. Bush assumed office in 2000 and soon had to deal with the crisis of 9/11. In response to the attacks Bush sent troops over to the Middle East in order to prevent any future attacks from coming to fruition. Constantly, Bush kept saying how he would take the troops out of Iraq and Iran by Christmas or in a year of the last promise. Finally after ten years, all troops in Iraq will be home for Christmas this year, something Obama said he would be able to do during his presidency.
In Adam Zygus's cartoon, Bush is in the background standing behind a podium saying "Major Combat Operations in Iraq have ended." I huge pencil is drawn next to the speaking bubble, dotting the period at the end of Bush's statement. On the side of the pencil the date "Dec. 15, 2011" is displayed. Bush's statement is supposed to represent all the false promises he made and what he was not able to accomplish during his time in office. Bush is also wearing an air suit that indicates he's been over to Iraq, meaning he should have obtained an update on the troops. This represents that Bush just wanted to appeal to the public when in fact he knew that the troops were not going to be coming home. In the bubble the date "May 1, 2003" is written and is used as a contrast between the date Dec. 15, 2011. This shows that it took eight years in order for the operations in Iraq to end instead of three years.
One of the techniques that Zygus uses is his placement of certain features in the cartoon. He places Bush in the background emphasizing the fact that Bush's remarks are part of the past, that he is no longer president. There's also a clear contrast between dates meaning that both are significantly different. May 3 is in the springtime heading towards summer, which for most families, is a time where they'll be taking vacations together. December 15 is ten days before Christmas, another event where families will be spending time together. Many of the people serving in the military are a part of these families and due to the fact that time kept elapsing, they didn't get to see them. Zygus also uses an actual quote which is supposed to make people think about the flaws that Bush had in his presidency. Bush would give information to the public that he thought they wanted to hear, not the information that they needed to hear.
For many years, we struggled with taking the troops out of the Middle East and finally we've been able to get them out of Iraq. Obama has made it possible for this to happen and that's a huge contrast between him and Bush. This cartoon deals with the issue of the amount of time the troops have spent over in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. While Americans would like to protect themselves from terrorists, they also need to think about those who are currently defending. Zygus seems to support that the troops need to be taken out of the Middle East because of Obama's presidency. Zygus could be a liberal due to the fact that they do not believe that America should be using violence as a means to fight terrorism. But the main message is not about the troops but about the lies that Americans have heard repeatedly about the war over in Iraq. Bush did not handle the war well and it is reflected in Zygus's cartoon. By emphasizing the past and present conditions of the war, Zygus is able to help Americans see what a difference eight years makes and how much more information we've obtained about the war.
Too often, politicians and congressmen make promises that they can't or don't intend to follow through on. With these promises, they offer a temporary solution to a long term problem. One of the problems this country has faced for the past ten years is the war on terrorism. Bush assumed office in 2000 and soon had to deal with the crisis of 9/11. In response to the attacks Bush sent troops over to the Middle East in order to prevent any future attacks from coming to fruition. Constantly, Bush kept saying how he would take the troops out of Iraq and Iran by Christmas or in a year of the last promise. Finally after ten years, all troops in Iraq will be home for Christmas this year, something Obama said he would be able to do during his presidency.
In Adam Zygus's cartoon, Bush is in the background standing behind a podium saying "Major Combat Operations in Iraq have ended." I huge pencil is drawn next to the speaking bubble, dotting the period at the end of Bush's statement. On the side of the pencil the date "Dec. 15, 2011" is displayed. Bush's statement is supposed to represent all the false promises he made and what he was not able to accomplish during his time in office. Bush is also wearing an air suit that indicates he's been over to Iraq, meaning he should have obtained an update on the troops. This represents that Bush just wanted to appeal to the public when in fact he knew that the troops were not going to be coming home. In the bubble the date "May 1, 2003" is written and is used as a contrast between the date Dec. 15, 2011. This shows that it took eight years in order for the operations in Iraq to end instead of three years.
One of the techniques that Zygus uses is his placement of certain features in the cartoon. He places Bush in the background emphasizing the fact that Bush's remarks are part of the past, that he is no longer president. There's also a clear contrast between dates meaning that both are significantly different. May 3 is in the springtime heading towards summer, which for most families, is a time where they'll be taking vacations together. December 15 is ten days before Christmas, another event where families will be spending time together. Many of the people serving in the military are a part of these families and due to the fact that time kept elapsing, they didn't get to see them. Zygus also uses an actual quote which is supposed to make people think about the flaws that Bush had in his presidency. Bush would give information to the public that he thought they wanted to hear, not the information that they needed to hear.
For many years, we struggled with taking the troops out of the Middle East and finally we've been able to get them out of Iraq. Obama has made it possible for this to happen and that's a huge contrast between him and Bush. This cartoon deals with the issue of the amount of time the troops have spent over in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. While Americans would like to protect themselves from terrorists, they also need to think about those who are currently defending. Zygus seems to support that the troops need to be taken out of the Middle East because of Obama's presidency. Zygus could be a liberal due to the fact that they do not believe that America should be using violence as a means to fight terrorism. But the main message is not about the troops but about the lies that Americans have heard repeatedly about the war over in Iraq. Bush did not handle the war well and it is reflected in Zygus's cartoon. By emphasizing the past and present conditions of the war, Zygus is able to help Americans see what a difference eight years makes and how much more information we've obtained about the war.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Answer to Question of the Week #3
Obama's presidency has been interesting to watch for the past three years. He came into office as a man with little experience in contrast to his opponent, John McCain. People have been able to see changes like the Health Care Bill or the Jobs Plan. Still, Obama's approval remains split. While 42% of Americans believe Obama has a decent Jobs Plan, 51% don't. There's no clear majority here, so it shows that Obama is not completely out of favor or in favor. It just means that it will be hard to predict whether or not he will win the presidency this year.
Back in September 2011, Gallup took a poll pertaining to how Obama has done compared to Bush. More Americans were inclined to say that Obama is better (43%) rather than worse (34%) and 22% seeing know difference between Bush and Obama. But compared to Bill Clinton, who, like Obama, is a Democrat, few people think that Obama has done better (12%) than Clinton. Unlike Obama, Clinton came into office with a lot more experience, knowing what policies he wanted to implement. Decisiveness is a key trait as a leader and Obama's approval ratings have dropped in those respects. In March 2011, Gallup's poll displayed Americans' view of Obama as a strong leader had dropped by 7% from April 2009. Overall, between understanding American's problems and sharing their values, Obama is at 21% decline.
As far as parties go, Obama is particularly popular with the Democratic party and only partially with the Republican party. 83% of Democrats feel Obama shares their values while a mere 18% of Republicans do. Surprisingly, Obama is split with Independents. 47% of Independents feel Obama shares their values which is slightly under 50%. If these polls are correct, Obama will probably be relying on the Democrats and Independents this year to reelect him as president.
It's hard to say at this point whether or not Obama has a strong chance of being reelected as president. Unfortunately over the past year, Obama's personality traits have trended downward meaning he is not connecting with the public. As president, the goal is to lead while still staying on base with Americans and that shouldn't be a huge task for Obama. This next year will test Obama to see whether or not he can raise ratings in the polls and be reelected to represent America once again.
Back in September 2011, Gallup took a poll pertaining to how Obama has done compared to Bush. More Americans were inclined to say that Obama is better (43%) rather than worse (34%) and 22% seeing know difference between Bush and Obama. But compared to Bill Clinton, who, like Obama, is a Democrat, few people think that Obama has done better (12%) than Clinton. Unlike Obama, Clinton came into office with a lot more experience, knowing what policies he wanted to implement. Decisiveness is a key trait as a leader and Obama's approval ratings have dropped in those respects. In March 2011, Gallup's poll displayed Americans' view of Obama as a strong leader had dropped by 7% from April 2009. Overall, between understanding American's problems and sharing their values, Obama is at 21% decline.
As far as parties go, Obama is particularly popular with the Democratic party and only partially with the Republican party. 83% of Democrats feel Obama shares their values while a mere 18% of Republicans do. Surprisingly, Obama is split with Independents. 47% of Independents feel Obama shares their values which is slightly under 50%. If these polls are correct, Obama will probably be relying on the Democrats and Independents this year to reelect him as president.
It's hard to say at this point whether or not Obama has a strong chance of being reelected as president. Unfortunately over the past year, Obama's personality traits have trended downward meaning he is not connecting with the public. As president, the goal is to lead while still staying on base with Americans and that shouldn't be a huge task for Obama. This next year will test Obama to see whether or not he can raise ratings in the polls and be reelected to represent America once again.
Is Wall Street Destroying the Dream?
http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/bs/
Wall Street is known for it's immense amount of wealth and billionaires whom roam the streets. They're are also known for the lack of empathy not only towards the lower class but also the middle class. In Ben Sargent's political cartoon, a milk carton sits in the trash can displaying the words "Missing: Middle Class American Dream." The milk carton is something everyone can relate to because in the past, people have used them to publicize that someone is missing. This time though, it's publicizing that the American Dream is missing. This means that is is slowly disappearing as big businesses on Wall Street take over. Sargent's cartoon also illustrates a street sign that says in prominent letters "Wall Street." This is meant to symbolize that Wall Street is a a huge contributor to the elite's high status. When it comes to money, they dominate, and they're proud of it. The sign is placed above the trash can representing how Wall Street looks down upon the middle class and, like garbage, has no problem with letting go of the middle class.
One of the techniques that Ben Sargent uses is his placement of words. By placing the sign in the upper left hand corner, it catches the reader's attention immediately. The letters on the sign are thick and large to represent the reign that Wall Street has over society. This is supposed to make the reader think about the power that Wall Street has and how it's effected them and their lives. The reader's eye is then drawn to the trash can next, which is purposefully placed below the sign to emphasize anyone who does not have Wall Street status is considered "garbage." This is supposed to make the reader feel frustrated about the situations on Wall Street and fight against the elites of society.
Another technique Sargent uses is Ridicule. By placing the the "Middle Class American Dream" in the garbage, it emphasizes that it has become irrelevant to the elites. This is placing blame on Wall Street for their dominance over society and how it's become an issue. This issue has been publicized for weeks on the news, showcasing all the protests and riots that have been going on. The middle class makes up a huge part of America and people are fighting in order to keep this class around. Wall Street is the epitome of the Elitist Theory and that's not what America should stand for.
Sargent has a great point: the American Dream is missing. People have become hyper focused on who's holding the power rather than realizing that they can strive to accomplish the American Dream just like those on Wall Street. They do have an incredible amount of power but in order to take it out of their hands, people need to start working towards the American Dream again. Ben Sargent is probably a liberal due to the fact that he thinks the middle class is an important factor in society. Everyone should be well represented and most liberals believe that people can work towards wealth if they make the conscience decision to do so. Wall Street cannot keep people from working for what they want and they can stand up to the elites to start accomplishing the American Dream.
Wall Street is known for it's immense amount of wealth and billionaires whom roam the streets. They're are also known for the lack of empathy not only towards the lower class but also the middle class. In Ben Sargent's political cartoon, a milk carton sits in the trash can displaying the words "Missing: Middle Class American Dream." The milk carton is something everyone can relate to because in the past, people have used them to publicize that someone is missing. This time though, it's publicizing that the American Dream is missing. This means that is is slowly disappearing as big businesses on Wall Street take over. Sargent's cartoon also illustrates a street sign that says in prominent letters "Wall Street." This is meant to symbolize that Wall Street is a a huge contributor to the elite's high status. When it comes to money, they dominate, and they're proud of it. The sign is placed above the trash can representing how Wall Street looks down upon the middle class and, like garbage, has no problem with letting go of the middle class.
One of the techniques that Ben Sargent uses is his placement of words. By placing the sign in the upper left hand corner, it catches the reader's attention immediately. The letters on the sign are thick and large to represent the reign that Wall Street has over society. This is supposed to make the reader think about the power that Wall Street has and how it's effected them and their lives. The reader's eye is then drawn to the trash can next, which is purposefully placed below the sign to emphasize anyone who does not have Wall Street status is considered "garbage." This is supposed to make the reader feel frustrated about the situations on Wall Street and fight against the elites of society.
Another technique Sargent uses is Ridicule. By placing the the "Middle Class American Dream" in the garbage, it emphasizes that it has become irrelevant to the elites. This is placing blame on Wall Street for their dominance over society and how it's become an issue. This issue has been publicized for weeks on the news, showcasing all the protests and riots that have been going on. The middle class makes up a huge part of America and people are fighting in order to keep this class around. Wall Street is the epitome of the Elitist Theory and that's not what America should stand for.
Sargent has a great point: the American Dream is missing. People have become hyper focused on who's holding the power rather than realizing that they can strive to accomplish the American Dream just like those on Wall Street. They do have an incredible amount of power but in order to take it out of their hands, people need to start working towards the American Dream again. Ben Sargent is probably a liberal due to the fact that he thinks the middle class is an important factor in society. Everyone should be well represented and most liberals believe that people can work towards wealth if they make the conscience decision to do so. Wall Street cannot keep people from working for what they want and they can stand up to the elites to start accomplishing the American Dream.
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